Latest news with #Dh156
Khaleej Times
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: World's most expensive cocktail sells for Dh156,000; uses wine from James Bond 007 recipe
Served in one-of-a-kind crystal glasses, crafted with custom-made ingredients served by a 'celebrity' bartender, a cocktail made in Dubai has set the world record for being the most expensive one ever sold. Sold for €37,500 – approximately Dh156,000 – at fine dining restaurant Nahate, the cocktail was purchased by Dubai-based model and entrepreneur Diana Ahadpour at the end of a fierce bidding war. Andrey Bolshakov, beverage and marketing director at Nahate explained that the idea was to create the most luxurious cocktail and to do this, the family-run restaurant at DIFC pulled out all stops. At a special invite-only event, the drink was auctioned off to the highest bidder. The starting price of the cocktail was fixed at Dh60,000 but the demand for the drink saw the price quickly double to be finally sold for over Dh150,000. 'The lady who bought it was determined to be the one who got her hands on the special drink, ' he told Khaleej Times. 'Once she won, she enjoyed her drink and shared some with her friends. It was a truly special event for everyone.' Putting the drink together From the glass it was served to the ingredients in it, the cocktail was truly special. The drink was served in special Baccarat glassware made in 1937 that had been kept in a museum until now. 'Only two pieces of it were made from a very special crystal, using an outstanding technique to showcase the crafts of the masters,' he said. 'They have never been used and I picked them up by myself from Paris and brought it to Dubai.' The buyer of the cocktail was given these special glasses as a keepsake. The restaurant's partner Patron Tequila crafted a special-edition blend exclusively for the event. 'The master distiller created just 500ml of this blend, which was picked up by our staff from Mexico, one week before the event,' he explained. 'We also used (a special fruit wine) Kina Lillet, which was used in the original recipe of a cocktail created for James Bond 007. They do not produce the original version anymore and there are only just a few bottles remaining all over the world. The bottle we got was from 1950s.' A special beverage named Angostura bitters from the 1930s was chosen to complete the 'super exclusive' drink. The drink was mixed by Salvatore 'The Maestro' Calabrese, one of the world's most well-known bartenders. 'He's an icon of the industry and he has made drinks for many celebrities,' he said. 'Basically, we we wanted to create the most luxurious cocktail in the world- something very valuable in terms of the experience and not just what money can buy.' Most expensive mocktail Meanwhile, Dubai added another over-the-top experience to its luxury dining scene yesterday with the launch of what's billed as the world's most expensive mocktail — priced at Dh12,099. Unveiled at Jimmydixs Restaurant and Lounge in Barceló Hotel, Al Jaddaf, the dazzling drink is served in a pure silver goblet, which doubles as a keepsake for the guest. The lavish concoction blends fresh cranberry, mint, pomegranate juice, sea salt, and 24-karat EU-certified edible gold water and dust. It's paired with two starters — veg or non-veg — topped with edible gold foil and dust, tailored to the guest's choice. The idea was conceived by Indian expat Sucheta Sharma, founder of the Boho Café Group, and brought to life by Jimmydixs bar manager Fredrick. The group is known for turning everyday beverages into high-end indulgences. Sharma dismissed any suggestion that the launch was a marketing gimmick. "This is not a gimmick,' she said. 'It's about creating a memory.' Chinese expat Yao Lei was the first to try the drink after winning a lucky draw at the launch. 'It's surreal,' he said. 'I'm not sure I'll ever order it again, but I'll definitely keep the glass.' Organisers said they will be submitting the mocktail for consideration by Guinness World Records. Boho Café, which opened last October at DIFC's Emirates Financial Towers, previously made headlines for its Dh5,000 gold karak chai, served with a silver cup and saucer. In November, a European tourist ran up a Dh6,600 bill on a gold coffee, four gold croissants, and two scoops of gold ice cream.
Khaleej Times
19-02-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Dh63-million penthouse among units sold on first day of Burj Azizi launch
A Dh63-million penthouse was one of the units sold on the first day of sales of Burj Azizi. The 3-bedroom penthouse comes complete with its own steam room, sauna and swimming pool. The 131-storey tower has a total of 128 units of 1, 2 and 3-bedroom penthouses. These are spread across eight floors. The 88th floor has a single ultra-luxurious penthouse. Poised to be the world's second-tallest tower, Burj Azizi will be located on Sheikh Zayed Road and will have high-end luxury apartments ranging from Dh7.5 million to Dh156 million. According to a sales agent, over 110 units were sold on the first day on the first day of sales. 'We had one person who walked in and bought a 2BHK apartment for Dh19.9 million within five minutes,' he said. 'He lives in an 8-bedroom mansion but wanted a unit in Burj Azizi to add to his portfolio. He wanted a piece of the history that this tower represents.' He also said that one buyer had booked an entire floor of the tower for himself. 'The 21st floor, which has 18 units, has been booked by one person,' he said. 'Another family came in and bought two adjacent 1BHK apartment for Dh13 and Dh14 million. They were brothers and they wanted apartments next to each other. So we have seen a lot of interest.' Units of the tower went on sale in seven cities across the world on Wednesday. In Dubai, the sale was held at Conrad Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road where a steady stream of prospective buyers and agents poured in throughout the day. 'City in a city' The tower, which is 725-metre tall, has a total of 1037 units and was described as 'a city in a city' by sales representatives. 'People living in the building don't really have to leave it,' said one representative. 'There is a cinema, a hotel, a supermarket and so many other amenities.' The tower will also break several records, like the highest hotel lobby on level 111, the highest nightclub on level 126, the highest restaurant on level 122, and the hotel room on level 118. At the top, the building will also house a special museum that will showcase the chronology of the building's evolution, recognising personalities involved through multimedia exhibits, including photos, video and graphics. Other amenities include a gym, yoga centre, spa, games room, business centre, kids' play area, restaurant and coffee shop. Scheduled to be completed in 2028, the tower will also have an observation deck providing 360-degree views of Dubai and a retail space with high-end boutiques and invite-only brands.
