Dr. STRAVINSKY UNIVERSE: A Unique Members Club, a New Playroom Lab and a New Menu
Outside, there’s little to announce this place but a sangria red facade and a bouncer manning his place on the corner of the narrow alleyway. But stepping through the nondescript glass panelled door is akin to a trip down wizarding Diagon alley, where the back walls are animated with illuminated distillation apparatus, and handsome alchemists put together curious looking concoctions in queer goblets, all to the soundtrack of a cocktail shaker mix against the backdrop of medieval Barcelona.
Established in 2017, Dr Stravinsky in the El Born region of Barcelona is no stranger to hosting accolades — Ten best new openings in 2017 by Tales of the Cocktail; #25 in the 2019th edition of the World’s 50 Best Bars and No. 58 in the Top 500 Bars in 2022.
Awards aside, Dr Stravinsky makes drinks for ‘anybody that’s looking for epicurean experience’ — and this runs the gamut of consumers from the experienced to the sober curious. Also noteworthy: 70% of their new menu can be made low ABV and even non-alcoholic!
Dr. Stravinsky’s newest family member —Stravinsky’s Parfumerie
Just as speakeasies had flourished after the prohibition period, Covid has seen the rise of private members’ club. The reasoning is simple: when the going gets tough, people seek a sense of belonging, i.e. cashing in on social connection. “Why not?,” proclaimed co-owner Cesar Montilla when quizzed about the intention behind the enforced membership, “It’s cool!”
What’s really cool is that the new space is cleverly divided into 3 distinct zones starting with a inquisitive visit to the Museum where guests can take a deep dive into the life of Grigori Stravinsky, alchemist and master perfumer. It’s a multifaceted exhibition space that follows his (fictional) life journey from St. Petersburg to Paris, and finally to said cocktail den in Barcelona.
Work your way through the exhibits till you get to the gift shop were you can purchase scented candles, edible perfumes and books; including a very exclusive publishing of the Parfumerie’s back stories and related cocktail recipes. While the idea is to keep you informed, the intent is to get you to scan the QR code leading you to into a secret universe — a brand new concept that celebrates everything olfactory.
Stravinsky’s Parfumerie drips stylish and moody: green marbled counters perched over corrugated furniture, vintage old botanical posters on walls, cozy viridian green splashed banquet seating centred by a baroque style wooden tiered perfume stand. It’s obvious that this isn’t a bar you’d stumble into — it’s a destination you’re dying to get into.
While multi-sensory cocktails are all the rage these days, I’ve never quite leaned in to the concept since coming from France where women love a ‘discreet’ use of fragrance, it can often get too overwhelming in confined spaces — i.e, bars. However, two cocktails into tasting the Parfumerie’s launch menu and my aversion had dissolved. A spritz of cardamon on a play on the classic gimlet enhances its refreshing citrus undertones, a mist of vetiver brings out the masculine characteristics of the presumably emblematic Chanel No. 5 cocktail, and finally black pepper spray (not for self-defense in this instance) makes The Duke (a tequila powered negroni) meatier, more substantial.
How it works: The Parfumerie will serve a total of 16 cocktails, all twists on classics. Each cocktail will come with a selection of 3 perfumes, two in harmony with the cocktail contents and one, a challenging juxtaposition of flavours. The idea is to promote ‘personalisation’ by choosing their preferred scent. It’s genius because we’re all winners here.
A place for everyone — introducing the Playroom
Another extension of the Dr. Stravinsky universe is the playroom, a high ceilinged arena with a gorgeous pi-shaped bar (sans the upper arms). The room plays hosts to rotovaps, a vacuum chamber seal, and the fermentation cabinet that forms the backbone of Dr. Stravinsky’s founding cocktail program.
Right now, its an evolving space, one that foresees research, experimentation, competition showcase as well as corporate hire. We imagine a new perfume launch event, guests dressed to the nines, a boozy afternoon against a backdrop of fresh florals complete with a handsome fragrance metamorphosed cocktail; and we couldn’t be more excited.
Dr. Stravinsky drops a new menu that places artisan manufacturers at its heart
Back in the cozy, dimly list labyrinth of a cocktail bar at the original Dr. Stravinsky, the team have pushed the boundaries of in-house ingredients to make a first real attempt at creating their very own raw ingredients — mantikilla (butter), vinegar and goats cheese from the Payoya breed, said to be of unparalleled quality.
With the help of small batch producers across the land, the final products have been tweaked and tailored till it suits the needs of the innovative and demanding cocktail program that the team had in mind. So, rest assured that the warm spices and the lingering kick of wasabi in the tequila powered Caribbean love is intentional.
Here are some of our favourites:
From the Mantikilla section, try the No Other Whey. Grilled pineapple is infused into Santa Teresa rum, then mixed in with wasabi infused sake and lime juice before being clarified with Mantikilla whey. This meets an Empirical spirit manufactured from plum kernels and agricole rhum for a little sprightly concoction that spells tropical indulgence with a bit of pizzaz. Very Dr. Stravinsky.
If you’re looking for a sweet young thing to wrap up your night, make it the Date Me from the Stravinsky Vinegar section. This sees Rum Zacapa infused with dates — combined with branca menta, strawberry shrub and sage cordial. Wonderfully rich with a distinctive tang.
Not a fan of goats cheese? Well, neither am I but the Cheese Knees is the GOAT of the new menu. Get it? A consolidation of the penicillin and the bees knees, it works on the back of a homemade syrup of cheese, ginger and lemon which is so darn good, you’ll want to purchase this by the gallon.
Dr. Stravinsky may already be on the lips of those who frequent cocktail circles, but I reckon, the expanded universe and all its trappings will find a place in everybody’s must-visit list when in Barcelona. They are in it for the long run.
Dr. Stravinsky
Address: Carrer Mirallers, 5 Barcelona, Spain
Opening hours: Sunday — Thursday 17.00 — 1.45 Friday — Saturday 17.00 — 2.45
Instagram: @dr.stravinskybcn
