Scene Last Night: Terfel on Cocktails, Grenier Plays Host
St. John Frizell, proprietor of the bar Fort Defiance in Red Hook, Brooklyn, speared a black plastic dagger through a grapefruit peel last night as he recited from “Macbeth”:
“... Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation, proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?”
The Metropolitan Opera’s third cocktail contest was under way. This one was held before the curtain of Verdi’s “Macbeth,” with Thomas Hampson in the title role, and called for cocktails inspired by Shakespeare’s tragedy. Among the judges was a thirsty baritone, Bryn Terfel, who starting in April will take the role of Wotan, king of the gods, in three complete cycles of Wagner’s Ring.
Contestant Frizell, in a Hickey Freeman suit and Pucci pocket square, prepared his Dagger: a light, citrusy drink using Scottish gin, Italian wine and American bitters.
Fresh thyme was also spied on the bar counter of the Met’s Grand Tier.
“That’s my ‘double, double, toil and trouble,’” Frizell said, invoking the incantation of the play’s three witches.
The verdict: “It’s deceptive, like a dagger,” said Abigail Gullo, a bartender at Fort Defiance. “It tastes light and refreshing, but I suspect it has a lot of alcohol. It could sneak up on you.”
Frizell lost out to Meaghan Dorman from Raines Law Room, a bar in Chelsea. Her prize: opera tickets.
$94,000 Bottle of Whiskey
The prize on Liberty Island last night was a 55-year-old bottle of whiskey.
Mahesh Patel, an Atlanta-based real-estate developer, claimed it for $94,000 in a live auction organized by Glenfiddich to mark its 125th anniversary.
The liquid in the bottle was made in honor of Janet Sheed Roberts, the granddaughter of Glenfiddich’s founding distiller, William Grant.
“It has a very strong pear taste,” said Brian Kinsman, master blender of William Grant & Sons, which produces brands Glenfiddich, Hendrick’s and others.
For most of the party the bottle sat in a corner of a tent, neglected in favor of men in kilts serving drams of whiskey, lobster and chicken pot pies, and a view of the Statue of Liberty’s back.
At auction, Patel vied with one other bidder in $500 increments, on and on. Let’s just say auctioneer Rachel Orkin- Ramey of Christie’s showed extreme patience. (Whiskey, by the way, is not her specialty: She said she is an Asian art expert excited about a sale next week of ancient bronze mirrors.)
Patel’s victory was cheered by actor-producer Adrian Grenier and producer Peter Glatzer, co-founders of SHFT Initiatives; its programs promoting healthy, sustainable living benefited from the auction.
Patel said he likes whiskey because “it has so many flavors and aromas.” His passion has become a business: He is the chief executive of the Universal Whisky Experience, a company that plans tasting events, most recently in Las Vegas.
(Amanda Gordon is a writer and photographer for Muse, the arts and leisure section of Bloomberg News. Any opinions expressed are her own.)
To contact the writer on this story: Amanda Gordon in New York at agordon01@bloomberg.net or on Twitter at @amandagordon.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Manuela Hoelterhoff at mhoelterhoff@bloomberg.net.
Metropolitan Opera 'Macbeth' Mixology
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
St. John Frizell, proprietor of Fort Defiance, a bar in Red Hook.
St. John Frizell, proprietor of Fort Defiance, a bar in Red Hook. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Metropolitan Opera 'Macbeth' Mixology
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Meaghan Dorman of the Chelsea bar Raines Law Room won the cocktail contest. She created "Glory + Grief" and made it strong like Macbeth's ambition using Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin, Lillet, Creme de Violette, a dash of absinthe and a grapefruit twist.
Meaghan Dorman of the Chelsea bar Raines Law Room won the cocktail contest. She created "Glory + Grief" and made it strong like Macbeth's ambition using Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength Gin, Lillet, Creme de Violette, a dash of absinthe and a grapefruit twist. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Bryn Terfel, a bass baritone appearing in the Met's Ring in April and May, helped judge a mixology contest. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Glenfiddich on Liberty Island
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
After paying $94,000 for a bottle of scotch, Mahesh Patel, CEO of the Universal Whisky Experience, celebrated with painter Tim Kent and actor-producer Adrian Grenier. The proceeds of the auction benefited SHFT Initiatives, co-founded by Grenier.
After paying $94,000 for a bottle of scotch, Mahesh Patel, CEO of the Universal Whisky Experience, celebrated with painter Tim Kent and actor-producer Adrian Grenier. The proceeds of the auction benefited SHFT Initiatives, co-founded by Grenier. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Glenfiddich on Liberty Island
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
The $94,000 bottle of whiskey.
The $94,000 bottle of whiskey. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Brian Kinsman, William Grant & Sons master blender. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Glenfiddich on Liberty Island
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Rachel Pumroy, an art director at advertising agency Momentum, Nicholas Pollacchi, a Balvenie ambassador, Kindra Meyer, a creative director at Momentum, and Andrew Weir, a Balvenie ambassador.
Rachel Pumroy, an art director at advertising agency Momentum, Nicholas Pollacchi, a Balvenie ambassador, Kindra Meyer, a creative director at Momentum, and Andrew Weir, a Balvenie ambassador. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Glenfiddich on Liberty Island
Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
Parting moments on Liberty Island, as guests at Glenfiddich's party head to the ferry boat.
Parting moments on Liberty Island, as guests at Glenfiddich's party head to the ferry boat. Photographer: Amanda Gordon/Bloomberg
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