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Eighteen hundred and six was the year that the word cocktail was first used in print, and on the 13th of May that year, in the Balance and Columbia Repository, the word was defined for the first time.

However the art of mixing drinks extends much further back than this, there are references in Shakespeare`s Hamlet of a Sack Posset, a mixture of egg, cream, dark ale, sugar and spices; with some sixteenth century toffs going so far as to request the inclusion of ambergris or musk. These drinks were the work of master mixologists and some very experimental drinkers.

The art of mixing drinks to create flavour and texture has been with us for most of history, but where it begins to become interesting is with the advent of distillation. Distillation comes to Europe sometime around 1000AD, where the secret of fractional distillation of essential oils is learned from the Arabic empire and used, with great success, to concentrate alcohol. From the very first, distillation has been linked to alchemy and most early spirits were called some variation on `water of life`. For many years people believed that things that were good for you could be concentrated to a sufficient purity to grant eternal youth. From the first, alchemists were distilling and mixing a wide variety of medicinal and flavoursome additives to try and stay young. Hundreds of years later, the advent and growth of cocktail culture has finally found the secret to eternal youth. You will still eventually die, regardless of how many cocktails you drink, but you will keep the essence and the excitement of youth with you whenever you have a glass in hand!

1806 is about acknowledging all those bartenders and alchemists who have over the centuries gifted us with sumptuous libations that affirm and promote a youthful exuberance with life. Drink, enjoy and be merry!

Now

Xanadu Fancy

42 Below Passionfruit Vodka, with Hibiscus, Aperol and Lime. Finished with a hint of almond and served straight up. Crisp and slightly tripical, to ward off winter chill.

Angels Milk

Sake with Frangelico, almond and cream. This is a light, nutty cream cocktail where the sake balances the heaviness of the cream with a fresh lightness.

Pimms Fizz

The old time summer favourite. Pimms with South Gin, lemon, orange peel and cucumber, all topped with ginger ale.

Bitter Chocolate Orange Martini

A variation on the Negroni, orange with Gin, Campari and chocolate. If you like Jaffas and bitter dark chocolate, this is the drink for you.

Thirst Extinguisher Serves 3

The ultimate refresher of Tanqueray 10 Gin, Peach, Earl Grey Tea and lemon. Served in a 1950s Fire Extinguisher cocktail shaker. Perfect to share, or, if you`re really thirsty, to consume on your own.

Peach Sour

As the name says; peach schnapps with 42 Below Passionfruit vodka and loads of lemon juice. Crisp, sharp and refreshing.

Hibiscus Hula

A modern Tiki tropical delight. Two types of Appleton Rum, loads of orange, pineapple, hibiscus and a cheeky hint of absinthe.

Aperol and Verjuice Sour

Aperol and sweet vermouth shaken with Crittendon Estate verjuice and a touch of lime. Sweetened with a hint of mandarin. A perfect aperitif.

Then

Historical Drinks

This section of the menu is a time-line tracking cocktails as they have developed over the last two hundred years. We have not included every classic that is worth mentioning, but we can definitely make them. We have grouped drinks into decades starting with 1806 to try and capture, with at least one cocktail, a sense of what drinks made each era unique. Some drinks fit into multiple decades, and some very old drinks have been placed according to when recipes were published, or when they became known to the world at large. Where possible we have included references to where these drinks first appear and what books to look out for if you want to do some further reading. Some of the older drinks have been included with the original recipes and how we make them here. This is to update some very old flavours and styles that are too old for a modern palate. However, if authenticity is you desire, we will happily concoct as close to the original flavours as possible!

Enjoy the read and the drinks.

1756 Johnson`s Dictionary of English Language Published.
Fish House Punch

One of the finest flavour matches around, peach liqueur with rum and cognac. Don`t be deceived by the flavour, there are no mixers, just booze with booze.

The Fish House Club on the Schuykill River near Philadelphia created this punch some time in the 1700`s, reputably the recipe was given to the club by one of its founders, George Washington. The drink was prepared as a lunchtime punch bowl that would sit on the bar and be slowly emptied by thirsty customers. George Washington himself declared that this punch was the only way to celebrate national holidays. Indeed, at several viewing of the troops, the corps would be presented to the President before moving away to where huge cauldrons of this punch had been prepared. It is no surprise that the President would get three rousing cheers from the soldiers. Lemon juice, Jamaican rum, Peach Brandy, cognac and water, this is a true military drink, simple and very very strong.

1806 Admiral Nelson`s dying wish is for his body to be returned to Portsmouth in a barrel of rum.
Bittered Sling

A Short Sharp hit of fine cognac, tempered with bitters and sugar.

