La Poudrière: the made-to-measure cocktail experience in Paris

While customized cocktails are on the rise in the capital these days, there's one bar that's setting an example. Opened in 2018 in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, La Poudrière is a bar like no other. Here, discovery, convivial exchanges and wonder are the order of the day.

La Poudrière is a genuine hybrid space, the brainchild of Mathieu B. Girard. Girard, La Poudrière cleverly blends theworld of mixology with that of entertainment and events, without forgetting to highlight musical and artistic transmission.

The tour begins on the first floor, with its art nouveau decor transporting us back to the Paris of the 20s. It's here, in this small lounge, that customers flock to sample one of the excellent made-to-measure cocktails devised and concocted by bartender Hervé Luu. With over 15 years' experience in the industry, particularly in luxury hotels, Hervé has been behind the bar at La Poudrière since it opened, and wouldn't change a thing for the world. Here, he lets himself be guided by his customers' desires to create incredible personalized creations, based on very high-end and rather rare spirits. Each experience begins with a short oral questionnaire about our preferences: do you prefer acidity, bitterness, fruity or spicy notes?

Hervé then starts the show by using a blowtorch to burn Sichuan pepper, which he then leaves to infuse directly under a glass. He then cuts slices of cucumber, adds basil leaves and lime, and continues with a series of manipulations (homemade ginger juice, Italicus bergamot liqueur, Monkey 47 gin, Suze roots, Tonic The London Essence with rosemary and grapefruit).

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To sublimate this perfectly executed original creation, Hervé adds a slice of cucumber as a garnish, which he recommends eating while sipping his beverage for a perfectly successful experience. Bitterness, acidity, light spiciness... all the tastes are there, perfectly mastered and balanced! A great success!

The wait may be a little long on some evenings, but it's well worth it. For those in a hurry, you can head for the basement, where two beautifully decorated lounge areas await you (the ammunition depot and the engine room), as well as a dance and show floor (currently at a standstill due to Covid-19), a smoking room and a second bar, all housed in sumptuous stone vaults.

For this second bar, you can choose between beers (La Bête, Corsica IPA...), infused shooters, traditional absinthe and clever beverages. On the menu? Classics of the genre(Mule, Old Fashioned...) but also more elaborate cocktails such as the " Baron Rouge " (Vodka, lime, blackcurrant), the " Bergen Street " (Whisky Ole Smoky Moonshine, triple sec, lemon, sugar syrup) or the " Bélier " (Havana7', lime, vanilla, ginger ale).

In addition to cocktail tastings and top-quality artistic programming, La Poudrière aims to position itself as a partner for entrepreneurs, creators and project leaders of all kinds (designers, actors, musicians, photographers, stylists or authors...) by organizing regular meetings.

In short, La Poudrière, a veritable " artistic speakeasy ", is much more than just a bar. It's a state of mind, a place of exchange and life, where a community eager to move things forward in a constantly changing world comes together.

Please note that it's been over 4 years since our last visit, so the place and experience may have changed.