Summer Cocktail Series: The Saxon's 'High Tea'

Known for its rich historical past (previously the home to Nelson Mandela as he wrote his biography, "The Long Walk to Freedom") The Saxon in South Africa, provided this signature cocktail below, inspired by the hotel’s revered High Tea dining experience and the loose-leaf Yswara teas blended at the property.

The Saxon’s 'High Tea' Cocktail

• 2.5 oz. cranberry juice
• 1 teaspoon “Shaka Zulu” Yswara tea
• 1 oz. Calvados
• 1/3 oz. Cointreau
• 1/3 oz. Pimm’s
• 1/3 oz. simple syrup

Instructions: Place cranberry juice in a shaker. Add Shaka Zulu loose-leaf Yswara tea and steam for a couple of seconds to draw the tea flavors. Add the Calvados, Cointreau, Pimm’s and simple syrup to the shaker. Add ice cubes, shake and then fine strain into a highball glass containing ice. Garnish with apple.

Interview with Marco Mertens

ANDREW HARPER STAFF (AHS): Can you tell us a little bit about the “High Tea” cocktail at The Saxon Hotel?

MARCO MERTENS: The “High Tea” was inspired by one of the loose leaf teas we utilize within our high tea offering; it is a rooibos and chili blend and one of the more popular teas ordered by guests. We opted to play around with an infusion, given that cranberry juice is quite popular amongst the ladies i.e.: Cosmopolitan Classic. We infused the cranberry juice with the tea element to give us a popular yet interesting base to work with for the drink. As you are probably aware, apple and cranberry go extremely well together, and that is where the use of Calvados, an apple based liqueur came from.

AHS: You were recently named one of the top mixologists in South Africa. How did you earn the title?

MARCO MERTENS: I competed in the Diageo world class mixology competition and placed amongst the top five from Johannesburg. I was knocked out in the last leg, where the top two from Johannesburg were chosen to compete against the top two from Durban and Cape Town. The winner, or South Africa’s number one mixologist, went on to compete at the World Class finals in London last month.

AHS: What makes a cocktail great compared to an average one?

MARCO MERTENS: Creativity and most important, a balance of flavors. I love it when all of the ingredients speak on the same level and not one stands out in the cocktail.

AHS: Which comes first: the cocktail list or the restaurant menu?

MARCO MERTENS: I think in our establishment the restaurant menu is the core; after that we play around with flavors that accompany the style of cuisine. The restaurant menu is very much seasonal, using the freshest ingredients available so this ties in with the fresh ingredients we use in the cocktails.

AHS: Name one item everyone should stock in a home bar.

MARCO MERTENS: Ron Zacapa 23.

AHS: If you could only drink one cocktail for the rest of your life, what would it be?

MARCO MERTENS: I’m a sucker for well-made classics and there is nothing better for me than a perfectly made Old Fashioned. For a great twist on a classic try a "Partagas Series D No 4 Smoked Ron Zacapa 23 Old Fashioned".

AHS: What do you love most about Johannesburg?

MARCO MERTENS: Being South Africa’s financial capital, there is always a bustle in the city. The city never stops evolving and it gives people like me the opportunity to continue to try to push boundaries in terms of beverage offering. With such diversity, change is always welcome and creativity gets rewarded.

AHS: Where are some of your favorite places for cocktails?

MARCO MERTENS: It would be unfair to single out any place, but there are some great ones in Parkview and Greenside in Johannesburg and well known ones in Cape Town like Buena Vista and The Orphanage Cocktail Emporium.

See more from our Summer Cocktail series.