Campari’s Red Hands program launched at this year’s Venice Film Festival, leveraging the cinematic forum as the perfect backdrop to the inspired cocktail creations. Now, the program is being unveiled to a global audience.
Each of the “Red Hands’” — aka participating bartenders — creations are intrinsically linked by leveraging the iconic Milanese red aperitivo, Campari, as the star ingredient. Leaning on Campari’s rich history in the film and arts world, the Red Hands mixologists transformed their cocktails into short movies of various genres. They highlighted their individual, creative Red Passion to create one-of-a-kind cocktail experiences.
Hailing from diverse backgrounds and journeys, these seven mixologists share the common thread of “Red Passion,” giving them a never-ending desire to push the boundaries of creativity in their bartending careers. The seven were chosen for their drive and ambition to constantly embrace challenges and push boundaries in the path of creation.
Emblematic to Campari’s storied history in the film space, the Red Hands’ creations were unveiled through a series of short film premieres rather than just interviews — viewable HERE — that brought the cocktails to life through the lens of a film genre. With the Red Hands’ cocktails serving as the protagonists of short movies, each of the mixologists collaborated with a skilled film director and production team, actively participating in the set design to allow their Red Passion to come alive.
FLAVIA ARROYO
Head Bartender at Casa Cavia, Argentina, Arroyo adores the Negroni, igniting her passion for mixology. Her cocktail “El Viaje,” inspired by a road movie, encapsulates diverse flavours and sensations reminiscent of the film’s journey. This highball mixing Campari and Wild Turkey is clarified with yoghurt and Frangelico with every sip.
A ROAD MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY FLAVIA ARROYO – EL VIAJE
When the protagonist of a road movie returns from a journey, they’re never the same as when they left: on the journey, everything changes. That’s why, with each sip of this drink, you will experience a different flavor or range of sensations that will continue to evolve until you’ve drained your glass.
El Viaje
Ingredients
- Campari
- Wild Turkey clarified with yogurt
- Frangelico
- Tonic water
- Sweet corn powder
Instructions
Pour the Campari into a cold mixing glass with the clarified Wild Turkey (leave to stand for 24 hours) and Frangelico. Cool all the ingredients and pour into a highball glass filled with ice or crystal ice. Add the tonic water. Mix thoroughly and finish with the sweet corn powder.
GIUSY CASTALDO
a Neapolitan mixologist at Kwānt UK, Castaldo infuses her fiery “Red Passion” into her work, reflected in her cocktail “Love or Knot.” Inspired by romance, this creation artfully juxtaposes modern courtship’s cynicism with true love’s authenticity. The cocktail features at its heart Campari, with a blend of aged cognacs and Ancho Reyes.
A ROMANTIC MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY GIUSY CASTALDO – LOVE OR KNOT
Love Or Knot
Ingredients
- Campari
- Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire
- Ancho Reyes Verde
- Taggiasca olive brine
- Dash of soda
- Homemade Olive Leaves Tree Essence
- Taggiasca Black Olive
Instructions
Mix together Campari, Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire and Ancho Reyes. Pour into a chilled coupette glass, top up with a dash of soda. Garnished with Taggiasca Black Olive. Spray olive leaf extract on top and serve.
DANIEL ESTEVAN
Head Bartender at Nosso Ipanema, Brazil, Estevan brings forth the tropical vibrancy of the Amazon in “Red Velvet,” a cocktail that marries Campari with 1757 Vermouth di Torino Rosso and blood orange sorbet. The blood orange sorbet not only brings the element of surprise, but its texture is like a red velvet curtain that will remind you of old horror movies.
A HORROR MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY DANIEL ESTEVAN – RED VELVET
Campari is the base and represents the mystery and suspense of a horror movie plot. The blood orange sorbet evokes a feeling of terror and surprise on the palate when savouring this drink. The velvet sensation of the sorbet also recalls the red velvet curtains of old horror movies that often conceal a disturbing secret.
Red Velvet
Ingredients
- Campari
- 1757 Vermouth di Torino Rosso
- Blood orange sorbet
Instructions
Begin by preparing the blood orange sorbet using 1 liter of blood orange juice, 1 bottle of Cinzano brut and 70cl of simple syrup, and mix in a thermomix. Freeze and mix a further three times. Add a spoonful of blood orange sorbet, shaken and strained, to the Campari and 1757 Rosso, and serve.
DAVID “PANDA” PYTKOWSKI
Also known as PANDA, from El Koktel in Warsaw, Pytkowski draws from a thriller to create “The Deadly Sin”. Adding lime cordial to Skyy Vodka redistilled with Fresh Green Coriander, Ice Cider and Campari, his creation is not just a twist on a Negroni but a completely delicious unique recipe.
