Creating a sublime cocktail

Cocktails can range in quality from the sublime to the terrible, but what is it that makes a really really good cocktail? A drink that when you sip it teases your taste buds and leaves you eager for more?

Cocktails are in the majority of cases a combination of sweet, sour, salt, and bitter tastes. For example a mojito combines sweet and sour and a negroni combines bitter and sweet. It is the perfect balancing of the tastes that leads to a really superb drink. It can be surprising how little adjustments can make a big difference to the finished result, just a ml one way or another can be the difference between good and great!

Beginning of the season

With the new outdoor bar season just about to start we're busy thinking about and trying delicious new cocktail recipes. Last years big favourites were the Mojito as always and the Spicy 50. This year we've got a feeling that our gin and guava cocktails mixed with a few secret ingredients are going to be big. Also perhaps we'll keep those Mojitos fresh with the addition of fresh rapsberries and perhaps a dash of Chateau Monet framboise liquer - Don't tell the purists!!

Did you see Gordon Ramsays Ice Sculptures at Christmas??

Our very own ice sculpture Mark Gibb was featured on Gordon Ramsays Christmas programme. Live sculpting a Christmas tree and reindeer.