The mountain aperitif has its own grammar. Guests arrive with cold cheeks, settle by the fire, take their time. The glasses should follow that rhythm: spirits to sip slowly, and ice that goes the distance.
Preparing the coffret
A coffret of nine spheres serves an evening for four to six guests. Keep it in the freezer, at -18 °C, until the last moment. Set out the glasses within reach, a pair of service tongs and the House Cards, which each guest will discover with their glass.
Three glasses for one evening
The first: whisky over a sphere. A Highland single malt, served over a Signature sphere. It warms without weighing down and opens as the conversation flows.
The second: a negroni. 3 cl gin, 3 cl red vermouth, 3 cl Italian bitter, stirred and poured over a Signature sphere, with an orange twist. Its bitterness sharpens the appetite before dinner.
The third: the celebration glass. An old rum or a hors d'âge cognac over a Prestige sphere. The gold leaf catches the firelight: this is the glass your guests will talk about.
Alongside
A few things, well chosen: toasted almonds, an aged Comté, a few slices of Grisons air-dried beef. Frank flavours that stand up to the spirits.
The host's gesture
Serve each glass in front of your guests. Place the sphere, let it rest a moment, pour slowly, set the House Card beside it. A gesture of a few seconds turns a glass into a moment.