In the mix: Flavours to lift your spirits

Vapour rises off a martini glass, a concoction of pink liquid partly obscured by cryogenic gas - liquid nitrogen used in the preparation of this drink. It's delicious, a little sweet, a little tart, with ice cream bits, and the vapour is a real novelty.

Once, the standard by which to measure the quality of a cocktail was the perfect balance of salty, sweet and bitter - no one taste more perceptible than the others. But with new techniques such as smoking, dehydration and freezing with liquid nitrogen (advanced by celebrity chefs such as Heston Blumenthal), there's a whole new element to cocktail making.

Denzel Heath, head trainer for Thirst Bar Academy, which has seven specialised courses, including molecular mixology, was in New Orleans recently. He was one of 70 bartenders selected from more than 1000 applicants to attend the Cocktail Apprentice course at Tales of the Cocktail, the largest cocktail festival in the world.

"The festival consists of two parts: seminars and training, and massive parties," says Heath. "Bar celebrities like Jim Meehan, founder of Please Don't Tell, a speakeasy in London, and David Wondrich, who has written books on the history of cocktails, were there.

"Both of them gave me a Sazerac layback - made with rye whiskey, Angostura bitters, Peychaud's bitters and an absinthe rinse - where they make a cocktail in your mouth."

Cocktail throwers, flash mobs, historians, innovators and tastemakers attend the festival that showcases the latest drink trends and the people who create them.

"People used to drink cocktails to mask the flavour of spirits. Now we try to create drinks that enhance those flavours," Heath says. "South Africa is 10 years behind current drink trends, but a dedicated group of local mixologists and bartenders are trying to change this."

Heath says molecular mixology is on the way out, especially drinks made with gelatin foams, jellies and caviars (small bubbles that pop in your mouth).

"They turn into mush if not done a 100% right," he says. "Liquid nitrogen drinks are harder to ruin, but special precautions must be taken as it is a potentially harmful substance. I call the new method multisensory mixology instead."

So what are the new trends?

"Tiki drinks were huge at the festival," says Heath. "Think kitsch Hollywood bars with totems, bamboo cladding, masks and grass skirts. The drinks are generally rum-based, with flavours of lemon and lime, pineapple and maraschino liqueur. A typical Tiki drink is the Mai Tai - white and dark rum, Cointreau or triple sec, fresh lime or lemon juice and orange juice."

The cocktail world is still firmly grounded in old-style drinks. Heath calls this "the classic renaissance" trend with variations on traditional cocktails such as a Harvey Wallbanger (a 1970s-era highball with premium vodka and fresh orange juice).

Heath, whose favourite spirit is mescal, says there is a whole world of flavours and creative ideas for the experienced barman out there. "Artisan in London, the world's best bar, creates the most amazing experiences for cocktail drinkers, but you need to go there with a full wallet."

• Follow Heath on his blog 'Diary of a Travelling Barman' at www.mudlmag.com or visit www.thirstbarservices.co.za

Denzel's Delights

Campari candyfloss with elderflower, lime and Prosecco soda

Cook down the Campari until it reaches a sugar crystal form, add sugar and put into a candy- floss-making machine. This will turn it into Campari candyfloss.

Serve with elderflower, Prosecco and lime soda bombed with carbon dioxide.

Chelsea bun punch

Use a Scotch whisky with a smoky taste profile. Pour over heavily toasted brown bread to infuse with a toast flavour. It should smell like a bakery in the morning.

Take Irish whiskey, known for its smoothness, and use a process known as "fat washing" - melt butter until it browns and add to the whiskey to macerate.

Refrigerate until a fat layer forms and remove the fat layer. The Irish whiskey should now taste like butter.

Mix the brown bread Scotch and the butter Irish whiskey, add homemade cinnamon syrup, a squeeze of lemon and strain over ice.

• Thirst Bar Services will soon partner with local bar Vicky Christina's, Craighall, in their underground Conquistabar to showcase their cocktails.