Through the Light

Valentino Longo | Miami

Valentino Longo challenged himself to see if he could combine two of his favorite classic cocktails—the 50/50 Martini and the Gin and Tonic—into one original drink. The result is the Through the Light, which Longo builds on a floral, Martini-like base of equal parts gin and vermouth, layering on a house-made tonic syrup and a crystal-clear sour blend in place of lemon, allowing the drink to be stirred. Soda water lends fizz, while the juniper-accented olives recall a classic Martini garnish. “It’s very elegant, very light and delicate, but still refreshing,” says Longo.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 1 part BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin
  • 1 part BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin
  • 1 part Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Ambrato vermouth
  • 1 part Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Ambrato vermouth
  • 1/4 parts chamomile sour blend (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/4 parts chamomile sour blend (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/4 parts rectified tonic (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/4 parts rectified tonic (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1 1/2 parts soda water
  • 1 1/2 parts soda water

Garnish: 3 botanical-infused olives (see Editor’s Note)

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass except for the soda water and olives.
  2. Strain into an Old-Fashioned glass with a big ice block.
  3. Add soda water.
  4. Garnish with botanical-infused olives. 
Editor's Note

Chamomile sour blend
34 oz filtered water
1 oz citric acid
0.7 oz malic acid
0.4 oz tartaric acid
0.1 oz baking soda
0.2 ounce dried chamomile (roughly three tea bags worth)

Blend all ingredients together at room temperature and stir until everything is diluted. Leave overnight with three lemon peels. Strain and bottle. 

Rectified tonic
10g bergamot essence
10g calamansi essence
30g fresh lemon peel
10g spearmint
50ml olive brine
1.5g chincona bark
9g dried quinine
1,000g sugar
18g citric acid
700ml water

Combine all ingredients expect for the sugar and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes until reduced to 500 ml in total volume. Then add the sugar and stir until diluted. 

Botanical-infused olives
500g Castelvetrano olives
500g almonds
500g lemon peels
150g juniper berries
50 ml of almond syrup
50 ml of lemon juice
150 ml of Bombay Sapphire gin

Vacuum seal a third of olives with the almonds, almond syrup, and 50 ml of Bombay Sapphire. Separately, vacuum seal a third of the olives, lemon peels, 50ml of lemon juice, and 50ml of gin. Create a third vacuum seal with the last third of olives, juniper berries, 50ml gin. Refrigerate all and leave it overnight. Strain all and combine and serve.