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Kyara, the “postmodern bar” in Barcelona’s new SLS hotel, is that it smells good: as soon as I step from the lift I’m wreathed in an exotic mix of labdanum, cedarwood, Mexican copal, white musk, neroli and oud. The theme is fragrance: “Kyara”, which is an ancient Japanese word for the finest grade of oud, is used here. The staff wear perfumer’s jackets and the cocktail ingredients are all a tribute to the art of olfaction.
Kyara The vision of Alex Kratena & Monica Berg, London’s bartending couple behind London’s Tayēr & Elementary bar. Kratena and Berg have worked with the cream of food, fashion and design; between them, they’ve won an almost indecent haul of awards. So why choose a 471-bedroom, five-star hotel in Barcelona’s Port Forum district – a place better known for its marinas, beaches and hosting the Primavera Festival than its food and drink scene – for their next venture?
“It has an up-and-coming spirit – there are a lot of start-ups, creatives and innovators setting up here,” says Berg. Kratena has felt an affinity with Barcelona ever since doing a stage early on in his career at Tickets – the now closed tapas bar belonging to former El Bulli chef Ferran Adrià and his brother Albert. “We love working with local ingredients,” he says, “and when it comes to produce, Barcelona is a paradise.”
Kyara’s long and low bar is contemporary with its interiors, which contrast teal, taupe, and smooth planes of brushed stainless steel. The music is hip-hop, trap and electronica. It’s a party for those who love to party.
All distillates used by Kyara in her drinks are produced by Robertet, a Grasse based company that has been providing high-grade essences to the fragrance industry for over 175 year. “Cocktails are increasingly the fine fragrances of the flavour world – so we’re super-excited to be working in this area,” says Mark Bailey, Robertet’s flavour division director. Each guest begins with a palate-cleanser of scented, iced water in a tiny frozen cocktail glass – mine is laced with neroli, giving it the luminous florality of bitter orange flowers, and petitgrain, an essential oil derived from the bitter orange’s twigs and leaves, which is more woody and green.
After that, the actual cocktail list is presented, which groups together 27 classic cocktails inspired by scents into eight “accords”. These are chypre (a fragrant oil), leather, floral, citruses, woody and amber. From the citrus list I taste a yuzu-kosho and sansho Negroni, and a bergamot Margarita on the rocks. A Manhattan cocktail with tonka and coffee, as well as a black walnut- and leather-scented, armagnac cocktail, are dark spirit drinks. Lighter and less boozy is a sparkling patchouli and rose highball; and an Adonis – a sherry- and vermouth-based apertif-style classic – with vetiver and a tobacco accord.
On hot days, a white peach Margarita frozen with cedarwood is a great option. The slushy-style frozen Carajillo (a boozy iced coffee popular in Latin America) is also wickedly good.
Berg and Kratena love to promote local distillers. A sakura champagne cocktail showcases local Ginraw Cherry Blossom gin. You can also try a twist to a chypre Gimlet by marrying Corpen gin from the nearby Poblenou neighbourhood with lime and a chypre accord of labdanum, oakmoss, bergamot and pink pepper.
The Martini is served from the “compounding area” which resembles a test-kitchen in the middle of the space. Guests can choose from 30 different distillates or accords to match with their Martini. I am paired with a Mert Alas recipe. Seventy One gin layered with oud and sandalwood, and served at the table with a spritz of green mandarin and tuberose from an atomiser – it is delicious.
These drinks are complex in flavour, but their presentation is crisp and simple. Garnishes can be simple, but they are effective: A neroli and Lemon Verbena Mojito has a Gordal Olive stuffed full of a micro-bouquet containing salty finger (a coastal succulent), fresh mint and a Gordal Olive.
Kratena: “To me, a postmodern bar is about mixing beautiful and unconventional products with classic drinks.” “But it’s one that doesn’t bother you with science-y stuff – it’s most of all about fun.”
