
The Mixologist Has Nine Lives
At once modern and antiquated, humorous and self-serious, the term’s contradictions form the very DNA of bartending.
- story: Danny Chau
- illustration: Mallory Heyer
At once modern and antiquated, humorous and self-serious, the term’s contradictions form the very DNA of bartending.
A staple of the modern sommelier lexicon, the term captures the difficulty of articulating the convergence of taste and texture.
The term emerged in the mid-2010s as sommelier shorthand for a faddish rarity. Is it a dying breed?
Equal parts virtuous compliment and backhanded dig, the ambiguous wine term may have to die for its true tenets to survive.
How a vaguely violent word co-opted from bro culture became a catchall for carefree drinking.
How do we navigate the line between love and revulsion in natural wine?
It may be the most ubiquitous descriptor in drinks. Is it also the most reviled?