Mixologist At Motcombe's Sorelle

If you want to impress guests this festive season, Motcombe’s Sorelle Café Bar may provide the inspiration. On Friday night, the bar will host an evening of jazz and cocktails with master mixologist Theo Maxwell.

Theo’s reputation stretches well beyond Dorset. He’s a cocktail creator who can recall hundreds of recipes from memory and insists the best drinks are always made fresh. ‘It’s much more fun and it will taste a million times better if you make it yourself,’ said Theo. ‘People often think it’s tricky, but a small bar set-up at home with a shaker, a mixing glass and a few good spirits will let you make dozens of drinks.’

He’s no fan of supermarket cans. ‘Those pre-mixed cocktails use cheap spirits and preservatives,’ Theo explained. ‘They’re never as good as something made with fresh ingredients.’

Theo dismisses the idea that cocktail-making has to involve theatrical juggling. ‘If I had a pound for every time I got compared to Tom Cruise, I’d be rich,’ he joked. ‘Flair is fun to watch, but quality and hospitality are what really matter. I focus on making great drinks from scratch and creating a relaxed atmosphere.’

While Theo enjoys the classics, he also experiments with flavours. ‘There’s skill in doing the classics really well, but it’s also about knowing what works together — spirits, fruits, herbs — and making something distinctive,’ he said. ‘It’s about the experience as much as the drink.’

He admits to a certain purism. ‘I avoid drinks with crude names or artificial colours,’ he said. ‘I prefer tracing recipes back to their roots. My partner teases me for being a snob about it, but it’s really about caring for the craft.’

When asked what to order to look suave at the bar, Theo smiled. ‘James Bond might say “shaken, not stirred,” but shaking a martini ruins it,’ he said. ‘A classic Negroni is as classy as it gets.’

Friday’s event will celebrate Italian flavours in keeping with Sorelle’s style. ‘We’re honouring the Italian aperitivo tradition,’ Theo said. ‘There’ll be Negronis, dry gin martinis with olive garnish, and some unique seasonal creations — black cherry with Amaro and chocolate, and drinks with fennel, pear and bergamot.’

He also takes mocktails seriously. ‘We don’t try to imitate alcohol,’ Theo explained. ‘We create complex, non-alcoholic cocktails using botanical ingredients like wormwood, angelica root and beetroot. People who aren’t drinking should still have that sense of occasion.’

Sorelle’s Italian cocktail night promises both creativity and craftsmanship — an evening where flavour, flair and friendship come together beautifully.

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