Francesco Lafranconi

Francesco Lafranconi

One of the world’s foremost mixologists, Francesco Lafranconi is the Executive Director of Mixology and Spirits Educator for Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada.

Dashingly dressed and supremely sophisticated, yet personal, passionate and playful. Francesco’s personal appeal has made him a hit with his A-list celebrity clientele, world-class corporate clients, national restaurant chains, international hotel companies and the thousands of people who’ve attended his seminars and live events.

His distinguished career includes tenures at the helm of some of the world’s leading hotel bars — The Gleneagles in Scotland; The Palace Hotel in Gstaadt, Switzerland; The Intercontinental Hotel in Cologne, Germany; and Harry’s Bar and Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Italy — and winning many of the world’s most prestigious cocktail competitions — including the Bacardi-Martini Grand Prix World Final and J.White Course in Singapore— but his proudest achievement is founding the Academy of Spirits and Fine Service, a 12-week education program that has trained over 1000 beverage professionals and imbued them with the same enthusiasm he brings to every cocktail. Most recently awarded Best In Show at the Iron Mixologist Competition sponsored by Wine & Spirits Wholesalers Of America.

Winner of many high-profile print awards including the Bartender Hall of Fame Award from Bartender’s Magazine, the Raising the Bar Award from Cheers Magazine, Mixologist of the Year Award from Nightclub and Bar Magazine and Spirit Professional of the Year from Santé Magazine.

Francesco is also a National Ambassador of the US Bartenders Guild and Member of the Museum of the American Cocktail.
In a time when Cocktail Culture is booming, Francesco has the ingredients — the education, the expertise, the enthusiasm— to stir up his audiences and pour on the charm as he schools the world on the finer points of fine drinking.

After all, his motto is, “We’re not drinking, we’re learning.”

Francesco Lafranconi
Executive Director Of Mixology & Spirits Education
-Southern Wine and Spirits of Nevada-

8400 South Jones Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89139
O. (702) 248-3306
F. (702) 876-1227
E. FLafranconi@southernwine.com

AMERICANO by Francesco Lafranconi

1.5 oz Campari
1.5 oz sweet vermouth
Fill up with 2-3 oz of club soda

Method: in a rocks glass filled with ice pour the liquors and top with soda. Stir and serve with a slice of orange and lemon peel

PISCO SOUR (1915, Lima) by Francesco Lafranconi

2 oz unaged Peruvian grape brandy
1 oz sugar syrup
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
0.5 oz pasteurized egg white

Method: shake vigorously all ingredients together with 2 cups of ice. Serve straight up into a chilled cocktail glass and top with 2 dashes of (Angostura) bitters

HEMINGWAY DAIQUIRI (1930s, La Havana, Cuba) by Francesco Lafranconi

2 oz 10 sugar cane rum
0.25 oz Italian cherry–clear- liqueur
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
0.5 oz grapefruit juice from fresh squeezed wedge
(splash of cane syrup or agave nectar-optional)

Method: shake vigorously all ingredients together with 2 cups of ice. Serve straight up into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish: grapefruit wedge (1/4” cut) on the rim

CLOVER CLUB (Philadelphia, 1930s) by Francesco Lafranconi

2 oz Gin
4 whole Raspberries (instead of half ounce of raspberry or grenadine syrup)
0.5 oz fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz rock candy syrup
0.5 oz pasteurized egg white

Method: shake vigorously all ingredients together with 2 cups of ice. Double strain and serve straight up into a chilled cocktail glass

Garnish: lemon twist
Note: in this recipe, fresh berries are used instead than syrup. Some Clover Club recipes claim pomegranate grenadine instead.

SINGAPORE SLING (1915, Singapore) by Francesco Lafranconi

1.5 oz gin
0.5 oz cherry brandy
0.25 oz French herbal liqueur
0.25 oz 40% ABV orange triple sec
0.5 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
3 oz pineapple juice
Splash of (pomegranate) grenadine
2 dashes of bitters

Method: shake vigorously all ingredients together with 2 cups of ice. Strain over ice in a Collins glass

Garnish: pineapple wedge and cocktail cherry

1944 MAI TAI by Francesco Lafranconi

1 oz. rum
1 oz. dark rum
0.5 oz. orange curaçao
0.5 oz. orgeat syrup
0.5 oz. rock candy syrup
1 oz. fresh lime juice

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice

Garnish: pineapple stick and fresh mint

STONE SOUR (1860s Classic) by Francesco Lafranconi

1.5 oz. Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
1 oz. fresh lemon juice
0.5 oz. egg white
0.75 oz. rock candy syrup
1 orange wedge squeezed and dropped in the shaker

Method: Pour all ingredients in a shaker filled with 2 cups of ice. Shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice in a double old fashioned.

Garnish: slice of orange and cocktail cherry

WHITE LADY (1920s Classic) by Francesco Lafranconi

1.5 oz gGin
0.75 oz 40% ABV orange triple sec
1.0 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz pasteurized egg white

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a lemon wheel.

IRISH COFFEE by Francesco Lafranconi

1.75 oz Irish whiskey
2 sugar cubes
4 oz hot brewed coffee
1 oz fresh (lightly) whipped Cream

Method: Fill the stemmed Irish coffee glass (or small wine goblet) with very hot water to pre-heat, then discharge it. Drop in two cocktail sugar cubes and pour hot coffee into hot glass until it is about three-quarters full. Stir until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved then add Irish Whiskey, stir and top with a collar (about half inch height) of  lightly whipped fresh whipping cream by pouring gently over a spoon.
Enjoy it while piping hot!