Last week Global Traveler was invited to John F. Kennedy International Airport to celebrate oneworld alliance’s new signature cocktail, The 25. The name of the cocktail, inspired by the 25th anniversary of the alliance that began with just four airlines and now includes 13 members, with a 14th joining this year.

My colleagues Yasser and Mary and I took a car from our office in Pennsylvania to JFK for this event on a Thursday afternoon. We arrived at the airport and were swiftly taken through security and to the SOHO Lounge, the shared British Airways and American Airlines premium lounge in Terminal 8. It was an odd feeling going through security and even being at the airport and not actually traveling, although I will say it was quite refreshing to travel through the security detectors and airport with only a small purse. We even needed a boarding pass.

The event was to celebrate oneworld’s partnership with The Connaught Bar in London to create The 25, which will be available as a cocktail or mocktail in participating First Class lounges across the oneworld network, as well as the new oneworld-branded lounges at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and Incheon International Airport, Seoul, in May and June of this year.

The drink itself was created by Ago Perrone, the world-renowned director of mixology at The Connaught Bar. He created The 25 using a subtle blend of London Dry Gun, Sweet Vermouth, butter, Mezcal, and a unique Orange Grove essential oil, similar to a Negroni. Ago Perrone says, “It was important to create a cocktail which caught the essence of travel and blended with the personality of the oneworld alliance passengers.” Ago and his colleagues demonstrated how to make the drink and put on quite a show while doing so! The lounge filled with laughs as they comedically crafted The 25 for each guest at the event.

It was also a great opportunity to meet Nat Pieper, oneworld’s new CEO, who previously comes from Alaska Airlines. He introduced himself and is looking forward to diving into the job and welcoming Oman Air to the alliance this year.

I’m looking forward to continued celebrations for oneworld and trying The 25 during my travels.

— Haley Fogarty, vice president of sales