What makes a perfect cocktail? What are its key ingredients? How do we pair it with our favourite mini cigar? Camila Giraldi, Head Bartender at Naked & Famous in Seville, reveals all the secrets of mixology and how to enjoy it accompanied by Cuban mini cigars.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Camila Giraldi began her career in mixology almost by chance. In 2013, she started working in a bar in Quilmes to help pay for her studies. At the time, she wasn’t an expert in the world of cocktails or drinks, but she did know that the industry really fascinated her. “I found in hospitality a sense of freedom and a constant curiosity that fill me with satisfaction,” she tells us in this interview.
Her knowledge came, as with everything in life, from experience: as well as studying, she spent her time visiting bars, connecting with other bartenders and learning from customers. After six years working as a bartender in Argentina, she decided to travel and continue developing her professional career in Spain.
The secret to a perfect cocktail
When asked if she has noticed any differences between practicing her profession in the two countries, she tells us that “one of the differences I find easiest to spot is the range of spirits, distillates, brands, flavours and equipment available in Spain”. However, she is quick to add that “I think that limitation also taught us in Argentina to find alternative solutions: what we don’t have, we create.”
In this context, it is no surprise that Camila shines for her creativity and her ability to find inspiration. For her, inspiration when it comes to making cocktails comes from her personal experiences: travel, conversations, meals, new ingredients… “I really feel that [inspiration] is everywhere. The important thing is to be curious enough to recognize it.”
This curiosity has led her to discover what, in her experience, are the key elements for creating a good cocktail: balance and context. Whether with or without alcohol, by day or by night, for Camila there must be a balance between the internal elements —the ingredients, the glassware, the ice and the technique— and the external ones —the atmosphere, the music and the company. All of this, of course, without forgetting ‘enjoyment’, which, ultimately, is the very reason for making cocktails.
When we asked her what it’s like to be the Head Bartender at the renowned Naked and Famous in Seville, she told us she experiences it “in a very organic way”. Having been involved with the project since its inception, she has grown alongside it and received recognition at the same time. “I don’t feel as though I’m simply working on an award-winning project,” she says, “but rather that I have the opportunity to grow professionally alongside it and help build it from within.”
Pairing cocktails with Cuban minis
When it comes to pairing drinks with Cuban minis, Camila is clear: “I believe there needs to be a balance of intensity. The cocktail shouldn’t try to compete with the mini or be overwhelmed by it.” When choosing the perfect accompaniment for our Cuban mini, Camila suggests looking for a drink with enough body to complement it, whilst ensuring that the two enhance each other.
For her, a good pairing does not necessarily involve seeking out identical flavours but rather discovering “points of commonality and contrast that allow both the cocktail and the mini dish to be enjoyed in a new way”. As an example of this, she suggests three pairings.
Cohiba Club and Gitanos
“I’d pair the Cohiba Club with a cocktail that makes a statement,” says Camila, “but one with a creamy note. And that’s precisely what we find in Gitanos: a twist on an Espresso Martini made with vodka, cold brew –a coffee liqueur produced by cold infusion– and saffron syrup, finished with cinnamon cream and grated tonka bean.”
This is a short cocktail, with bitter and toasty notes of coffee, which also features a creamy, spicy texture. Its flavour profile complements the Cohiba Club experience perfectly, adding subtle nuances without competing with it.
Trinidad Wide Short and Sir Cherry Wallace
For the Trinidad Wide Short, Camila suggests a Sir Cherry Wallace, a cocktail created by her colleague Ana. It is based on a 12-year-old Scotch whisky mixed with Oloroso sherry, a cocoa nib liqueur and cherry soda, which makes it longer and more sparkling.
“Trinidad Wide Short has a rich and complex profile,” says Camila, “which is why I think it’s a very natural pairing: the whisky and the Oloroso bring structure and nutty notes, the cocoa complements its toasted notes, and the cherry and carbonation add fruit, freshness and a slight acidity that cleanses the palate.”
Partagás Mini and Mezcal Negroni
Finally, we come to the option with the most character: a Partagás Mini paired with a mezcal Negroni. As Camila explains, replacing the gin with mezcal gives the cocktail smoky, earthy and vegetal notes. The recipe retains the vermouth and red bitters but also incorporates an Italian amaro and a chocolate bitter, which add depth and complexity to the whole.
The result retains the Negroni’s bitter and spicy profile, whilst adding layers of smokiness, earthiness and cocoa. “I like this pairing because it doesn’t seek to tone down the intensity of the Partagás, but rather to complement it: both have enough character to stand up to one another and bring out the best in each other,” explains Camila.
In closing, Camila also acknowledges that there is a certain degree of subjectivity in this final pairing: after all, Negroni is one of her favourite cocktails. “It’s very difficult to choose just one favourite cocktail because I have several,” she confesses, “but, without a doubt, the Negroni is a cocktail that defines me and one I would always drink.”
It’s no coincidence, in fact, that Negroni is also the inspiration behind the name of her professional Instagram account, 3partesiguales, where she shares her latest creations.
