It’s cocktail hour in Washington DC, and cometh the hour, cometh the man – José Andrés. The man who shook things up 15 years ago with his Salt Air Margerita has just unveiled a whole new theatre of mixology at barmini, an extension of his minibar restaurant in the Penn Quarter district, employing a weird and wonderful blend of food and drink to create a hugely adventurous menu which is both forward-thinking and preservationist, all in one glass.

Andrés’ minibar restaurant has given the award-winning chef plenty of ideas for new liquid concoctions, but his interest in the history of cocktails has led to the resurrection of some very old recipes and techniques – even going so far as to use a swizzle stick from a 1700s Caribbean rum drink. All this shaking and stirring is happening amid an interior which is itself a blend of architect and friend Juli Capella and Georgetown-based designers CORE. Formal and fun, vintage and modern, hard and soft – all these elements meet harmoniously in a colourful and classy bar which takes the cocktail to a whole new level.

Photography, Ken Wyner