Life is sometimes bizarre. You travel around for years searching for the perfect mixture between quality of drinks and creativity in making something new, then you end up in a town (Torino in my case) which is surely not known for its cocktail scene, and you find a bar that is probably the most creative cocktail spot on the planet. I am not exaggerating, and I am ready to be challenged: the Smile Tree is the most creative quality cocktail bar on the planet.
Located in a wonderful square in the city centre, a few steps from the famous Caffé Bicerin (a bar from the XIX century famous for its chocolate infused coffee, and a touristic attraction in town), the Smile Tree is rather simple in its interiors, as if the master behind the bar would not be interested in anything than drinks. Hundreds of bottles are hanging on elastic bands over the bar, which looks like the shop of a very busy druid.
You should sit down and just select one of the suggested cocktails, all original creations. Don’t worry: here the signature Martini tastes like a Martini. But, it might come in a set of three chilled mini glasses with some wonderful addings, or in an iron bottle to keep it frozen to perfection, or in another fashion, you never know. Every cocktail comes withers own mini-tapas, fitting the taste of the drink of course.
Suggestion: don’y miss the barrel-aged Negroni, which comes in a large (I mean very large) glass that delivers all the special perfumes and flavors of the “invecchiamento”.
What else to say? Probably the most creative bar on the planet. Classic Martini rate: 9.
The Martini Hour 