Alberto Martinez – Owner and Bartender of 1862 Dry Bar

Alberto Martínez, a reinvented engineer, has been managing one of Madrid’s finest cocktail bars, 1862 Dry Bar on Calle del Pez, since 2011. We spoke with him to learn more about his self-taught career, his influences in the industry, the keys to being a great bartender, and his personal cocktail preferences.

How did you become a bartender? Where did you start?
It was somewhat by chance, seeking a vocation that would allow me to avoid returning to engineering.
I started by hosting parties for friends, and from there, I proposed a weekly cocktail night at La Casa del Pez, a bar in Malasaña specializing in gin and tonics.

Did you have a mentor or were you self-taught?
I was self-taught, reading books and studying YouTube videos.

What was it that finally hooked you on this profession? Does a specific detail or moment come to mind?
Mainly, the interaction with the customers. I don’t recall a specific moment, but I do remember enjoying serving Gimlets and Martinis in a small Gin and Vodka shop very much.

Do you remember your first cocktail?
Oh no, but it was surely something like a Tequila Sunrise or a White Russian.

Which cocktail that you have made has brought you the most excitement?
If we are talking about an original creation, I particularly like the Prescription, an amaro-based sour (Punt e Mes, Picon, and Campari).

Any famous customers you have served? Any anecdotes with them?
No, I try to think of customers regardless of who they are.

What do you enjoy most about your profession?
Without a doubt, the interaction with the customers.

What do you like least about your job?
Certain administrative tasks that become tedious.

How do you see the market currently? Where is it headed?
It is difficult to predict in the midst of such a significant crisis, but I believe Madrid and Spain in general will continue to see new cocktail bars with different styles of work in the coming years.

As a professional who has worked in this for years, what trends can you foresee?
Even before the pandemic, there was a noticeable rise in afternoon consumption compared to nighttime, and this has logically been accentuated by the operating hour restrictions on bars.

Regarding the types of cocktails being consumed, I would say the dominant position held by the Gin Tonic a few years ago is being taken over by various long drinks (Moscow Mule, Paloma, Dark & Stormy). The public is drinking more variety.

For people visiting your establishment, which two cocktails should they not miss?
If you want something classic, perhaps our Viejísimo Adonis, in which we combine an Amontillado VORS with a Sherry-based vermouth and bitters.

If I have to choose a creation from our menu, perhaps the most attractive is the Dragón Amarillo (tequila infused with yellow chili, grapefruit, passion fruit, and apricot foam).

Would you share one of your recipes with us, please?
Prescription: 1.75 oz Punt E Mes, 0.75 oz Picon, 0.25 oz Campari, 0.5 oz lemon, 0.5 oz sugar syrup, egg white. Shaken, served in a coupette with a lemon twist.

Who has been your greatest influence in this world?
Don Fernando del Diego.

Any advice for someone who wants to be a bartender or is just starting out?
Pay attention to the customer (if they are comfortable, if they like the cocktail, if they need anything) and the overall dynamics of the room. Generally, a bartender starting out might make the mistake of focusing only on their area behind the bar and the preparation of drinks, but they should understand that cocktails are only one part of the bar.

In the time you have been working, you must have seen many things and met many people. What was a moment that you will never forget?
The recognition in 2014 as the Best Cocktail Bar in Spain at FIBAR. It was a huge surprise for me and a turning point for 1862 Dry Bar.

Any anecdote you can’t help but tell?
(Silence and laughter).

Any cocktail book to recommend?
I really like Imbibe and Punch, both books by David Wondrich.

What music do you like to listen to when preparing your creations?
We play a lot of crooners and classic jazz in the bar. It fits the style of 1862 Dry Bar best, and I personally love them.

What cocktail do you like to drink?
Gimlet, Old Fashioned, Pisco Sour, Daiquiri…

What cocktail do you like to prepare?
Old Fashioned and Daiquiri.

The one bottle that must be in your home is?
An aromatic bitter is essential, for example, Angostura. That and a bottle of Sherry.

And is there a special bottle at your bar? Something unique?
Juan Coronado’s new tequila, Mijenta.

Any favorite bar tool? Perhaps a fetish?
The strainers with the 1862 Dry Bar logo that Bottesi made for us.

Any bartender from the new generation that you respect or admire?
I don’t know if he is the latest generation, but I greatly admire Ángel Ávila at Club Matador.

One bar in the world, or two…
If we look outside of Spain, I love Café La Trova in Miami and Coupette in London. In New York, there are so many bars I like that I couldn’t name just two.

What is your opinion on the current resurgence of cocktail culture?
It still needs to keep growing, but I am confident it will, and new generations will reach the bars.

With the last drink in our glasses, we toast to them, to the new generations. We leave the empty cocktail glasses on the table and say goodbye with a Japanese bow.

It has been a pleasure chatting with Alberto, a bartender with very clear ideas who has hit the mark with his classic bar concept.