Olive oil in a cocktail? Why Oil in Canvas is starting in Vienna.

Image above: The four partners of the "Oil in Canvas" event in front of the event poster at the American Bar Tür 7 (f.l.t.r.) Gerhard Tsai, Tür 7; bartender Albert Trummer; Sarah Redenböck, Sarmakinas; Leonid Rath, J. & L. Lobmeyr

"Olive oil – in a cocktail?" The reaction to that is almost always the same: raised eyebrows, a polite "interesting." For most people, olive oil belongs on bread or in the pan, not in a glass. On September 4, 2026, at Tür 7 in Vienna, we showed that things can be done differently—and in doing so, launched the Oil in Canvas series.

What is Oil in Canvas?

Oil in Canvas is a signature cocktail with Greek olive oil that did not exist in this form before. Its nickname: "A Kalamata Sour." It is served in the Lobmeyr Patrician glass. The name says it all: the glass is the canvas, the oil gives the drink its character.

It was created through the collaboration of four partners: Sarmakinas (olive oil), Lobmeyr (crystal glass art), bartender Albert Trummer and Jakob Trummer (international bar art), and Tür 7's Gerhard Tsai, the place where the idea originated.

Why is Vienna the starting point?

Vienna is the place where Oil in Canvas was born. This is where Sarmakinas is based, where Lobmeyr has been working on Viennese glass art since 1823, and where Tür 7 provided the space where a conversation became a concept. Celebrating the premiere anywhere else would not have been consistent.

Vienna as the origin, the world as the stage.

The evening was therefore intentionally conceived as a kickoff: first tasting, first pouring, first conversations with the press and guests. Further stops for Oil in Canvas are in planning.

Three crafts that go together

Placing olive oil alongside Viennese crystal glass and international bar art also means being open to comparison—with craftsmanship that has existed for decades, in some cases centuries. And good olive oil? It is craftsmanship itself. Harvest time, acidity, and certification are not just an ingredient list, but a standard in their own right.

That was the initial question behind Oil in Canvas: Is it enough that our oil works in the kitchen—or does it also stand up next to craftsmanship that has proven itself for generations? The evening at Tür 7 was the answer.

What does a cocktail with olive oil taste like?

In a cocktail, olive oil provides texture and aroma rather than sweetness. It rounds out the acidity of the sour, giving the drink body and a long, slightly green finish. For that to work, the oil itself has to be right: fresh, clean, with real fruit and the typical peppery finish. A flat oil would be lost in the glass.

That is why we began the evening with a tasting of the current vintage. First the oil on its own, then the cocktail. Anyone who has tasted the starting point understands the drink.

What’s in the glass? The 25/26 harvest

The base is our 25/26 harvest: a Koroneiki oil from Messenia, which was confirmed twice just before the event. With a Silver medal at the NYIOOC 2026, one of the most important olive oil competitions worldwide, and with the new PDO-Kalamata certification by AGROCERT.

In addition, two measured values that speak for themselves: >410 mg/kg polyphenols and 0.398% acidity. According to Regulation (EU) No. 432/2012, olive oils containing at least 5 mg of hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives per 20 g can claim that olive oil polyphenols contribute to the protection of blood lipids from oxidative stress. Our vintage is well above that.

It is precisely this oil that is the basis that made Oil in Canvas possible in the first place.

What does Oil in Canvas mean for Sarmakinas?

For us, the evening was more than just a new cocktail. It was proof that quality can not only assert itself but also be demonstrated—even outside the kitchen, even alongside craftsmanship that sets completely different standards. Our oil comes from our own trees, we harvest it ourselves. That is why we can put it in a glass.

Character in every bottle.

Conclusion

Oil in Canvas was born in Vienna and served publicly for the first time here: Greek origin, Viennese glass art, and international bar art in one glass. The kickoff at Tür 7 was the first step; New York City will follow.

Olive oil doesn't just belong on bread. It belongs wherever craftsmanship is celebrated.

Would you like to mix our signature cocktail Oil in Canvas yourself at home? You can find step-by-step instructions here: Oil in Canvas Recipe