We Caught Up With Beverage Director Marshall Minyard About The 2025 Tiny Cocktail Trend
2025’s cocktail trends are already making waves—one of the most exciting being the rise of tiny cocktails.
Photos by Max Flatow
These miniature martinis and downsized drinks have steadily gained traction, popping up on menus throughout the year and offering a playful, curated drinking experience.
Madame George, a chic subterranean cocktail lounge in New York City, perfectly embodies this trend. Helmed by Beverage Director and Partner Marshall Minyard, the lounge’s imaginative menu is divided into niche, New York-related categories such as Stalwarts of a Certain Time, Classic New York, Virtuosos (an ode to the arts), Madame’s Punches, and 5 Points.
One standout is the Teeny Tini Trio, a flight of mini martinis that pays homage to the neo-martini craze of the 1990s.
This trio features:
As If – Monkey 47 Gin, Lychee Tea, Blanc Vermouth, Lichi Li, Blanc Verjus
Big Apple – Gin, Blanc Vermouth, Clarified Green Apple, Saline, Pear Brandy, Aroma
TriBeCo – Bootleggers Vodka, Cranberry Curaçao, Lime Cordial, Blanc Verjus
We chatted with Marshall Minyard to learn more about his journey in the industry, the unique vibe of the lounge, and the creative inspiration behind the Teeny Tini Trio. From flavor balance to presentation, Minyard shared insights into crafting tiny cocktails and why this trend is capturing the imagination of cocktail lovers everywhere.
1. Tell us about your background in the industry.
My background in the service industry started when I was 13-years-old, washing dishes at a local bakery in my hometown. When I moved to New York City, I began working front-of-house. While I had experience bartending, I initially focused on bussing tables and running food. Then, I worked my way up the ranks to barback, bartender, head bartender, program curator, and eventually beverage director, though I will always be a bartender at heart. I had the opportunity to be the opening beverage director at Valerie in 2018 and have been on 45th Street since.
2. Tell us about Madame George. How does the space and its atmosphere influence the cocktail creations?
Madame George is a subterranean cocktail lounge, located in New York City. The cocktail program is divided into niche New York-related categories like Classic New York, Stalwarts of a Certain Age, and Subways. The menu was created to influence and inspire memories based on cocktails, flavors, and aromas of the past. Our goal was to create an intimate, inviting, and comfortable space to enjoy cocktails alongside conversations and good music.
3. Are there any particular cocktails or categories of drinks that have consistently been the most popular at Madame George? What was the inspiration for creating the Teeny Tiny Trio?
We are on our second menu, but two categories that remain the same are “Stalwarts of a Certain Age” and “Madame’s Punches”. The Stalwarts are reimagined cocktails from the 80’s & 90’s. This year’s menu was created specifically for the Neo Martini craze, recreating the French Martini, Breakfast Martini, Espresso Martini as well as the Teeny Tini Trio, Apple-tini, Lychee-tini, and the cosmopolitan. All of these cocktails are prepared more like a traditional martini as spirit forward ice cold cocktails.
The punch page shares the history of cocktails; perfect for a gathering with friends. These cocktails are split between creative clarified milk punches and traditional large-format punches. All can be ordered for one or a large tea pot made to share for groups.
The Teeny Tini Trio are the only cocktails that remain from the inaugural Madame George menu – they were and still can be ordered as their own cocktail but I wanted to design an offering that you could either order yourself for a sampler style of Neo martini history or you could order as a starter for the table.
4. How did you approach balancing the flavors and presentation for such small servings? Tiny cocktails seem to be gaining popularity in the cocktail scene.
Since the cocktails were on Madame George’s initial menu, the team is very familiar with its preparation and ingredients. We prepare them in slightly larger batches, diluted, and stored in the freezer at approx. 22 degrees Fahrenheit so we can distribute these cocktails quickly and at a cold temperature.
5. Why do you think this trend is growing?
I think the trend is gaining popularity because it lets you enjoy a variety without feeling like you are overindulging. With the Teeny Tini Trio served at Madame George, I thought it would make a great cocktail appetizer for your table or paired with your party’s entrees. In the world of social media and posting content, a cute little cocktail goes a long way and adds a bit of fun for the diner. Also, people love a deal, and seeing a discounted price for a spirit-forward cocktail like a martini is always gaining attention.
6. What advice would you give to other bars or restaurants looking to incorporate tiny cocktails into their menus?
If other restaurants would like to offer mini cocktails, I find it helpful to pair them with small bites, whether it’s oysters or another small plate of your choice. An offering as such enables guests to feel like they are receiving a deal. You can showcase a cocktail that you have prepared and are proud of creating. This may encourage a guest to order something they would not normally choose at first glance. Though the conversation of batching is high these days and tends to lean toward associating bartenders with the title of “batch tender,” one can pre-batch, dilute, and store teeny cocktails in the correct temperatures.
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