Describing a cocktail in words is one thing. Translating it into dance sounds almost impossible. Himkok has taken on the challenge, enlisting artists from the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet to create a choreographed interpretation of its new drinks menu. The result is compelling, born from an unusual convergence of practical constraints, legislation and artistic ambition.
Paul Voza, bartender and R&D manager at the celebrated Oslo bar, spoke exclusively to Coqtail – for fine drinkers about the project. The conversation also ranged across Himkok’s approach to sustainability, its growing focus on low- and no-alcohol cocktails and a guiding principle behind its drinks: complexity should never overwhelm immediacy. Ideally, the guest should barely notice it at all.
Cocktails and Dance: A Menu to Taste, Hear and Feel
Creating a dialogue between drinks and dance is an ambitious proposition. Working with artists at the highest level hardly makes the task simpler, but it does provide the right conditions to attempt it.
“For the current menu, French dancer and choreographer Anaïs Touret and Oslo-based creative director Jens Carlos Schwartz worked together with artists from the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet to translate the thirteen cocktails into a multidisciplinary artistic experience,” Voza says.
“Composer and lighting designer Sebastian Schmiedl created thirteen original compositions, one for each cocktail, while Norwegian artist ARY brought the performance to life with her voice. Together, they created a dialogue between taste, movement, sound and light. Each drink was interpreted through choreography, original music and performance, giving every drink its own identity and transforming the menu into something that can be tasted, heard and felt.”
When Restrictions Fuel Creativity
There is a practical reason behind the project, alongside the artistic one. “The Norwegian alcohol market is highly regulated, and our ability to communicate alcoholic products is extremely limited. For this reason, we prefer to invest in culture and in our creative community. These collaborations allow us to support artists, introduce their work to new audiences and communicate what Himkok stands for without relying on traditional alcohol advertising.”
The Identity Stays. Everything Else Can Change
The new drinks menu, available from September 27, features thirteen new signatures. Much has changed, but certain principles carry over from one menu to the next.
“What we don’t change are the foundations of our identity: clean flavours, Norwegian ingredients, technical precision and drinks that guests can understand. Naturally, some local ingredients return: Norway has an incredible variety of berries, herbs, flowers and regional produce, and it would be unrealistic to use them only once. The challenge is to avoid repeating the same expression,” Voza says.
“We might revisit a fruit or botanical, but use a different variety, pair it in a new way or apply an alternative extraction technique. Distillation, fermentation, clarification and infusion can reveal very different facets of the same ingredient.”
Technical Complexity Stays Behind the Scenes
“The preparation of a drink can involve complex processes, but those processes are not the focus of the guest experience. We explain them only if someone wants to know more, but technique should never exist simply to demonstrate our ability. It has to improve the flavour, texture or structure of a cocktail,” Voza says.
“For the guest, the experience should feel natural and effortless: a clear flavour, minimalist Norwegian presentation and five-star hospitality. Complexity belongs behind the scenes, not in the drink.”
Non-Alcoholic Cocktails Deserve Equal Standing
The same thinking applies to Himkok’s low- and no-alcohol signatures. “The quality of non-alcoholic products is improving quickly as the category evolves. However, our starting point is flavour rather than simply limiting alcohol,” Voza says.
“The drink has to be balanced, structured and enjoyable in its own right. We consider aroma, acidity, bitterness, texture, dilution and finish exactly as we would with an alcoholic cocktail. Above all, it has to give the guest a complete and recognisable experience. A non-alcoholic drink should never feel like an inferior substitute or an afterthought. It has to earn its place on the menu exactly like every other cocktail.”
How a Drink Makes the Menu: The Creative Process
Earning that place is far from automatic. “We usually begin developing a drink a year before its launch,” Voza says. “That gives our R&D department and bar team enough time to identify producers, study ingredients, test ideas and understand how each drink will work within service. First, we define the overall structure of the menu and its thirteen signatures. We look at flavour profiles, cocktail styles, alcohol levels, seasonality and the overall balance of the list.”
