SEVENTY ONE GIN’S ‘NIGHT IN GOLD’

words by VERONICA TLAPANCO SZABÓ

What do Madonna, Kate Moss and Kim Kardashian all have in common? Each of them has been a muse to photographer and creative director Mert Alas, a man who captures icons by day and now pours their spirit by night, quite literally. For Alas, beauty has always begun with a feeling, not an image, and when he dreamt up SEVENTY ONE GIN, he approached it the same way. You’ll now find the bottle gracing birthdays, lighting up private dinners, slipping into shoot breaks, and travelling around the globe. Unlike any gin before it, this one is born from a place closer to couture than to distillation.

all images courtesy of SEVENTY ONE GIN

Crafted in London, Alas sought to weave into the spirit the warmth and depth we usually associate with whisky or cognac, only to let it bloom open with jasmine, rose, and citrus. Honey and vanilla also follow the tonka beans and oak used to ground SEVENTY ONE GIN with structure, while Queen of the Night (the flower that blooms in darkness) adds a layer of enchantment. Each botanical is distilled separately, before the entire mix rests for seventy-one nights in an array of oak barrels. Yes, that’s the secret behind its name!

And if by now you’re longing for a glass (don’t worry, same), you’re in luck. As part of Night in Gold, a selection of Amsterdam’s most atmospheric bars will be serving their own SEVENTY ONE GIN specials all winter long. At SHU Amsterdam, where Japanese-Peruvian cuisine meet and the Vault Bar at the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam which surrounds its mixology with heritage. As well as Fitz’s Bar in the Pillows Grand Boutique Hotel, long devoted to craftsmanship and elegant design, naturally embraces the golden glow and finally at Prins & Aap in Andaz Amsterdam, ever vibrant and ever in motion. Once again, Mert Alas proves his ability to merge glamour with passion, crafting a spirit that celebrates and connects spirits in a Night in Gold.