This is the year of the cocktail, the year that the word cocktail was first defined in print. The definition was printed on the 13th of May in The Balance, and Columbian Repository, a newspaper printed in Hudson, New York. The definition was `Cocktail, then, is a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water and bitters it is vulgarly called a bittered sling`

Our favourite is a combination of Cognac, orange bitters, sugar, and water. It is lightly shaken and served straight up in a champagne saucer. When this drink was first drunk, there were no cocktail glasses, so small wine glasses or champagne saucers were used.

Mint Julep

Crisp mint with bourbon and a hint of sugar; simple and refreshing.

The Mint Julep predates cocktails, and might in fact pre-date American whiskey, its key ingredient. The word Julep comes from the Arabic Juleb, the method of combining rose petals and water to scent the water and make a refreshing drink. In one sense `julep`refers to the production method as much as the drink itself. One of the first julep style drinks to be popularized was the Georgia Julep, a mix of brandy and peach liqueur with mint and ice. However, the julep we now know and love has got to be the classic Mint Julep that is drunk at the Kentucky Derby and is also responsible for inspiring the creation of the first commercially produced straws. Woodford Reserve Bourbon Whiskey, mint leaves, a touch of sugar and heaps of crushed ice. Traditionally served in a silver julep cup with straws and a generous garnish of mint leaves; the idea being to bury your nose in the garnish as you sip from the straw.

1816
Rum Shrub

Raspberries crushed with Jamaican rum and liqueur. Sweet, strong and gorgeous.

A shrub was a preparation not unlike a cordial designed to increase the longevity of the fruit used. A recipe from Domestic Cookery, 1807, calls for the juice of white currents to be prepared as for jam, then strained and mixed with rum and sugar. The liquid was then bottled and when`mixed with water is a pure, delicious drink for summer` American Frugal Housewife, 1833. From this we see that a shrub is a bittered sling or cocktail using fruits preserved in alcohol and sugar. Our version consists of crushed strawberries and raspberries preserved in Rum, then sweetened and shaken, served straight up.

1826 The world`s first photograph created by Joseph Niepce in 1826.
Whiskey Bang

An old style drink of cider, whiskey and spices. Full bodied and very dry.

From Practical Housewife, 1860, this drink is a mixture of cider and whiskey, with treacle or honey, spiced with nutmeg and a little sugar. Lots of mixed drinks were a combination of beer, cider, and wines, before spirits were as accessible, or as good, as they are today. Our Whiskey bang is Aspall cider, scotch, honey and spices, served neat in a tumbler. It can also be served hot for cold days.

1836 Slavery abolished in the British empire in 1833
Sazerac

Classic combination of bourbon and cognac, with a hint of absinthe. Not for the faint hearted.

This drink was created in New Orleans by Antoine Peychaud, who operated a pharmacy on Royal Street in the 1830s. Friends would gather for late-night revelry at his pharmacy where Peychaud would mix brandy, absinthe and a dash of his secret bitters for his guests. This drink became known as the Sazerac after being made famous by Sewell Taylor at the Sazerac Coffee House where he would only use Sazerac de Forge et fils brandy. We follow Dale de Groff`s recipe for a New York Sazerac, half bourbon, half cognac, with Peychaud`s bitters and sugar, served straight up in a rocks glass rinsed in absinthe.

1846 In 1855 Cocaine was synthesized for the first time.
Cobbler

Another old style mix of citrus and sherry leavened with a touch of apple, but still very dry.

This style of mixed drink uses wine, pounded ice, citrus or citrus peel, and sugar. Ours is inspired by the Sherry Cobbler from Practical Housewife, 1860, but we use Quealy Pobblebonk white wine, apple liqueur, lemon peel and juice, sugar and crushed ice, served in a small wine glass and garnished with a lemon twist to accent the clean crips flavour of the wine.

1856 The Artificial Ice Machine invented by John Gurrie.
Brandy Crusta

Cognac with dashes of bitters and lemon juice. A fresh, crisp version of the even older Bittered Sling.

The Brandy Crusta was created in New Orleans around 1850 by the Spanish caterer Joseph Santini. It is a complicated mix of cognac, bitters, curacao, and lemon juice. There are a couple of things that set this cocktail apart from others of the time. The first is the use of lemon juice as a flavour modifier, rather than as an ingredient. The lemon juice is used in a similar way to a bitters; to change and enhance the flavour of the cognac. The other unique characteristic is the crust of sugar around the rim of the glass. This is the first known cocktail to be served with a sugar rim, or any type of rim at all. It is first printed in Jerry Thomas in 1862 and was considered a quintessential New Orleans drink. Many people sight this tipple as the forefather to drinks like the Side Car and Margarita, however, both of those beverages use lemon as a full and complete flavour in the drink, not as a modifier for the dominant spirit. The Side Car and Margarita are more closely related to the Sour than the Crusta.

1866 Harry Johnson wins the world`s first ever cocktail competition in New Orleans, 1869
Blue Blazer

Probably the ultimate warming cocktail for cold nights. Whiskey with sugar and spice, flamed and served hot.

