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The Independent
12-02-2025
- Business
- The Independent
What goes into the £1,000 ‘once-in-a-lifetime' cocktail?
A Belfast hotel has launched a £1,000 cocktail which it described as a 'once-in-a-lifetime experience'. On Wednesday, the Merchant Hotel launched its new cocktail menu, including a collection crafted with rare whiskeys by Midleton, Macallan and Michter's, which start at £785 and go up to £1,000. It's priciest tipple has been hailed as a 'masterpiece of Irish whiskey'. The most expensive, the Midleton Foret de Troncais (£1,000), is described as 'a masterpiece of Irish whiskey, aged in rare French Troncais oak casks and delivering elegant notes of honey, toasted almonds and delicate spice' and is served with Antica Formula and Dubonnet. The Belfast city centre hotel earned the Guinness Book of Records title for the world's most expensive cocktail in 2007 with its £750 Mai Tai. According to Guinness World Records, this was overtaken in 2013 by Club 23 in Melbourne, Australia when 'the Winston', a cognac cocktail, sold for £8,583. The menu, consisting of 21 drinks which start from £14.99, was created by a team led by the Merchant Bar's general manager, Aaron Dugan and cocktail bar manager Emily Doherty. Mr Dugan said: 'We are proud to bring our unique collaboration with three icons of whiskey to life with The Rare & Refined Collection. 'These exceptional drinks have been crafted to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences to be savoured. The lucky few that get to try these drinks will get to relish something truly special. 'And, for those that find the price tag too rich, we have also created an exceptional collection of 21 cocktails, inspired by timeless classics, but with a unique Merchant twist. Named according to their flavour profile, the menu has been designed to help customers match their preferred flavour profiles to their choices. There truly is something to suit every taste.' The cocktail bar at The Merchant has been described as one of the most decorated in the UK and Ireland and will be the first and only bar in Northern Ireland to be awarded the coveted 2 Pin status by the Pinnacle Guide, later this month.
The Guardian
12-02-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Big shot: Belfast hotel launches ‘life-changing' £1,000 cocktail
Spending a grand on an unforgettable experience might not feel extreme for people keen to shake up their routines. But what if it doesn't involve falling through the skies, or even going outside at all? 'A life-changing experience' is the promise of one Belfast hotel's £1,000-pound cocktail, launched as part of a new drinks menu. According to the Merchant hotel, the cocktail is a 'masterpiece Irish whiskey, aged in rare French Tronçais oak casks, delivering elegant notes of honey, toasted almonds and delicate spice'. Its main ingredient is Midleton's rare Irish whiskey Forêt de Tronçais, that costs £4,000 a bottle. To keep the flavours light and showcase the Midleton, it is served with Antica Formula red vermouth and Dubonnet, a fortified wine. The Merchant bar's general manager, Aaron Dugan, said 'What makes it special is that there are only 1,000 of these bottles of whiskey made and very few were available to buy … we were invited down to taste it, which is really rare, normally you don't get to taste things that are so expensive. 'It's between 13 and 37 years old so it's very, very old whiskey. You are going to get a lot of oak wood, cacao and deep vanilla flavours.' A £750 mai tai previously earned the decorated city centre hotel the title of world's most expensive cocktail, according to Guinness World Records. That was later taken over by a cocktail sold for £8,583 in Melbourne, Australia. The new menu also includes a collection made with rare whiskeys by Midleton and Michter's, and a Macallan whisky, which start at £785 and go up to £1,000. Dugan said: 'These exceptional drinks have been crafted to create once-in-a-lifetime experiences to be savoured. The lucky few that get to try these drinks will get to relish something truly special. 'For those that find the price tag too rich, we have also created an exceptional collection of 21 cocktails, inspired by timeless classics, but with a unique Merchant twist,' he added. 'Named according to their flavour profile, the menu has been designed to help customers match their preferred flavour profiles to their choices. There truly is something to suit every taste.'
