The Langham Hotel’s cocktail bar, Artesian, is rolling out the third and final instalment of its visionary Futureproof cocktails series – an ambitious series of menus aimed at redefining modern mixology. Robbie Hodges reports 

The future of mixology isn’t necessarily to be found in robot kitchens and laboratories, but in historical techniques; such is the thinking behind the Futureproof cocktails series that has been slowly rolled out by Artesian, The Langham hotel’s cocktail bar.

In May, it launched Ultimo, the final chapter of its innovative, three-part series of cocktail menus. The trilogy of Futureproof menus is so named because of its focus on sustainability, each of the Volumes featuring locally sourced ingredients that have been prepared according to age-old preservation and culinary techniques. 

The menu continues in the style of Volumes I and II, with a focus on ingredients that are underused or unconventional to mixology. Each one, whether its kale, salsify or artichoke, is either preserved, transformed or layered in such a way that unearths different or unexpected flavour profiles.  

As stated in Artesian’s cocktail menu: “Focusing on one single ingredient at a time, the result is a collection of 16 wildly distinct cocktails, each crafted with Futureproof ingredients sourced locally”. 

Drinks include Apple, a Champagne cocktail that aims to capture the flavours of apple crumble through Courvoisier VSOP, Disaronno, Apple and Perrier-Jouet Grand Brut, and a negroni called Cep which features mushrooms along with an undercurrent of blue cheese. There’s also a parsnip-inflected take on the Espresso Martini with vodka, brandy, parsnips and butter lending a new edge to the modern classic. 

Accompanying the drinks menu is a series of small plates created by Chet Sharma, the chef at BiBi in Mayfair, known for his meticulous approach to Indian cuisine. In line with the Futureproof cocktails, he has created small bar bites that feature their own unconventional riffs on classic Indian flavours. 

Lorenza Pezzetta, Bar Manager at Artesian, adds: “Ultimo is more than just a menu - it’s a statement of who we are at Artesian. It captures our philosophy of innovation grounded in tradition and our constant push to evolve what a cocktail bar can be. This final chapter of the Futureproof Trilogy brings together everything we stand for: creativity, precision and a deep respect for ingredients.”