One of the most famous cocktails of all time, possibly created by Jerry `The Professor` Thomas at the El Dorado in San Francisco around 1850, it quickly became the most popular winter beverage in the area. A mix of scotch whisky and boiling water is ignited and poured from one container to another until mixed and heated. Then a little sugar and the peel of a lemon are added. Jerry Thomas never claimed to be the creator of this drink, but subsequent commentators have attributed this drink to him without a great deal of evidence to back them up. We make several versions of this classic drink, and the flaming potion poured alight from one jug to another is becoming one of our signature creations.

Black Blazer

Inner Circle dark rum with black chocolate

This variation was created at 1806 by Stacy Field as a variation of the classic drink, using the old style of blazing the booze with modern ingredients that would not have been around an 1800s gold field. In honour of an Australian variation we use the award winning Inner Circle Navy Proof dark rum and organic black chocolate, all burnt in the traditional style.

1876 Louis Pasteur published his Studies Concerning Beer about controlling fermentation.
Manhattan

The Ultimate New York drink. Heavy, rich, slightly bitter, and the perfect overcoat when it is snowing outside and you can`t find a cab anywhere.

Probably created sometime around 1850. There is a story that this drink was made for an injured duelist in 1848, with whiskey, vermouth and sugar. There is another and more realistic story that it was created by a bartender named Black who created the drink in the eighteen sixties at a bar ten doors from the Manhattan Club, which did truly make the drink famous. However, before the memorable Samuel J Tilden dinner at the Manhattan Club where the cocktail was served to such great appreciation, the Manhattan was already known as a hugely popular cocktail. It should be noted that Jenny Jerome, the mother of Winston Churchill was not in attendance, as young Winston was being christened in England at that exact time. The earliest recipes for the Manhattan appear in Harry Johnson`s book of 1884, where it is listed as containing either sweet vermouth, Curacao, bitters and whiskey or dry vermouth, bitters, sugar and whiskey. So a Manhattan can be served either sweet or dry, but never perfect, and should be slightly sweetened, either with liqueur or sugar syrup. In the following ten years recipes are published containing all manner of dashes and optional variations, but the one that has stuck and is now considered essential is the Maraschino cherry garnish and drop or two of the juice. We make our Manhattans with Woodford Reserve bourbon mixed with Carpano Punt e Mes Italian vermouth and dashes of Orange and Angostura bitters, all finished with a cherry and a few drops of the maraschino syrup.

1886 The world`s first Skyscraper, Home Insurance Building, Chicago. It was 10 stories high.
Tom and Jerry

Hot desert in a glass. Think rich, thick chocolate custard, add lots of booze, and enjoy.

This drink really was created by Jerry Thomas, hence the name. Some people have speculated that this drink, and its popularity during the winter months of prohibition, about forty years after it was invented, was the inspiration for the cartoon of the same name. During prohibition there was a cat and mouse relationship between the bootleggers and the government G-Men. The bootleggers generally got a tip off before the excise officers arrived and would move from speakeasy to speakeasy just ahead of the G-Men shutting up the booze so that there was nothing to see. This may have been where the Tom and Jerry cartoon got its idea. What we do know for certain however, is that Jerry Thomas created the drink around 1870, and would happily serve it for any-one no matter what the temperature. But, as Jerry got older, more successful and, let be honest, a bit of a nasty old man, he would only serve this hot cream drink if the temperature outside was cold enough. The drink was originally a mix of Jamaican Rum with egg and cream, seasoned with nutmeg and cinnamon. We make ours with Irish whiskey and Bourbon, bitter chocolate liqueur, hot cream and egg yolk. All served hot in a tumbler and tasting a little like alcoholic custard.

Martinez

A precursor to the Martini. Lots of Old Tom Gin with vermouth and bitters.

Sometime around 1880 the glorious mixture of Gin and vermouth begins to gain popularity. It was named, and printed, as The Martine, The Martini, The Martinez, The Turf Club and even The Jockey Club. The early Martinis were mixed with Old Tom Gin, sweet vermouth and bitters. They were sometimes shaken with a piece of lemon, and sometimes stirred without. The Martinez that we make is a combination of The Martine from Harry Johnson`s Bartender Manual of 1888, and The Martinez from the 1887 edition of Jerry Thomas` Bon Vivants Companion. We are using the more modern dry vermouth, Orange Bitters and we are also lucky to serve Hayman`s Old Tom Gin, a faithful re-creation of an 18th Century sweetened gin recipe. Simply Stunning.

1896 1893 New Zealand is the first country in the world to grant women the vote.
Old Fashioned

The bartenders favourite, and yardstick with which cocktail connoisseurs test a bartender. Whiskey, sugar and bitters.

