【Interview】Bar Patent Pending’s Head Bartender: Nikola Nikoletić

WELCOME – YOUR JOURNEY IS ABOUT TO BEGIN…

Patent Pending is located in the cellar of the Radio Waves Building, a New York City landmark where Nikola Tesla lived and performed his experiments in the late 19th century. Our ambition is to develop and contribute to cocktail culture in order to make it approachable, innovative, and thought-provoking. The back bar is circumnavigating the earth, featuring spirits and flavors from every culture to respect guests who are visiting us from all over the world.

Patent Pending provides an intimate experience that embodies aspects of both a discreet speakeasy and upscale cocktail club.

-Nikola Nikoletić

About Patent Pending

Dear WHISKY:
How would you describe Patent Pending?

Nikola:
In my opinion, Patent Pending is a spot you have to see in person. While you may catch a glimpse of the bar through photos and videos, you honestly cannot fully experience the atmosphere without visiting. Patent Pending is a dark and powerful bar with a combination of candlelight and dozens of white bulbs. It’s all about the atmosphere. Although it looks very simple, there are many intricate details.

In addition, we try to provide a service through which people can relax and have a good time. We don’t want our guests to feel extremely proper. We aim for an elegant and simplified vibe that is still thoughtful.

Head Bartender Mr. Nikoletic

About the Menu

Dear WHISKY:
Could you give us an overview of the menu at Patent Pending?

Nikola:
While many bars nowadays use QR codes for their simplified menus, we always present a physical book. Our menu book contains all of our drinks, including the seasonal cocktails that we change twice a year. In addition to the drink options, the book also provides relevant physics and mechanics knowledge about the drinks with handwritten illustrations.

We’ve found that this approach has had a really positive effect. Typically, when you visit a bar, you might not receive a menu or just get something simple. But our menu book is well-organized, well-printed, and full of fun details.

Menu book of Patent Pending. Some of the drawings on the seasonal menu were made by Nikola

Making Cocktails

About the Style

Dear WHISKY:
How would you describe your style of making cocktails?

Nikola:
At Patent Pending, the entire bar team participate in creating the cocktails for the menu. Our approach in building drinks is quite complex, involving a lot of blending and a careful selection of ingredients. We’re trying to create cocktails with a clear flavor that speaks to each customer. We use only fresh ingredients so that the drinks have a very clean flavor profile.

For example, we have a spicy hot chocolate on the seasonal menu. To make this drink, we make cacao syrup using wine that is leftover at the end of the night. Instead of throwing it away, we cook it with Mexican smoked hot peppers. The body of the drink is built with the blend of Jamaican rum and Mexican corn whiskey. We finish the drink with home-made smoked marshmallow. The end result is so delicious.

Dear WHISKY:
How did you get the idea?

Nikola:
For that drink, the initial idea came from my colleague Carlos. As for inspiration, we drew from the Aztec culture, who used to drink hot cacao-like beverages and consumed chocolate with chili. So, using Mexican whiskey in our Spicy Hot Chocolate cocktail just makes perfect sense.

Making a cocktail

Drinking Culture in New York

Dear WHISKY:
What is the perception of whiskey among people in New York?

Nikola:
Whiskey is very popular in New York. Being a large and important market in the US, many whiskey brands are available. However, the drinking culture in New York is slightly different from that of Japan. 

The trend here seems to favor more rich flavors cocktails, whereas, in Japan, I was impressed by the popularity of the Gin Rickey cocktail style, which is prepared with great details in every step of the making. In the US, if you order a vodka soda or tequila soda, it is typically more straightforward.

Dear WHISKY:
How is Japanese whiskey perceived in New York?

Nikola:
Japanese whiskey is highly rated and definitely generated hype. Simply mentioning Japanese whiskey gives the impression of a quality product. Ordering Japanese whiskey in a bar has become fashionable, as it presents you as a man of elegance or knowledge.

Dear WHISKY:
Are there any trendy ways to drink whiskey in New York compared to Japan?

Nikola:
What I learned in Japan is that there are slight differences in how people view bars and how they drink compared to New York.

In Japan, everything is more divided, in whiskey bars the fashion is “I only drink whiskey here, not even whiskey based cocktails”. However, in New York, it does not really matter. Even when you are in a whiskey bar, it is totally acceptable to order a classic cocktail like an old-fashioned or Manhattan Cocktail, or even something that is not whiskey. Also, when it comes to high-quality whiskeys like Yamazaki 18 years old, people tend to drink it neat to enjoy the full flavor and complexity of the spirit.

Making Whiskey Cocktails

Dear WHISKY:
What approach do you take when making whiskey cocktails?

Nikola:
Typically, my cocktails have intense and round flavors with a lot of bitters and a balanced sweeteners for a rich body. However, when I’m working with a high-quality whiskey, everything will up the whiskey. This means highlighting the whiskey, albeit a tiny bit, a smidge of something else to elevate aroma or flavor.

For example, when I make my old-fashioned, I’ll put around seven or eight milliliters of rock candy sugar syrup, up to eight or nine dashes of a few different bitters for a rich body, high-alcohol-content whiskey to keep it bold, and lemon and orange oils. But if someone orders Hibiki Harmony, I’ll use a maximum of a dash or two of bitters, a tiny touch of sweetness, so the original content is not disturbed, just highlighted.

Nikola’s Story as a Bartender

Dear WHISKY:
Why did you decide to be a bartender in New York after moving out of Serbia?

Nikola:
Even back in Serbia, bartending has always fascinated me. I used to be a young man and did not understand quite much. But exploring the budding cocktail scene was always intriguing to me. When I moved to the US, I found that New York was the main spot for bar businesses. In New York, you can either pursue bartending professionally or just make quick money.

I made the decision to be a professional bartender, and great things started happening to me. I believe that by doing something professionally, you put effort and yourself into it. With bartending, you can connect all kinds of knowledge that you gather during your life, such as food, fashion, art, philosophy, job mechanics, and even chemistry.

Working As a Bartender at Patent Pending

Dear WHISKY:
What is your opinion on being a bartender?

Nikola:
Well, it’s a great feeling, but finding the right bar for yourself can be challenging. It’s not always an easy job, and sometimes you need to be patient. Ultimately, it’s something that you have to feel for yourself. While you can learn a lot from books, it’s important to translate that knowledge into your own language and showcase your personality.

For me, Patent Pending is the perfect fit. As a Serbian bartender named Nikola, I feel a special connection with Nikola Tesla, who was also Serbian. It’s always fun when people come in and ask my name, and I say “Nikola”, and they are like “Oh, you? Okay. Hmm…”. I and Nikola Tesla also came to the US at around the same age – 28 or 29.

I have been working at Patent Pending for four years, and I have been running the bar program for the past two years. I was honestly very happy when I first started working there. It’s a unique and exciting place that allows me to showcase my skills and creativity as a bartender.

At Last

We had an amazing interview with Nicola from Patent Pending’s. He shared insights on the bar’s hospitality, his bartender philosophy, and the unique inspiration behind their cocktails. If you’re in New York, don’t miss the chance to visit and make your trip even more memorable with this unique experience.

Official website: PATENT PENDING

Instagram: Nikola Nikoletić