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Conigliaro debuts cocktail bar in Cognac
Renowned drinks expert Tony Conigliaro has opened a new Cognac-focused cocktail bar in France, marking his first international venture outside of the UK.
Tony Conigliaro and business partner Guillaume Le Dorner opens Luciole in Cognac, France
The new bar, called Luciole, is located on the banks of River Charente in Cognac. Opening earlier this month, Luciole is housed in an historic building that was formerly a horse and carriage stables.
The bar has a vast and unique Cognac selection representing the whole of the Cognac category. Carefully curated by Conigliaro and his business partner Guillaume Le Dorner – who will manage the premises – the collection is displayed on the “Cognac Wall”, a signature feature of the bar.
The 50-cover bar offers an “all-encompassing Cognac experience”, where guests will be able to stay, dine and familiarise themselves with all of the leading Cognac houses. An accessible drinks menu allows visitors to discover Cognac through a variety of angles: age statement, vintages, terroirs, crus and brands.
The cocktail menu features 18 drinks, with a focus on Cognac. House creations include long refreshing drinks such as a Spitfire – Cognac VSOP, crème de pêche, lemon juice, sugar syrup and white wine, and Conigliaro’s twist on a classic New York Sour, which matches a Cognac sour with a peach liqueur.
Shorter, more “serious” drinks include Avignon, which combines Avignon incense, Cognac and Roman chamomile syrup – which is part of a drink series on meditation and religion named after the French city, also known as the “City of Popes”.
The kitchen, a partnership with a local chef, currently offers a simple menu of classic French bar food. Sharing plates include classic French charcuterie and saucission, as well as local cheeses and a tartlets menu.
The bar features a relaxed, elegant French setting with Chesterfield-style sofas and light bulbs of varying size, shape and intensity to “emphasise the mood” of the venue. An outside terrace offers six tables with a view across the river.
Conigliaro will launch five rooms at Luciole later this year, each bookable for an overnight stay, with further plans to open a full service restaurant on the site in early 2018.
The new venture follows Conigliaro’s recently opened cocktail bar Untitled in east London, and his second Bar Termini site in Marylebone.
New bar Luciole features a vast and unique Cognac selection