The first written record of the Old Fashioned was in Modern American Drinks George J. Kappeler in 1895 called an `Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail` What we do know about this drink is that it is effectively a bittered sling on the rocks, it was made famous at the Pendennis Club, and was brought to the Waldorf Astoria New York by Col. James E. Pepper, proprietor of the Labrot and Graham distillery, now known as Woodford Reserve Bourbon. There was never any soda water, the cherry and the orange slice are much later additions, and using sugar syrup is considered appropriate as the first recipes called for the production of sugar syrup in the glass itself as the first step in making a proper Old Fashioned. Bitters were originally Angostura, but Orange or Bokers were not unusual from quite early on. By 1930 the recipe had twisted out of recognition with muddled cherries, dashes of absinthe or curacao, and even the addition of a pineapple slice as garnish. The Old Fashioned cocktail is an elegant and restrained taming of fine bourbon, and should only be garnished with lemon peel. We make ours slowly, with lots of ice, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, sugar syrup, and no fruit.

Tom Collins

Fresh, tart, tall and refreshing. With lots of gin.

This drink pops up around 1860, although it is first mentioned in the 1876 edition of The Bon Vivant`s Companion by Jerry Thomas, we can be assured that as it is an English drink, and this is an American book, the cocktail would have to have been around for a while first. It is also listed in Jerry Thomas`s book as being a variation on a whiskey Collins. However, the drink is almost certainly named after Old Tom Gin, a sweetened style popular in the mid 19th England. The drink itself is identical to a gin fizz, except for numerous rules of thumb about one having ice and the other not, one being stirred and the other shaken. The only real difference between these two drinks is that the Gin Fizz begins its life in America and the Tom Collins in England. The Gin Fizz used dry gin, and the Tom Collins the sweetened style. However, this would have been balanced out in the addition of less sugar, so the two drinks probably tasted identical. Both drinks are shaken with ice and poured straight up into a small highball or tumbler. They are then charged with soda water and drunk quickly, while they are energetic. Jerry Thomas lists his Gin Fizz as a stirred drink with powdered sugar, and topped with Apollinaris or seltzer water, whereas the Tom Collins called for sugar syrup and soda water. Most of Jerry Thomas`s fizzes are stirred with a small lump of ice, and I can`t help feeling that this represents the American style rather than a true difference in the cocktail itself. As for the Tom Collins, it gets its name from two places, a bartender named John Thomas, who was known to some degree for a fabulous gin punch or sling that he made, and the Old Tom brand of gin. It is quite possible that the drink began its life as Collin`s punch or sling, and slowly became a Collins with Old Tom, then the Tom Collins we know today. The other aspect of the drink worth mentioning is that it is primarily a Gin Sour with soda water added. Soda water was first created in 1767, but it wasn`t until 1800 that its use outside of medicine began. By the mid 1800`s, when the Tom Collins begins to appear, soda or carbonated water would have been quite common, and a Gin Sour topped with soda and drunk quickly, while energetic, would have been quite a sensation.

1906 In 1903 the Wright Brothers fly their first plane
Bronx

Dry gin, with hints of lemon and orange, very refreshing aperitif style.

There are two people who claim ownership of the Bronx cocktail. One, cited in his obituary in the New York Times, among other places, was Joseph S Sormani. Sormani was a Bronx restaurateur who discovered the cocktail in 1905 in city of Philadelphia. There is no known reference to who made it or where in Philadelphia it was mixed. The other, and possibly more accurate, claim is that Johnnie Solon of the Waldorf Astoria created this drink as an alternative to the then popular Duplex cocktail. He never tasted the drink, preferring to trust the palate of the head waiter who had issued the challenge for a new cocktail on behalf of a customer. The drink was an instant success. Its creation would have been between 1899, when Solon began at the Waldorf, and 1905 when the drink first appeared in print. The name is from the Bronx zoo, in honour of the various beasts and strange animals that the bartender saw there, and the even stranger beasts that customers claimed to have seen when under the influence. Johnnie Solon did not drink. The drink is a mixture of Gin, Orange juice, sweet and dry vermouth, all shaken and served straight up; or drunk frappe style over crushed ice in the summer.

1911
Clover Club

Crisp, dry, and refreshing. Gin with lemon and raspberry.

First mentioned in 1911 in the Washington Post and the New York Times. The drink had already been around for a while for it to have been highlighted in both cities, and the Washington post article had already changed the original raspberry syrup for grenadine. The drink was created at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia and named after the Clover Club Gentleman`s Club, a prominent group of business men, literary types and legal experts. The drink is written up in Beverages De Luxe in 1911, however, the recipe there is unlike any other mentioned, and it is the 1931 Old Warldorf Bar Days recipe that has stood the test of time. We make ours with South Gin, house made raspberry syrup, and fresh lemon juice.

