DISCOVER THE WORLD CLASS 50

The definitive guide to the finest drinking experiences

The World Class 50: The Definitive Drinking Guide features 50 of the most innovative and talented bartenders from across the globe. Each bartender showcases the perfect location, the most inventive cocktail and the finest of ingredients and spirits that define the 'must have' fine drinking experience in their city.

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Mattia Pastori’s Perfect TTT

Mattia Pastori represented Italy at the World Class Bartender of the Year final, 2013

Bamboo Bar occupies the top floor of the Armani Hotel. It’s a double-height glass box, with a super slick interior à la mode dominated by a soaring wall of backlit onyx. Its linear and clean forms reveal the hand of Armani himself, who is also heavily involved in how drinks are packaged and presented to guests. The space is chic, but relaxed, an update on the classic American hotel bar, which is a theme that runs through the whole offering. In Bamboo’s menus there is also a desire to incorporate the best of modern mixology, and their concoctions frequently use dry ice, cotton candy and smoked ingredients.

The Bartender

Mattia Pastori is a lounge manager at Milan’s Bamboo Bar and the winner of World Class in Italy. Mattia, 29, was inspired to be a bartender by his parents, who ran a bar in his hometown near Pavia. From here he learned his trade under Fabio Firma at Pozzo American Bar, and then at the Hyatt in Milan. ‘I take classics and try to do something new with them,’ Mattia explains, ‘It could be something quite retro from the 1960s or 1980s that I then reinvent using something seasonal like pears or white peach.’ He is influenced by Italian mixology, especially that of Venice with its emphasis on fresh fruit and sparkling wines, and also by Milan, ‘we use a lot of saffron because it is associated with Milanese cuisine.’

The Drink

The Perfect TTT is Mattia’s attempt to encourage people to experience something slightly different to the ubiquitous G&T. The recipe showcases his favourite gin Tanqueray No. Ten for its versatility and its balance of zesty and floral notes, and uses gently smoked rose and lotus tea, prepared with a chef’s smoking gun to give a unique aroma to this classic. With his Perfect TTT, Mattia avoids straightforward cocktails, supplanting them with gentle twists to entice customers out of their sedentary habits.

The Technique

Tanqueray No. Ten • 50ml
Fever-Tree tonic water • To fill
Rose and lotus loose leaf tea to smoke
Long strips of grapefruit peel
Contains 19 grams of alcohol per serve

Smoke the tea using a chef’s smoking gun to scent the glass. Pour the Tanqueray No. Ten into a tall glass with ice. Add the tonic to taste. Garnish with grapefruit peel.

Mattia believes that aperitivos are the drinks not to miss in Milan, and thinks that table number 10, at the confluence of the two parts of the bar and with glorious views over Piazza del Duomo, is the hottest ticket.

Images by Federico Malgarini

Mattia’s Insider’s Guide to Milan