The Last Sipper with Harp Mann
His father’s 1970s home bar gave Harp Mann the taste for mixing
The maestro of mixology on Manhattans, Mauritius, blowing off steam on the hockey pitch, and why he loves it when it all goes a bit Pete Tong. Interview by Anna Jane Begley
Home is…
North Hertfordshire, a five-minute drive from my parents. Where I grew up, we had a proper 1970s home bar which has been part of the family since I was five. Family and friends would travel around the world and bring back various bottles – pisco, Chartreuse, mezcal and so on – for my dad to put behind the bar, and that’s where my love of mixing came from.
My first dram
Hennessy VSOP was more of a medicinal thing for my family, going back generations – my grandfather would have some in his hip flask during the Second World War! Being Indian, my first whisky was probably Johnny Walker Black Label, though my dad was a distributor for Whyte & Mackay back in the day, so I also tried a lot of their portfolio early on my whisky journey.
I’m currently mixing whisky with…
Ginger ale, it’s a classic. Though in summer, I love a ‘Single Lychees’ cocktail which I created with Singleton over lockdown. It’s equal parts Singleton 12 Year Old and jasmine dragon pearl tea poured into a highball glass on the rocks, topped with Rubicon lychee soda, with a rhubarb ribbon garnish.
My favourite bar
I’ve really enjoyed visiting Disrepute in Soho; they had a coconut cedar wood, fat-washed Manhattan made with The Lakes Distillery The One Colheita Cask Finish, PX and palo cortado sherries. It was such a lovely flavour. I also went to Dublin recently and The Whiskey Reserve was wall-to-wall royalty – I spotted a 20 year old Pappy Van Winkle there.
Bourbon Street, New Orleans
One place I really want to visit
I would love to go to New Orleans, not just for the bourbon scene but the cocktails. Or Italy; the craft of the cocktails there is amazing. It’s great travelling to different places for inspiration. I went to Mauritius two years ago – the limes are so different there and their mangoes were in season; there were so many flavours to choose from. I was like a kid in a candy shop.
Where I get away from it all
I’m lucky to still be able to play hockey with my son and daughter; there aren’t many field sports you can do at my age! It’s good to get on the pitch after a busy week. We are twinned with a German club and recently got to visit, there was a lot of schnitzel, beer and local wines.
My culture fix
Does visiting cocktail bars count? To be honest, it’s been difficult to fit in many cultural trips recently, though my last concert was Pete Tong Ibiza Classics at the O2. I think he’s playing at the Albert Hall this year, that would be amazing.
Most underrated whisky?
I went to a Johnny Walker Blue event a few years ago and met their head mixologists, they’re creating really funky stuff at their bar on Princes Street in Edinburgh. I also have to shine a light on the land of my ancestors; there are some great Indian whiskies from brands like Rampur, Paul John and Indri.
Favourite whisky cocktail
I love a whisky sour, it serves as a template for loads of flavour variations, even with a peated whisky. I once created a sour for Wild Turkey’s Eddie Russell using homemade cherry blossom syrup, it was called Wildfire Turkey as it also had my habanero tincture in it.
Whisky in five words…
I need more words – and whisky.
My last sipper
If it’s my final journey, can I have a flight? One would definitely have to be from my Indian heritage: The Paul John Pedro Ximénez Cask is bold and rich, full of chocolate and raisin. Then probably a rum, Foursquare from Barbados, either the 2007 or the Nobiliary. The latter is aged for 14 years in a bourbon cask and comes out at 62%, with notes of fruitcake, tropical stewed fruits and vanilla, it’s awesome.
Finally, something from my dad’s home bar: maybe the last dregs of the Tomintoul Glenlivet, the special engraved JW Blue Label I got for my Dad’s 80th – or that last Hennessy VSOP to remedy all my ailments!
You can find all of Harp’s recipes on Instagram @mix.mann