1916 The Great War begins in 1914
Martini

This drink needs no introduction. Order it any way you like it.

Probably the most famous cocktail in the world. We think that it was created around 1910, in America, and probably based on the Martinez cocktail of the 1860`s. The original incarnation included a dash of orange bitters and a lot more vermouth than we would use today. The drink rose in popularity all through prohibition, probably because it was simple to make, using very few ingredients, and yet had enough flavour to conceal the cheap bathtub gin. One of it`s most famous moments was Franklin Roosevelt toasting the end of prohibition on the steps of congress with a martini in hand! The Martini cocktail actually pre-dates the triangular glass we now associate with the drink. Previous to the 1920`s the standard cocktail glass was a small wine glass or champagne saucer. It wasn`t until the post prohibition love affair with all types of cocktail equipment and paraphernalia that the triangular cocktail glass came to be. We have never looked back. The martini served in a triangular cocktail glass with an olive is one of the most recognised symbols for a cocktail. We make our martinis with your choice of vodka or gin, with a dash of bitters, and a slightly larger than normal dash of vermouth. Garnished with a lemon twist, and also an olive if so desired.

French 75

Crisp lemon with dry French Champagne and gin. Guaranteed to get the night started.

There is a lot of controversy about some of the origins of this cocktail, whether it was a brandy drink with champagne, or calvados, if it was created by Raoul Lufberry the flying ace, or if it was a gin drink meant to celebrate the alliance between France and England in defeating the Germans. The gin for England and the champagne for France. What is certain is that it was named for the French 75 field gun, or 75mm Howitzer artillery piece that packs a hell of a kick. It definitely was first drunk during and immediately after the Great War and brought back to the US, most notably the Stork Club, by returning US officers. It is first recorded in Harry Craddock`s Savoy Cocktail book where it is listed as a Gin drink, and served with ice in a tall glass. However it came to exist, the combination of Gin, lemon Juice, sugar and a healthy pour of French champagne is one of the most balanced and satisfying cocktails ever created. We make ours in a flute with Tattinger Champagne, South gin, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Side Car

The aperitif for cold nights. Rich cognac with fresh lemon and a hint of orange.

This drink was created during The Great War, or some time just before it, in Paris. A military gentleman who was habitually driven about in a side requested a warming aperitif to help with his cold before dinner. The bartender, whose identity has not been recorded, was troubled by the inherent contradiction in an aperitif that would also warm the drinker. To his credit he made a fresh sharp brandy drink that is an excellent aperitif and contains a large measure of brandy and so should also warm the drinker. The name later came to mean that the drink would take the drinker `for a ride`, just like being driven in a side car. The drink first came to London in 1918 when MacGarry made them at the Buck`s Club. The first mention in print is the 1922 book Cocktails: How to Mix Them by Robert Vermiere, where it is listed as having equal measures of Brandy, Cointreau and lemon juice, and no sugar rim.

1919 The Volstead Act passes congress, let the noble experiment begin!
Charlie Chaplin

A fresh, crisp Sloe Gin cocktail with all the elegance of Hollywood, and the antics of Chaplin.

The Charlie Chaplin Cocktail was created at the Waldorf Astoria Bar, sometime between 1910 and 1919, or it may have been a little earlier. The drink celebrates, of course, Charlie Chaplin and is first written up in the 1931 Old Waldorf Bar Days by A. S. Crockett. Although there is very little evidence to confirm or deny that Chaplin drank this drink, he definitely made it into the Waldorf Bar before Prohibition, so it is likely that he was aware of the tipple, and had probably tasted it. One thing that lends a little spice to this crisp mix is the 1921 Chaplin Movie The Idler, the first in which he completed the hat-trick of writer, director and star. There is a cocktail made as the high point of a scene, and while it is unclear what the bottles are, they fit the shape and colours to be Apricot Brandy and Slow Gin. It is quite possible that the featured cocktail is in fact the Charlie Chaplin, and having drunk one, I can understand why. Delicious!

1926
South Side

A Short sharp hit of dry Gin, fresh mint, lime and a touch of Orange.

The Southside cocktail originated either in Southside Chicago by the violent Saltis-McErlane gang who mixed rough bootleg liquor with sugar and citrus to make it palatable, or on Long Island New York where the members of the Southside Sportsmans Club sipped the beverage on hunting and fishing trips right through prohibition. There is a fare bit of evidence to suggest that the Saltis-McErlane gang mostly sold beer, and the Southside cocktail definitely has a documented history in New York, the famous 21 Club was well known for them. Whatever the origin, this is one of the finest prohibition drinks around. We are prepare ours with South Gin, fresh mint, lime juice, a touch of sugar and Regan`s Orange Bitters.

1936 1939 Hitler Invades Poland.
Negroni

Complex and sharp with a bitter finish. I wonder if that describes the Count?

