Cocktail Class: Third in Line, the Royal Baby Cocktail with Erik Lorincz

The position of Head Bartender at The Savoy’s American Bar is one of the most prestigious throughout the world of mixology, which is why Slovakian born Erik Lorincz was proud and privileged to follow in the footsteps of bartending legends such as Harry Craddock when he secured the role back in 2010.

That same year, the iconic hotel bar reopened after The Savoy’s £220 million makeover, with The American Bar retaining its original art deco splendour – complete with classic Prohibition Era cocktails and a white tuxedoed pianist playing smooth jazz every night of the week.

Here, world class mixologist Lorincz – winner of a Best International Bartender award among other accolades – speaks to Elite Traveler about how the century old bar works to maintain its legacy and reveals to us his latest cocktail invention, created to commemorate the birth of Prince George.

While The American Bar is renowned as the birthplace of some of the world’s greatest cocktail classics, it is also known for its tradition of marking momentous occasions in history with playful new concoctions such as Joe Gilmore’s legendary Moonwalk – invented to celebrate the moon landing in 1969 and sent to NASA in a flask.

“Lots of classic cocktails were born here and became famous all around the world and this is what we are trying to do,” explains Lorincz, “to keep creating these cocktails for a few occasions including the new born royal baby, so (that’s why) we’ve got a cocktail called ‘Third in Line’.”