Sipping 2.5, when creativity and technique on the plate meet excellence in the glass

Sipping 2.5 is a cultural project aiming to bring the consumption of premium spirits - the fruit of human know-how - back to the conviviality of the dining table both paired with food and as an end-of-meal drink, connecting the chef and the master distiller to place the search for top-quality ingredients, perfection in technique, the repetition of gestures and attention to detail back at the center of the table.

The resulting Sipping 2.5 Catalogue is Velier's selection of premium spirits for haute cuisine, so customers can enjoy the best expressions of the spirits world. The selection is regularly updated and includes some of the rarest releases as well as some of Luca Gargano's most sought-after bottlings.

The project introduces the 2.5 cl pour - an amount of alcohol corresponding to a glass of wine, which makes it possible to taste premium spirits at an affordable price. 

A special spirit glass was created for the project, designed to ensure the best expression for its content - the Gargano & Neisson glass. Featuring an innovative design, it was produced by leading brands Spiegelau and Riedel following Luca Gargano and Grégory Neisson's design, in a combination of different know-hows coming together to bring consumers the perfect tasting experience.

As mentioned, the 2.5 cl pour contains the same amount of alcohol as a 10 cl glass of wine. This has two different benefits for both restaurateurs and consumers, as it dispels the old myth whereby a spirit at the end of the meal and wine during the meal are mutually exclusive options.

Once consumers understand and interiorize the idea that all they need to do is drink one less glass of wine to be able to enjoy a premium spirit when the meal ends, and at a reasonable price as well, they will feel free to indulge in - and learn about - rare, top-quality products they couldn't normally access. For their part, restaurateurs can finally keep premium bottles they wouldn't otherwise buy for fear they would end up just sitting on the shelf.

Earth, where all ingredients come from. Water, the matrix of fermentation. Fire, the element of distillation. Air, a medium for exchange and evolution. 

And finally, a human being who, through their knowledge, talent and expertise, combines the four essential elements into a premium spirit or dish.

The products selected for the Sipping 2.5 project are a journey through Velier's wide-ranging portfolio divided into the categories of rum, whisky, liqueurs, agaves and spirits - a long journey across the Caribbean, Scotland, the United States, Japan, Mexico, France and Italy.

In each bottle in the selection, the four elements come together, each bringing its own contribution: earth symbolizes the terroir, the ingredients, the botanicals; water, for all kinds of fermentation; fire, essential for the distillation process; air, which tells us the way the spirit evolves and matures.

The Sipping 2.5 catalogue includes some of the most iconic bottles, reflecting Velier's quest for quality - premium brands like Hampden and Neisson for rum, The Macallan and Nikka for whiskies, Chartreuse and China Clementi for liqueurs.

The 2.5 spirit selection is intended for restaurants and bars that have or could become Velier Stars as well as for Michelin Stars, Slow Food Snails and haute hôtellerie.