The Negroni is possibly the perfect aperitif cocktail, it is slightly tart from the orange twist and the gin, but gets a cleansing bitterness from the Campari and a rich weight from the vermouth. It was created sometime around 1920 by bartender Fosco Scarselli at Bar Casoni in Florence. It was first made for, and named after, Count Camillo Negroni who frequented Bar Carsoni and drank Americanos. The story goes that he requested a stronger, more potent and less watery Americano. Fosco obliged by adding gin and removing the soda.


Corpse Reviver No. 2

Clean and crisp; gin with Lillet vermouth, Cointreau and a cheeky dash of Absinthe. This drink was meant as a pick me up for first thing in the morning. Those were the days!

First appears in the 1930 Edition of Harry Craddock`s Savoy Cocktail Book in a section called `Reviver Cocktails`, designed to be drunk before 11am or `whenever steam and energy are needed`. This is one of those drinks that just works. A great combination of liqueur, vermouth, spirit and citrus, a style that existed briefly around 1920; until the more practical style of the 30`s, (citrus, spirit, liqueur, no vermouth) won the day. The flavours are all clearly defined and at the same time beautifully mixed. A truly great classic drink, and as Harry Craddock said `four of these, taken in succession, will un-revive the corpse again`


20th Century

A surprisingly elegant mix of gin, lemon, Lillet and a hint of chocolate.

Created by British bartender C. A. Tuck in 1939 as a celebration of the 20th Century Limited railway company that ran from Chicago to New York. The railway operated from 1902 till 1967 and was one of the most famous and luxurious railway lines in the world. Luxurious, art deco, and complete with red carpet that was rolled out at the station for guests to disembark. The cocktail is a quirky mix that somehow is just so right. Gin with chocolate liqueur, Lillet Blanc and lemon juice.


Margarita

Crisp fresh lime with lashing of Cuervo 1800 Blanco Tequila and Grand Marnier. Served straight up with a half salt rim.

Created sometime in the late nineteen thirties. The drink has been credited to Danny Negrete in 1936 who reputedly made the drink for his brother David`s wedding at the bar they owned together Garci Crispo. The Bride was called, of couse, Margarita. There is another story, also very reputable, that the drink was created in 1938 by Carlos `Danny` Herrera. It was made for the imfamous showgirl Rita De La Rosa at the Rancho La Gloria. All the recipes contain tequila, lime juice and triple sec, dry orange liqueur. However, the drink is certainly a variation of the older beverage from around 1915, the Tequila Daisy. Tequila, Triple Sec, and lime juice served with crushed ice in a rocks glass. No salt. The Spanish work for daisy is, of course, Margarita.

1946 1945 World War Two ends.
Mai Tai

Lots of rum, almond, lime and a bit more rum to finish. Tropical and powerful.

Created by Trader Vic, Victor Bergeron, in 1944 and kept secret until the 1970`s, when to try and return some consistency to the terrible Mai Tai`s being made at every other bar, Vic released his recipe for the first time. The original called for 17 year old Wray and Nephew rum with an equally impressive aged dark rum, a touch of almond syrup, lime and Dutch Curacao. Within a couple of years the world`s entire supply of very old rum had been consumed in Mai Tai`s. From there began a never ending blending and sourcing to try and keep the original style without being able to supply the original rums. This is one of the great rum drinks, the almond, lime and rum come together perfectly and Vic himself must be credited, with Donn Beach, as one of the creators of Tiki, a cocktail culture all about fun, flavour and relaxation.

Mojito

One of the greatest rum drinks ever. Created by pirates, drunk everywhere; mint, lime and loads of rum.

The earliest mentions of the Mojito are from 1931 edition of the Sloppy Joe`s Bar Manual. It is definitely a Cuban drink and gained popularity as an alternative to the perennial favourite, the Daiquiri. However, the Mojito is a re-naming of the El Draque. This beverage was mixed up by Richard Drake while serving under Sir Francis Drake, whose nickname was El Draque. We assume he had a fiery temper to match the fiery flavour of the first Mojito style drink. Mint, sugar and lime mixed with aguardiente, an unrefined, very strong, very harsh rum. Although Sir Francis Drake sailed for England, he was in every other way a pirate who terrorized the Caribbean during the 1500`s. Drake used Cuba as his base and from there sailed and plundered Venezuela, Mexico and Columbia. All of those countries have drinks called El Draque or the Draquecito, little dragon, to remember him by.

1956 Watson, Crick and Franklin discover the helix shape of DNA in 1953.
Pina Colada

Fresh pineapple, with coconut and cream, shaken and served over crushed ice.

