At Marrakesh’s Jardin Majorelle, fragrance is part of the architecture. Cobalt-blue walls catch the sun while the air fills with a constant note of mint tea. Guests don’t need to know its history to feel its effect: the entire space is built on harmony. That garden, once Yves Saint Laurent’s sanctuary of ideas, has now sparked the creativity of Gaetano Ascone, Bar Manager of Mandarin Garden at the Mandarin Oriental, Milan. Together with his team, he created “Majorelle”, a cocktail that evokes the Moroccan haven in liquid form.
Altamura Distilleries Vodka is the Heart of Majorelle
At its heart is Altamura Distilleries Vodka, the super-premium spirit born in Puglia and distilled from 100% Altamura DOP durum wheat — the same used for the region’s celebrated bread. Grown in the Alta Murgia, this wheat preserves a rare aromatic strength and distinctive character. The idea came from Frank Grillo, a deep connoisseur of the territory: after mastering the recipe of the bread, he chose to distil its spirit. Triple-distilled, charcoal-filtered, and bottled at 43%, the vodka carries “a soft profile, with a sweetness reminiscent of wheat and umami notes, finishing fresh and clean”.
Altamura Distilleries stands out for its personality: Italian, distinctive, and designed to shine in mixology. Especially in the world of hospitality, where it finds its natural place, telling a story of welcome. “As soon as guests discover its roots in Italian wheat and experience its flavour, the narrative falls into place. The one of a vodka perfectly attuned to the hotel’s voice,” Ascone notes.
The Scents Behind the Mandarin Garden Cocktail
From this base comes “Majorelle”, the Mandarin’s creation: Altamura Vodka infused with eucalyptus leaves, layered with peppermint liqueur, rose, lemon, citron, bergamot, and a drop of ambergris essence, lifted by a cordial of fermented Moroccan lemons, blue spirulina, and three drops of mint tincture. Shaken and double-strained, then poured over a single ice cube and finished with a slice of lemon jelly catching the light like the sun, represents a journey from Marrakesh back to Altamura.
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Photo by Julie Couder x Coqtail – all rights reserved
In partnership with Altamura Distilleries Vodka
