GUCCI HAS A SIGNATURE co*ckTAIL NOW,
BECAUSE WHY NOT?
THE FASHION HOUSE TEAMED UP WITH MIXOLOGIST GIORGIO BARGIANI ON A DRINK INSPIRED BY TUSCAN GARDENS
BY BAILEY BUJNOSEK JUNE 17, 2022
Are you really a high-fashion brand if you don’t have an alcohol tie-in? As we’ve covered before, the two industries have long been interconnected by the upscale, stocked-bar events that accompany fashion weeks, launches, and store openings—as well as a copious amount of collaborations between fashion and adult beverage brands in the ‘90s. Italian fashion house Gucci is taking things one step further. Not satisfied with putting their branding on a bottle of Absolut or buying a winery a la Chanel, Gucci has debuted its signature co*cktail: Elisir d’Elicriso. The pre-mixed drink is available at the exclusive Gucci Giardano 25, a café-bar in Florence, Italy that opened earlier this year.
Images courtesy of Gucci
The elegant beverage isn’t simply an ordinary co*cktail with a monogram stamped onto the side of the glass. Rather, the fashion industry titan went to the best of the best—mixologist Giorgio Bargiani—to help craft their darling drink. Bargiani works at London’s Connaught Bar, aka “the world’s best bar,” making him a well-qualified choice for the brand’s latest collaboration. In an Instagram post about the beverage’s launch, he described how the drink draws “from the aromas of the idyllic Tuscan gardens” and captures the “characteristic sense of wonder” essential to Gucci Giardano 25.
So, what does the Elisir d’Elicriso taste like? The name provides a partial hint. Translated from Italian, the name refers to “Helichrysum Elixir.” Helichrysum essential oil is one of the drink’s key ingredients, complimenting the base mix of 1757 Vermouth di Torino, Tanqueray No. 10 Gin, Guidalberto Tenuta San Guido (a red wine), Liquore no.4 Podere Santa Bianca, Muyu Vetiver Gris liqueur, and a splash of white balsamic vinegar. The resulting flavor is as sweet and aromatic as the Tuscan gardens that inspired its creation. Bargiani declares it servable as a martini-style co*cktail, though he also authorizes adding ice, champagne, or tonic to customize the drink according to preference.
Images courtesy of Gucci
The bottle is a work of art in its own right. A multi-faceted glass decanter, it evokes the designs of luxury fragrance containers that were popularized in the late 19th century. While the pillowed texture of the bottle doesn’t offer a crystal-clear view of the liquid within, the inviting pink hue is visible, enticing patrons to try the drink as much for the aesthetic appeal as for the flavor. A label tied around the base of the cap bears the Gucci name, along with a sketch of an eye, the bar’s name, and the drink name in a rustic font.
If you’re in Florence, you can order the Elisir d’Elicriso off the menu at Gucci Giardano 25. It’s also available for online order on the Giardano 25website (as well as the Gucci Osteriawebsite), though shipments are currently only available in Italy. We can only hope Gucci decides to take their signature co*cktail worldwide eventually. In the meantime, you can live vicariously through the snaps shared on social media, dreaming of an Italian summer.