Everywhere you look it seems that the Pina Colada was created by Ricardo Gracia around 1954. According to Ricardo it was created at the Hilton Hotel San Juan Puerto Rico as a variation on the Coco Loco after the coconut cutters went on strike. However, there is reference to the drink, with the correct recipe, in the New York Times April 16, 1950. Four years before Ricardo moved to Puerto Rico. There are also references to the Pina Colada (strained pineapple) and the Pina Fria (Chilled pineapple) as far back as 1910. What is definite is that Ricardo Gracia made the drink famous at the Caribe Hilton, and then took it with him as he was moved from Hilton hotel to Hilton hotel, spreading the cocktail around the world. We make ours with Bacardi and Appleton rum, fresh pineapple, cream and coconut syrup. All shaken and served straight up in a martini glass.

1966 1969 Armstrong and Aldrin walk on the Moon.
Zombie

All the rums, served tall and tropical. Yummy, but unforgiving.

The Zombie first rears its ultra-strong, over-proof head in the 1930`s, created by Ernest Raymond Beaumont-Gannt, alias, Donn Beach, the Beachcomber. It was made for a customer about to fly to San Fransisco, who drank three and later complained that the beverage had rendered him a complete Zombie. The Drink was then officially launched at the New York World`s Fair in 1939. However, we have included this drink in the sixties because of its longevity and the constant desire of customers to drink a cocktail that contains everything! The Zombie, in its many and varied forms, is the best example of the `take everything from that shelf and mix it up` school of bartending. Thanks must go to Donn the Beachcomber for showing all bartenders everywhere that an unholy amount of different alcohol`s mixed up together can taste good!

1976
Blue Lagoon

So bad it`s good. A tall, bright blue flavour explosion. Tequila, fresh lime all served tall and blue.

While I have been unable to uncover the bartender responsible for this bright blue tipple, I have been able to mix a great one with El Capricco Madura agave spirit, fresh lemon juice, and, of course, blue Curacao. This is the quintessential colourful cocktail, tall, blue and garnished with a very red cocktail cherry. A blast from the not so distant past to remind us that while cocktails were always about taste, they weren`t always tasteful. Either way, a remarkably delicious way to enjoy four spirits mixed with a splash of fresh lemon and a dash of coke.

1976
Long Island Ice Tea - Serves 4

The biggest, baddest, tastiest Long Island you`ve ever seen. Served in a 1930`s prohibition shaker with glasses for four.

There are two competing stories for the creation of this drink. The most widely known is that the drink was created by Robert `Rosebud` Butt in the early 1970`s at the Oak Beach Inn, Hampton Bay, Long Island. That`s Long Island New York. The other story, with less evidence or proof, is that the drink was created in the 1920`s by `Old Man` Bishop, who passed the recipe on to his son Ransom Bishop, a prohibition bootlegger who produced high quality illegal distillate in, yep, Long Island. Long Island Tennessee that is. Whatever the truth between the two, the recipe is almost identical, with Mr Bishop preferring soda to cola, and a drop of maple syrup, but otherwise the same. Of course, during prohibition, there would not have been the range of spirits available to make this drink at all... Either way, a remarkably delicious way to enjoy four spirits mixed with a splash of fresh lemon and a dash of coke.

1986 1989 the fall of the Soviet Union
Cosmo

Vodka, orange, lemon and cranberry. A modern classic.

Perhaps this is the ultimate 90`s cocktail, but it was invented in the `85 or `86 by Cheryl Cook in South Beach Florida. The original recipe called for citron vodka, lime cordial and a whack of cranberry. The recipe we know and love today was put together by Toby Cecchini, a bartender at the Odeon in Manhattan. He had this drink described to him by a customer, and mixed up citron vodka with fresh lime, cranberry and Cointreau. From there it spread, gaining most of its popularity while served with a flamed orange twist at the Rainbow Room by Dale De Groff. Finally it has been publicized far and wide by the beautiful people on Sex in the City, making the drink so popular as to almost destroy it. Somehow appropriate for a drink that was originally made so that that people who did not like martinis could have a drink that came in a martini glass.

Japanese Slipper

Cointreau, Midori, and fresh lemon, served straight up with a cherry. Pure 80`s chic, and darn tasty to boot!

Created in Melbourne by Jean-Paul Bourguignon in 1984. This is one of the most famous Midori drinks in the world, and it all began here. The drink is now considered one of the International Bartenders Association `Official Drinks` and can be ordered safely in most countries where Midori is available. This drink is a testament to Australian bartending, and the global reach of a truly great recipe.

1996
Sapphire Cilantro

Strawberries with vanilla, coriander and gin. Full bodied, fresh and complex.

The time for drinks combining infusions, fresh fruit and herbs. This period, especially in London, was an awakening that good quality fruit, crushed into a cocktail, would result in a good drink. The Sapphire Cilantro was originally created in 1999 by Wayne Collins for Bombay Sapphire. Fresh strawberries, cilantro, vanilla infused vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin, strawberry liqueur and fresh limejuice. This is a complex drink where the fresh fruit hide a plethora of complex botanicals and herbal flavours.

