In 2022, Giacomo Giannotti’s Paradiso, in Barcelona, was named the world’s best bar. Now he has collaborated on a gin with MG Destilerías.
Pole position in the World’s 50 Best Bars list is a coveted spot. Opportunities abound when you reach such dizzying heights – and in 2022, the number-one position was awarded to Paradiso in Barcelona, Spain.
Founded by Giacomo Giannotti, the drinking den is obscured behind a refrigerator door to the rear of a pastrami shop. There he unassumingly crafts some of the world’s greatest cocktails and social occasions.
Hospitality, in many respects, is in Giannotti’s blood – but not from a bar perspective. “My family had Gelateria Paradiso, an ice cream shop,” he explains. “That’s why I named the bar Paradiso. My family had the gelateria for over 40 years; I grew up there with my brothers, it was a family business. Who I am now is because of what my parents taught me when I was younger, the value of working hard to achieve your goals, and also making some sacrifices along the way.”
Travel and learn
It was there, he says, that his passion to work in the food-and-beverage industry blossomed. When he was 18, he headed to London, determined to travel and learn English to pursue his hospitality dreams, and stayed from 2007 to 2012.
“When I was in London, I realised I was in the best place for cocktails,” he recalls. “I learned how to be a professional bartender. I did experience at Be At One cocktail bar and in Eclipse, then, for me, as an Italian coming from Tuscany, after a few years in London I was missing the sun and Mediterranean lifestyle,” he laughs. “So I moved to Barcelona because I still wanted to travel, and it was there I had my dream to open my own bar.”
In 2015, that dream became a reality with the opening of Paradiso, named to honour his family’s ice cream parlour. The venue became Giannotti’s outlet to channel all the experience he had accumulated from his time in London and Barcelona.
“Now we have over 50 people in the team,” he says, somewhat in disbelief at how the bar has grown. “We opened with three people. Now, we have an R&D lab with a dedicated team for that and sustainability. We’ve opened bars in Dubai, Ibiza, it’s been crazy – and the best is yet to come.”
His approach to cocktail-making is a full sensory experience. Touch, smell, taste, aesthetics – all the elements play a crucial role in the final drinking experience, Giannotti says. “We really research our drinks thoroughly. We work with chemistry, and look at the science to see how it can help us achieve our goals. We always try to push the boundaries of our industry, and to deliver great experiences for our guests,” he says.
Popular serves at Paradiso include the Super Cool Martini. It is made using a technique called ‘super cooling’, as Giannotti explains: “We add the water, then it starts the dilution of the Martini, and it starts to freeze in front of your eyes. It’s has a ‘wow’ impact on the guests, and we serve it on a tray; it’s a sort of ritual.”
Another drink is called The Cloud, “as we started with an edible flying cloud”. “This is magical because you see something floating in front of you. Every year, we try to come up with new techniques to surprise our guests.”
Recently, Giannotti’s creativity went a step further. The Paradiso owner teamed up with MG Destilerías to create a special-edition gin that fuses traditional distilling techniques and modern mixology. It’s a smart move, particularly given Spain’s penchant for the spirit. Gin MG Paradiso is a twist on a classic gin, Giannotti says, “but with more creativity and style”. The base is a dry gin, which is enhanced with aromatic fragrances of lemon verbena and citrus. “What we wanted to do with MG Destilerías was to add something new to the category – not necessarily revolutionary, but to add our own touch.”
Additional botanicals used to make Gin MG Paradiso, which sits at 40% ABV, include juniper – of course – lemongrass, ginger, Sichuan pepper, and bergamot. “We wanted to make a versatile gin that you could enjoy in a gin and tonic, or in a Martini, but also use it for mixing,” Giannotti says. “It has a herbal note too; it’s very versatile for bartenders or for people to enjoy at home.”
MG Destilerías was the perfect partner for this project, Giannotti says. The spirits producer is also based in Barcelona. “We knew their work very well, and they proposed this idea to us, so we said, ‘OK, let’s do it – but let’s do something special’.”
Creative ethos
Giannotti channelled the same creative ethos from Paradiso into the gin. Not only this, but both partners have taken sustainability into consideration. As such, the gin for the bar is not delivered in standard bottles, but in 20-litre containers courtesy of MG Destilerías, he explains.
“Paradiso is a high-volume bar,” Giannotti explains. “We make between 800 to 900 cocktails per day, and we waste around 2,000 bottles per month. So, if we can reduce the waste of glass, then that is a good sustainable step for us.”
Giannotti is excited about sharing the versatility of Gin MG Paradiso with both the trade and gin lovers. Next year will mark 10 years of Paradiso, a milestone anniversary. “We have definitely changed over 10 years but kept the same values,” he says.
“One goal for next year is to push forward with creativity and research, and let our amazing team grow more and more. With Gin MG Paradiso, we believe we have a wonderful gin, a delicious gin, that will help us create more flavour and cocktails with a point of difference. It’s been amazing to work with MG Destilerías. We are going to keep riding this amazing journey.”
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Author: Melita Kiely