“Once that framework is established, the process becomes more focused: we can develop the right idea for each position rather than creating drinks at random and trying to fit them into the menu afterwards. Our senior and junior bartenders are involved throughout the process, and we maintain an extensive database that we can draw on in the future, covering flavours, products and ideas in development.”
Creativity Alone Is Not Enough
“Creativity, however, is only one part of the approval process. A drink also has to be consistent, scalable, fast enough to serve and financially sustainable. It doesn’t make the menu until all of those elements work together. We have no problem discarding an idea, even after investing a great deal of time in it.”
Sometimes, Voza explains, “the flavours are interesting individually but don’t translate into a complete drink. Others work beautifully in a small laboratory test but become inconsistent, too expensive or too complicated to produce at the volumes Himkok requires.”
Rejection, however, does not necessarily mean the end of an idea. “Some concepts return years later when we discover a better ingredient or technique.” The fundamental rule remains: “A cocktail has to deliver flavour, consistency, service efficiency and profitability at the same time.”
The Signatures That Define Himkok: Apricot
“Our goal,” Voza says, “is to serve a cocktail in which Norwegian flavours are expressed as immediately as possible. Each drink is named after its dominant flavour, so our guests immediately understand what they are ordering.”
Asked to choose the signatures that best capture Himkok’s new menu, Voza points to four: Apricot, Cherry, Coffee and Elderflower. “Together, they show the range of the menu and reflect our approach to flavour.”
Apricot begins with a Norwegian sake “with a fresh, fruity character and brighter acidity than many traditional sakes. Apricot liqueur provides an immediate fruit character without making the drink sweet; vermouth and fino sherry bring dryness, herbal complexity and oxidative depth, while elderflower syrup is dosed almost like seasoning: just enough to lift the aroma and bring the drink together.”
“This cocktail represents Himkok because it begins with a Norwegian product and places it within a layered, complex composition. The result is dry, structured and precise, with a clean Nordic expression.”
Cherry: A Highball With the Memory of Cherry Cola
“This is our interpretation of a Norwegian late-night highball. With Cherry, Rum provides a clean, oak-aged base, while cherry and vanilla create a fresh flavour profile that isn’t overly sweet and recalls cherry cola.”
Voza has a particular kind of cola in mind, one “that holds a prominent place in everyday Norwegian life. We wanted to translate that unmistakable flavour into a cocktail. By making our own syrup, we were able to preserve the character of cola while controlling its balance and sweetness. Cherry also connects the drink to Norway’s fruit-growing traditions, particularly the orchards of Hardanger.”
The recipe is completed “with carbonation and our caffeine, taurine and vitamin blend.” The result is “a fast, sparkling and energising cocktail with a long cherry-cola finish.”
Coffee: A Scandinavian Take on the Espresso Martini
“We created Coffee because our guests frequently asked us for an Espresso Martini. Rather than simply reproducing a classic, we developed a version that would fit seamlessly into Himkok’s menu. Cognac brings notes of cooked fruit, toasted oak and warmth; freshly brewed espresso provides bitterness and roasted intensity, while Dutch cocoa adds dark-chocolate character; sherry contributes dried fruit, caramel and texture.”
The unmistakably Himkok element is cardamom. “It gives the drink its Scandinavian identity. It lifts the richer flavours and evokes the familiar combination of coffee and cardamom in baking. The result is a darker, more structured Espresso Martini, with notes of mocha, dried fruit, spiced caramel and roasted coffee.”
Elderflower Tastes Like a Norwegian Summer
“Elderflower is a Nordic highball built around freshness. Aquavit provides the Norwegian backbone, with its caraway spice and enough dryness to keep the drink from feeling like a flavoured soda. Our gooseberry distillate brings a green, fruity character that contrasts with the floral notes.”
“Elderflower liqueur gives the drink its unmistakable floral aroma, while rose water, used in a very small quantity, lifts and brightens the fragrance. Lime-and-ginger soda water provides freshness, effervescence and a spicy finish.” The flavour, Voza says, evokes a Norwegian summer: “It is cold, bright, aromatic and refreshing, without becoming sweet or overly perfumed.”
Images courtesy Himkok
