THE COOLEST COCKTAIL TREND RIGHT NOW
Getting Creative with Ice in Cocktails
Over the past few years, the Dutch cocktail scene has explored endless innovations to enhance the flavor and texture of spirits. But in 2025, more and more bartenders are starting to think outside the box when it comes to ice cubes.
In a cocktail, every ingredient matters — from the spirits to the garnish. And ice is no exception. That modest cube often determines not only how a cocktail tastes, but also how it looks. Sebastian Cichowlas, founder of FLAN and winner of Best Bartender 2024, explains:
“Ice usually makes up about one-third of your cocktail. It’s not an afterthought — it’s an essential ingredient that can make or break the balance of a drink. Ice influences the temperature, the visual appeal, and flavor — if used properly.”
ADDING FLAVOR
As ice is such an essential element of a drink, bartenders increasingly use it as an opportunity to add flavor to a cocktail. At Rosalia’s Menagerie, the team kept coming back to the idea of enhancing a cocktail with flavored ice. For their Citrus Grove, they started experimenting with frozen juice spheres.
The drink itself is a nostalgic nod to the classic ACE carrot-orange juice, built with Rutte Kaffir Lime Gin, celery cordial, and Siete Misterios Mezcal. Instead of regular cubes, it’s chilled with a frozen orb of orange juice that slowly melts, adding some subtle citrus notes to the herbal notes.
Head bartender Luca Acquaviva recalls: “The challenge with that idea became obvious pretty quickly: a big piece of ice melts slowly. And at the end of the drink, guests were left with a giant sphere of orange juice.” Their solution? Transforming the leftover ice into a surprise second serve. After the last sip, the frozen orange is blended with a splash of Campari into a bittersweet slushie. “So nothing goes to waste.”
TETRIS IN A GLASS
Door74 took things even further with both color and flavor. For their Aztec Arcade, a clarified twist on the Piña Colada, they didn’t just pick one flavour for their ice cubes. Instead, each of the colored “ice” cubes adds a different flavor to the cocktail. “The inspiration was the puzzle game Treasure of Montezuma,” said bar manager Giulia Gervasoni. “Each cube is made with a different purée: white for coconut, red for fig, yellow for lime. As you drink your cocktail, you can play around with the ice — either stir it in or take a little nibble — and it keeps adding new flavors along the way.”
ICE ACCORDING TO THE ITALIANS
Alternative ice can also completely change a cocktail’s texture. As an Italian, Luca Acquaviva of Rosalia’s Menagerie drew inspiration from the classic sgroppino, using sorbet to chill a drink to the perfect temperature. For the Midsummer Sgroppino, he combines a scoop of red fruit and dark chocolate sorbet with a sparkling, boozy soda made with Toki whisky, Laphroaig, Disaronno, and Crémant de Bourgogne. Sweet, smoky, and summery. “When you mix the sorbet with the soda, you get this rich yet airy texture that’s just perfect.”
STRAIGHT FROM THE FREEZER
And sometimes, less is so much more. Back in 2013, Ryan Chetiyawardana opened White Lyan in London — a bar that uses no perishable ingredients. No citrus, no fruit, and no ice. A then radical idea that’s making a comeback in 2025. In Paris, La Vie has eliminated ice completely, instead designing cups and glasses specifically shaped to cool and keep drinks at the perfect temperature.
Meanwhile, Nick Vrielink, bar manager of Fitz’s Bar, has taken a similar approach with his Freezer Martini. He focused on precision chilling, serving the Martini straight from a -5°C (23°F) freezer. “That temperature makes the first sip incredibly smooth,” he explains. “As the temperature of the drink slowly changes, the individual flavors begin to unfold.”
Een Nederlandse versie van dit artikel staat hier:
https://rogerbloem.nl/de-meest-koele-cocktailtrend-van-het-moment/
