How Avalon Waterways Is Mixing It Up With Master Bartender Martin Hudák

Two years ago, the leadership team at Avalon Waterways decided to refresh its cocktail menu served on board in all destinations in an effort to connect even more with their guests. “The atmosphere onboard Avalon Waterways’ ships is fun, happy and invigorating, and we wanted our cocktail selection to match,” Steve Born, chief marketing officer for the Globus family of brands, which includes Avalon Waterways, told Alcohol Professor. “The goal for our cocktail menu was to provide guests with ‘I’d like to try that’ opportunities that offer a twist on the ‘regular’ they might order at home.”

When it came time to find a mixologist who could work with the team to see this vision through, Avalon tapped Martin Hudák — formerly of The Savoy in London, Tales of the Cocktail champion, and founder and CEO of Slovak Bar Show.

"To pull this off, we sought out a mixologist that matched that mindset, and our London operations office recommended Martin Hudák,” Born said. “When we reached out, he was enthusiastic about the idea and our goals, so we knew we would enjoy a great partnership. His personal style is creative, innovative and fun, and he embraced the idea of creating twists on classic drinks while also developing new flavor combinations.”

The only parameters Born and his team at Avalon Waterways gave to Hudák around creating the cocktails for the cruise line was to draw inspiration from its onboard experiences and variety of shore excursions - Active, Classic and Discovery.

“We set out to create a cocktail menu that would match the Avalon Waterways cruise experience that invites guests on a range of exciting excursions that go beyond the traditional,” said Born. “We wanted our drink menu – and featured cocktails – to reflect that idea. So, we borrowed inspiration from our shore excursions, crafting cocktails under ‘classic’ and ‘discovery themes.”

Hudák was ready to take on the challenge, aiming to create a diverse menu that would appeal to every type of vacationer. To achieve that goal, he developed the menu from a foundation of classic drinks, with a modern twist.

“I worked with the Avalon Waterways’ team and studied their vacations – including the diversity of the excursions they offer cruisers,” he told Alcohol Professor. “I wanted to enhance that experience with onboard drinks, inspired by specific destinations found along each itinerary and journey.

“As a result, the cocktail menu features drinks inspired by the cuisine, drink culture, and local traditions of places like the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, and France,” Hudák added.

Cocktails that he created — denoted by a martini symbol as a Martin Hudák Signature Cocktail on the menu — include Normandie, inspired but the French town and resulting in a blend of gin, cinnamon vermouth, and pear; Catalina, inspired by the California island with rum, raspberry schnapps, white chocolate syrup and lime; and Ride My Bicycle, a gin-based cocktail that takes its inspiration from Avalon’s active excursions, blended with St. Germain, Orgeat syrup (oftentimes used in a Mai Tai) and Pernod for a dash of anise flavoring.

Another of Hudák’s cocktails that features unexpected ingredients is the Dutch Martini, a unique twist on the traditional martini inspired by the Netherlands, with Dutch genever gin and pickled vermouth.

He used finishing touches to add flair to a handful of other cocktails, like smoked honey to complement the Makers Mark, Becherovka, and fresh ginger and lime juices in Remedy; and Champagne syrup and licorice dust to enhance the Hennessy and mint sherry in Easy Stinger.

When asked if he ran into any challenges when creating his signature cocktails for Avalon, Hudák said, “As a mixologist, I enjoy getting instant guest feedback, watching their reactions as they taste my drinks. For Avalon Waterways, I’m not able to be on the ships with guests, so it’s hard not to take part in the entire drink experience with them.

“Instead, I have to assume that they’re enjoying the creations,” he added.

Whichever Avalon Waterways destination and itinerary, there is plenty of time to try one — or all— of Hudák’s signature cocktails. We’ll raise a glass to that!

Cocktail Recipes from Avalon Waterways

Dutch Martini

1.5 ounces Bokma Jonge Graanjenever
1.5 ounces pickled vermouth
Dash of sugar syrup
Gouda cheese cube
Mix first three ingredients together in a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cube of Gouda cheese.

Normandie

1 ounce Beefeater gin
2 ounces cinnamon vermouth
1/3 ounce Williams Pear Brandy
Dash of orange bitters
Dried slice of pear
Mix first four ingredients together in a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a slice of dried pear.

Ride My Bicycle

3/4 ounces Beefeater
3/4 ounces St. Germain liquor
3/4 ounces Orgeat syrup
3/4 ounces fresh lemon juice
1/3 ounce Pernod
Lemon coin
Raw almond flake
Mix first four ingredients together in a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon coin and raw almond flake.

Bars, News, CocktailsSusan B BarnesJanuary 19, 2022travel, cruise shipsComment