Caipirinha

Crisp, sharp and refreshing. Limes, Cacacha and sugar.

The other huge drink from the late 90`s was the caipirinha. Despite the fact that Brazilians have been drinking these for about three hundred years, it was only fifteen years ago that Londoners discovered it. One whole lime crushed with sugar and a massive measure of cacacha. The word caipirinha is Portuguese for `peasant drink` and this is the national drink of Brazil, where there a lots of limes, sugar, and lots and lots of Cacacha.

Espresso Martini

The perfect pick-me-up. Vodka with coffee, Kahlua and sugar.

Created by Dick Bradsel in the mid 90`s for the cocktail list at the Pharmacy, Notting Hill, London, under the name `The Stimulant` As you can imagine the drink was a roaring success and Dick went on to serve it at a host of bars around town. I was lucky enough to have Dick Bradsel teach me how to make this drink correctly in 1999. It should look like a Guinness when you pour it, with a dense coffee foam gradually forming on the top of the drink. Of course, until Flat White opened a couple of years ago the coffee in London was rubbish, so you really needed the vodka to make it worth drinking. We use Coffee Supreme with 42 Below Manuka Honey vodka and a dash of Kahlua.

Mitch Martini

Passionfruit, apple and peach, all topped with Zubrowka vodka and served straight up.

Zubrowka bison grass vodka with cloudy apple juice, peach liqueur, and Passionfruit syrup this drink was created by Giovanni Burdi at Match EC1, London, in 1998. The drink is named for either a customer called Mitch, or the hurricane of that name.

2008
Margarita Custard

Cuervo 1800 Blanco with Cointreau and lemon, served hot with a spoon. A very unusual experience.

Back in October 2004 the first `Molecular` cocktails began to surface. The first foam with a cocktail served in Melbourne was made by Ben Davidson from Sydney at a 42 Below cocktail competition at Heat Nightclub. Needless to say, he blew away the local talent, causing a great deal of determination in the Melbourne scene. In February of 2005, at the Tsunami Benefit Cocktail Competition at Ffour Nightclub, a group of bartenders working with Ginger Cocktail Bar presented a tasting plate of four alcoholic flavours, served in forms not usually associated with drinking. It consisted of a Thai Fish Soup and Coconut Vodka Foam, a Duck and Mandarin Cognac Jelly, a Melon and Gin Mousse in a White Rum and Hazelnut Pastry, and a liquid infusion of Dill with Feijoa and vodka. Although not a practical application of the ideas being formulated by Chefs like Ferran Adria, Heston Blumenthal and Melbourne`s Shannon Bennet, the presentation brought into circulation ideas about new ways of thinking about flavour and drinking. Since then Molecular Mixology has been alive and well in Melbourne with numerous venues using ideas and serving structures informed by the ideas of some of the world`s best chefs. Mention must be made of Der Raum, who completely embraced the movement and set a new standard in Melbourne for deconstruction and reconstruction of cocktails and flavours. Our Margarita Custard was originally created for an Herradura competition by Sebastian Reaburn in 2008, and is at once a very simple beverage and a surprising way to consume alcohol. Perfect if you enjoy lemon custard, or just want to try something totally different.

Toasted Sandwiches

Roast Beef, tasty cheese with sweet chutney and mustard
Chicken and brie with grape and cranberry.
Mediterranean Vegetables, cheese and sun dried tomato.

Victuals

Dips, served with warmed turkish bread
Warm Olives, selection of Victorian Olives served warm.
Nuts, selection of mixed lightly salted nuts.
Cheese, hard, soft and Blue Cheeses served with fruit bread, lavosh and Talisker strawberry jam.

Beer

• Peroni - Italy
• Coopers Sparkling - South Australia
• Rogers - Western Australia
• Kronenburg - France
• Crackenback Pale Ale - New South Wales
• Razor Back Red Ale - New South Wales
• Kooinda Pale Ale - Victoria
• Little Creatures Pale - Western Australia
• Alpha Pale Ale - Western Australia
• Becks - Germany
• Asahi - Japan
• Guinness - Ireland
• Staropramen - Czech Republic
• Trumer Pils - Austria
• Samuel Smith`s Imperial Stout - Britain
• Warsteiner Lager - Germany
• Emerson Pilsner - New Zealand
• Emerson IPA - New Zealand
• Abbey Ale - Belgium
• Titje - Belgium
• Leffe Brune - Belgium
• Duvel - Belgium
• Westmalle Trappist - Belgium
• Chimay Grand Reserve 750ml - Belgium
• Chimay Grand Reserve 1500ml - Belgium

Cider

• Mercury Artisan Cider - Tasmania
• Magners Cider - Ireland
• Aspall Cider - England
• Victor Gontier Bouche Fermier - France