From smoke that billows over booze to flavorful foams that ooze, over the last decade or so, molecular mixology methods have become firmly entrenched on the cocktail menus of the world. Now long past a trend tipping point, we are happy to report that these skillful and unique techniques – and the cocktails they create – are here to stay. We’ve definitely seen many mixtures come and go over the years, but the current crop of molecular cocktails being served around the world is downright spellbinding. And to celebrate these showstoppers, we’ve decided to round-up a few of our favorites:
Bunsen’s Cocktail – Canon, Seattle
A venue famous for having the Western Hemisphere’s largest collection of spirits, Canon has been impressing for years. Nearly every addition to their menu leaves us awestruck, and the Bunsen’s Cocktail is no different. An ecto-cooler-colored combination of rum, pineapple, honeydew, and lime with a touch of mint, it’s smothered by clouds of vanilla-tinged whisky fog and served in an gorgeous crystalline-cut bulbous glass.
Down The Rabbit Hole – The Rook, Sydney
This rooftop Sydney spot gets it just right: chilled-out vibe, fantastic cocktails, and drool-worthy fun food. They’ve also created one of the most iconic molecular cocktails in the world in the Down The Rabbit Hole. Using the all-natural Asian butterfly pea flower-powered product b’Lure, The Rook serves up a gin, blood orange liqueur, white cacao, lemon, and cardamom gem that changes color as you pour it.
Your Room, Or Mine? – Artesian, London
This stately bar in London has long been a favorite for its opulent atmosphere and stunning sensory-tickling tipples. Their recent menu is rife with highlights, but we love the way they play with the senses on Your Room, Or Mine? 15-year-old whisky is blended with herbal bitters and a French aperitif made with fortified wine, then served in a vessel which is wrapped in fur and which has been spritzed with perfume. The texture and aroma contrasts truly make this one special.
Four-Pepper Margarita – The Woods, Hong Kong
A groundbreaker on the ‘cocktails as culinary delights’ scene in Hong Kong, The Woods wows us each and every time they roll out a seasonal prixe fixe cocktail menu. The Four Pepper Margarita is one of their menu classics though, using infusion to flavor premium blanco tequila with jalapeño and bell pepper, then mixing it with fresh lime juice and agave nectar, and garnishing with lime zest salt.
Wow Woo – The Alchemist, Manchester
The Alchemist has grown into a small family of molecular mixology dens all over the UK, but the original Spinningfields location in Manchester is still our favorite. The menu is overflowing with beauties, but it’s the Wow Woo that caught our eye on a recent trip. A punchy combination of premium vodka, creme de peche, cranberry, citrus, and gold served in a pop bottle, the Wow Woo is a psychedelic visual delight that swirls and dances before your eyes.
New Melonnium – The Aviary, Chicago
A titan on the molecular mixology scene (their glamorous infusion flasks are entrenched as libation legends), this cheeky mix is our current favorite cocktail for cooling down. The New Melonnium features barbecue-spiced mezcal, watermelon, kumquat, and a cacao ice cube that slowly melts into gin, changing the taste of the cocktail as it disappears.
Catcher In The Rye – Apotheke, New York City
An iconic cocktail bar hidden away in Chinatown, you’ll catch us sipping the Catcher In The Rye at every chance we get. It’s made of rye whiskey, Italian digestif, honey cordial, homemade chamomile bitters, and then finished with a misty spray of peated Scotch whisky.
Sensorium Menu – The Tippling Club, Singapore
Not one cocktail, but an entire collection, cutting-edge tipples are on offer like never before at this ultra cool restaurant and bar in steamy Singapore. Their latest menu, Sensorium, was created in cooperation with the IFF (International Flavors & Fragrances), and aims to bring childhood memories rushing back for all imbibers with aromas including rain, forest, leather, and grass.
SOURCE: WorldsBestBars.com, September 2016