State of the Cart: The Season’s Best Bar Accessories
The season for indoor entertaining is upon us once again, and while the first key ingredient to a successful cocktail party is undoubtedly having fun, there are plenty of tools available to help you become a top-notch home bartender. For the drinks aficionados among us, here are the must-have items to update your bar cart this fall.
The Dalmore 21 Year Old 2022 Edition Highland Singlemalt
The cornerstone of any impressive home bar cart is, of course, a great premium liquor displayed with pride of place. We firmly believe that a bar cart is only as notable as the bottles it holds, so if you’re looking for that one excellent investment bottle, then this is it. The Dalmore 21 Year Old 2022 Edition Highland Single Malt is matured in rare 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso sherry casks, creating a luxurious and highly limited Scotch with notes of Seville oranges, bitter chocolate, and vanilla. With a palate of roasted walnuts, black forest fruits, and decadent marzipan, this masterpiece of distillation is whisky-making artistry at its best. If you’re looking for a show-stopping conversation piece to hold pride of place on your bar cart, you’ve found it here. ($1,000)
Tom Dixon Plum Ice Bucket
Bring a touch of sophistication to your bar cart with this stunning yet practical ice bucket and matching tongs. Ice is an essential mixology element, and this mouth-blown and hand-cut glass bucket serves as a stylish treasure chest for your rocks. If you’re looking to add a little artistic flair to your bar cart this season, this is a must-have. ($419)
Amber Duval Decanter Set
If you want to channel your inner Don Draper, look no further. A decanter is a statement piece that is effective at both allowing your liquids some breathing room and serving up some major Mad Men–era aesthetic appeal. The Duval Decanter set from CB2 comes with two matching rocks glasses, which are perfectly stylish receptacles for Old-Fashioneds and other big iced cocktails. ($140)
Georg Jensen Silver Sky Cocktail Set
Smooth, sleek, and unique, the Danish-designed Silver Sky cocktail set from Georg Jensen boasts Scandinavian chic at its finest. The three-piece sculptural mirror-polished stainless-steel set looks very much like it would be at home on a bar cart aboard the Starship Enterprise and we’re here for it. Containing all the basics — a cobbler-style shaker, a bar spoon, and a jigger — the set includes everything you need to start mixing up some out-of-this-world drinks. ($260)
The Modern Bartender Vintage Atomizer
Our olfactory senses do a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to enjoying a drink. If you want to make cocktail-bargrade drinks, investing in an atomizer is an excellent idea. A spritz of absinthe or vermouth, for example, goes a long way in elevating the nose of a cocktail and alerting your guests to your drinks-making prowess. ($30)
Urban Bar Yarai Seamless Mixing Glass
Contrary to Bond’s infamous order, bartenders will tell you that a good Martini should always be stirred. To serve up a well-mixed drink, you’re going to need a Yarai mixing glass, a Japanese design that boasts an aesthetically pleasing style with a sturdy base for vigorous mixology. ($39)
Alessi 870 Cocktail Shaker
Legendary Italian housewares brand Alessi made its name with bold, forward-thinking designs with an emphasis on craft and style. Given such objects as the 870, it’s not hard to understand why. This iconic cocktail shaker, first introduced in 1986, shows off the stunning clarity of Alessi’s manufacturing, bringing a classical elegance to your bar cart that feels both modern and timeless. ($199)