A THRILLER MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY DAVID PANDA PYTKOWSKI – TASTE OF SIN
Like the mind of a serial killer in a classic thriller movie, everything you think is wrong becomes acceptable. Many may think adding lime cordial to a Negroni is a deadly sin, but if you see the drink not as a twist on a Negroni but as a completely different recipe, it’s delicious.
Taste Of Sin
Ingredients
- Campari
- Skyy Vodka Redistilled With Fresh Green Coriander
- Lime Cordial
- Ice Cider
Instructions
Chill the glassware. Pour all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Stir with ice. Press a Campari stamp into an ice cube. Strain into a chilled glass with the ice cube. Perfume the drink with lime essence. Serve the drink with flaming steel wool on the side.
ROHAN MATMARY
Head Bartender at Bar Trigona in Kuala Lumpur, Matmary is passionate about placing curated stories and immersive experiences within his cocktails. Paired with a sci-fi movie, Rohan’s creation of “M1TO” starts with a unique tropical base of coconut-based Milano-Torino and then, just like in the film, guests can make a choice to complete their drink with either a tart and fruity strawberry taste or flavors of mango.
A SCI-FI MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY ROHAN MATMARY – M1T0
Sci-fi movies offer a fresh take on reality. So this cocktail is a reinterpretation of the famous Milano-Torino cocktail but with the tropical touch of its coconut fat-washed Cinzano base. Then, since in a cyberpunk world, your choices can change the plot completely, I want to let the customer choose between two pills, experiencing a kind of sliding door. The Red Pill gives the drink an exciting tart and fruity strawberry taste, followed by a tropical aroma. The Yellow Pill instantly turns the drink a yellow shade with the mango flavours.
M1TO
Ingredients
- 1757 Vermouth di Torino Extra Dry
- Coconut Fat Washed
- Red Pill: compressed strawberry & Campari
- Yellow Pill: dehydrated sour mango
Instructions
Mix the Campari and the coconut fat-washed Cinzano 1757 Extra Dry Vermouth in a glass with ice and stir. Serve the cocktail with both the Red Pill (compressed strawberry and Campari) and the Yellow Pill (dehydrated sour mango). The customer chooses which to add to their drink.
DOM CARELLA
Owner of Milan’s Carico Milano, Carella, a former chef turned mixologist, is a force of innovation. His cocktail “Sentenza,” a tribute to western cinematic art, marries Smoked Corn Cordial Soda Water, Campari, Bourbon, and Mezcal, encapsulating the very essence of the spaghetti western in a sip.
A WESTERN MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY DOM CARELLA – SENTENZA
Only one cocktail can survive in the Wild West.
Will it be the best or the baddest? The smartest or the cleverest? The Sentenza cocktail will answer this question by bringing a new drink to the West, containing Mezcal, water, Bourbon and corn. But it is the bitterness of the Campari that gives the drink its courage, so that it can beat anyone it meets on its way.
Sentenza
Ingredients
- Campari
- Montelobos Mezcal
- Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon
- Smoked Corn Cordial
- Soda Water
Instructions
Take a highball glass, add the ice pillar, the cordial, and fill ⅔ with soda. Slowly add the mixed Campari and Bourbon to create a layer. Then spray Mezcal onto the glass and serve.
LP O’BRIEN
Owner of LP Drinks, OBrien from the US, conveys her dedication, education, and innovation through her mixology. Inspired by the costume drama, her cocktail “Like a Queen” is a sophisticated serve where jasmine infused La Mauny Rhum Agricole and Sherry Wine blends harmoniously with coffee and whole milk.
A COSTUME-DRAMA MOVIE COCKTAIL DIRECTED BY LP – LIKE A QUEEN
Like a court dance, this drink is made of elegance. Each ingredient blends harmoniously with the others. But it is only for appearances’ sake. The intrigues and the betrayals that shock viewers in a costume-drama movie will also emerge from this drink: a clarified milk punch where Campari loses its redness. Just like a hidden passion.
Like A Queen
Ingredients
- Jasmine infused La Mauny Rhum Agricole
- Sherry Wine
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Coffee
- Whole Milk
Instructions
Prepare the jasmine-infused La Mauny: steep Jasmine Tea (10%) with Rhum (90%) for 10 minutes at room temperature.
Prepare the coffee: add salted butter to a small saucepan and brown. Add brewed coffee and let cool. Mix and allow to sit at room temperature for 4 hours. Refrigerate the mixture for 24 hours, then strain through cheesecloth and bottle for later use.
Place the La Mauny, sherry, Campari, coffee and lemon juice into a container. Slowly pour in the milk. Leave to stand for 4 hours and refrigerate overnight. Strain through cheesecloth. Then, strain through a coffee filter on top of a mesh strainer for a clear serve.
Take 2 oz of the batch and 0.25 oz of rich simple syrup and stir. Strain into a rocks glass and add a 2×2 with an edible glitter garnish.
Express the lemon oil and discard.
