Latest news with #MicheleMariotti
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The 22 best Edinburgh bars to enjoy during the Festivals according to bartenders
1 . Best Edinburgh bars according to bartenders Hey Palu was recommended by Michele Mariotti, head of bars at Gleneagles who said: "'Hey Palu is one of my favourite places. It's still central but just far enough from the chaos. Perfect for a Negroni (or two), with a gloriously Italian-themed menu—featuring a Nutella Old Fashioned that's pure decadence." Mike McGinty, Aberfeldy brand home ambassador and former world champion bartender agreed, saying: "If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the Fringe, Hey Palu is the perfect spot. Also, situated in the heart of the old town, this blissful sanctuary offers some of the best cocktails in town and delicious snacks to keep you going." | AwAyeMedia
Scotsman
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
Inside Gleneagles American Bar new menu - and why their Rob Roy cocktails aren't made with whisky
The iconic American Bar in the Gleneagles hotel has recently changed its cocktail menu. Rosalind Erskine visited to find out more, and try an old classic - with a twist. Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It's not often you visit a bar and end up learning something new, but that's exactly what happened when I went to the American Bar in the Gleneagles hotel earlier this month. The bar, which - no matter how many times you visit - always feels like a special place, has launched a new cocktail menu, the Rose Compendium with 19 drinks inspired by the rose family including the strawberry. Yep, unbeknownst to me (and, for a time, the bar staff) the strawberry is not strictly speaking a berry. Head of bars at the hotel, Michele Mariotti explained that it was the former menu - the award winning Book of Berries - and the strawberry, that led to the creation of this new menu. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He said: 'We wanted to have a continuity between menus and we'd had strawberry in the Book of Berries but then realised it was part of the Rose family. This helped inspire what was called the Book of Roses but became the Rose Compendium, which we think would sit on a bookshelf next to the Book of Berries.' The American Bar in Gleneagles has a new menu - and some classic whisky cocktails made without whisky | Rosalind Erskine While there's a range of amazing looking cocktails in this stunning little illustrated book, the Barley cocktail is the signature cocktail. It is a bold reimagining of one of the most iconic Scotch whisky cocktails, the Rob Roy. While Barley intentionally deviates from the rose family theme, it cleverly continues American Bar's tradition of incorporating deliberate 'mistakes' as a nod to the encyclopedic references that inspire their menus. The team wanted to create their own perfect, dry and sweet Rob Roy cocktails and have the vermouth, which normally takes centre stage in this classic drink, take a back seat. Each drink has been made in collaboration with Glenturret distillery and Buck and Birch , who created a Scottish vermouth made with rose hips for the cocktail. But only one drink - the perfect Rob Roy - has whisky in it. The sweet highlights the rich, fruity notes of a 38-year-old Port Pipe malt, which at less than 40% ABV (it sits at 37.5% ABV) means it cannot be called a whisky while the dry Rob Roy emphasises the fresh citrus and mineral qualities of a six-month-old spirit made from bright and grassy malted barley. At this young age it's amazingly delicious and rounded, but it also legally cannot be called a whisky. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Rosalind Erskine The perfect Rob Roy strikes a harmonious balance with a 14-year-old American Oak Sherry Cask whisky, offering fruitiness and bright citrus. Other notable cocktails include The Smoked Cherry, a modern twist on the classic Paloma and the Espresso Martini. This attention to detail extends to the presentation. Glasses are often made bespoke for the bar, such as the wine/Glencairn style Rob Roy glass, or hand painted by Andrea of the bar team. Names in the Rose Compendium also come from names of roses bred by the National Rose Society and the menu highlights nine core ingredients of the rose family —apple, pear, quince, cherry, peach, plum, strawberry, blackberry, and almond—showcased in two iterations. One celebrates components from Gleneagles' ecosystems, repurposing kitchen ingredients to minimise waste.
