After months of mixing cocktails at home and drinking spiked seltzers, many are seeking out more elevated and elaborate cocktails — as Bacardi unveiled their 2021 Cocktail Trends Report, with “a desire for extremes.” This desire for the extremes will dictate our drink choices for the year ahead; we’ll put down the canned cocktails and opt instead for drinks that offer sensorial experiences and escapism through flavor, and above all, seek quality over quantity. Here are three hotels offering “extreme” cocktail experiences sure to impress any imbiber:
Havana Beach Bar & Grill at The Pearl – Rosemary Beach, Florida
Rosemary Beach’s Havana Beach Bar & Grill distinguishes itself with an opulent offering: The Millionaire’s Menu. Ranging from $125 to $800, the featured Millionaire’s Cocktails are modernized takes on classic cocktails, recipes for which date to the late 1800s and early 1900s. The approach, paired with the finest spirits and ingredients, making it a priceless experience. While the $800 Sidecar (Louis XIII | Grand Marnier 1880 | Lemon) is a clear guest favorite, Kevin Dixon, the restaurant’s Food & Beverage Director, prefers the $130 Vieux Carre (Whistle Pig Boss Hog | Delamain Famile Reserve | Benedictine), which embodies classic New Orleans mixology dating back to the 1930s.
Jack Dusty at Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota – Sarasota, Florida
The Ritz-Carlton, Sarasota’s Jack Dusty, a fine-dining waterfront restaurant features their own blend of rum from Siesta Key Distillers, their own bourbon from Russell’s Reserve, and their own tequila from Maestro Dobel. Cocktails feature flavor-infused ice cubes meant to enhance the cocktail’s flavor over time (versus dilute it), and will actually change the color as they melt. The restaurant’s award-winning signature drink The Siren (the brainchild of Ingi Sigurdsson, formerly of The Aviary in Chicago) features sparkling wine, St. Germaine, Gin or Vodka, along with fresh lemon, grapefruit and cranberry juices. It is tap poured from a keg and fresh-batched every two days. Additionally, Jack Dusty offers complimentary Grog shots in honor of the “8 Bells All’s Well” tradition, signifying the bells tolling at the docks as the ships arrived home from a safe voyage for the day.
Camellia’s at Hotel Bennett – Charleston, South Carolina
Dubbed the “Most Instagrammable” with its colorful hues of pink like its namesake flower, pink marble countertops at the bar, and tabletops, Camellia’s at Hotel Bennet is Charleston’s premier Champagne Lounge, featuring an extensive collection of bottles and by-the-glass offerings, along with a luxe menu of caviar and delectable desserts. Additionally, the property recently launched a luxurious in-room offering for cognac lovers: bottle of Louis XIII in each room as an extension of their minibar. The amenity is priced at $1,400, and comes with a crystal cap, two crystal glasses with Louis XIII logo engraved, Louis XIII logo engraved pouring glass and a Louis XIII logo engraved tray.