The elusive world of sensation and emotion runs through much of our lives. We rarely stop to consider how profoundly the senses shape our memories, or even the texture of everyday experience. Synesthesia — the phenomenon in which one sensory perception evokes another — makes that connection explicit, a convergence of senses that has long fascinated linguists and neuroscientists. Translating something so intangible into a cocktail is a more complicated proposition. It requires a bartender to think beyond ingredients and technique, and to consider what happens on the other side of the bar: how a guest is welcomed, what they perceive and, ultimately, what they remember.
Loiacono and Calabrese Tell the Story of Sicily Through Synesthesia
For Nicola Loiacono, Head of Mixology at Villa Igiea, a Rocco Forte hotel in Palermo, making drinks is only part of the job. His ambition is to create an experience around them. Working with the renowned Salvatore Calabrese, known throughout the industry as “The Maestro,” Loiacono has turned to his own memories and Sicilian roots for Synesthesia, a menu of 16 cocktails, four of them alcohol-free, built around sensory moments familiar enough to resonate with almost anyone.
Personal Memories and Cocktails
Every aspect of the experience has been considered, from the storytelling and choreography of service to the choice of glassware and presentation. But the greatest challenge of Synesthesia has little to do with technique. It lies in translating emotion into something that can be served in a glass. The idea is to move beyond the conventional boundaries of a cocktail menu, using each drink as a trigger for personal memories and sensations. The cocktail becomes a point of departure for a more intimate journey, while the stories surrounding it draw on experiences broad enough for guests to recognize something of themselves.
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Images courtesy Villa Igiea
