2017 is well underway and while we all claim to be healthy this year, (only to end up in the pub by Mid Jan) we are opting to just enjoy the finer things in life. If you are in the same boat as us, then why not kick off the year by trying the Age of Discovery, a specially created, barrel aged cocktail, which is exclusively available as a serve or by the bottle at The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar.
What makes this cocktails so special? Well, having traveled the globe on board Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2, the cocktail has now returned to The Savoy, where it was mixed, sealed and bonded.
With only 700 serves available, guests can order Age of Discovery at the Beaufort Bar as an exclusive explorative serve – inspired by the incredible, vast journey the cocktail has taken. The drink, priced at a punchy £90, but is served in a custom–made glass with a magnified base, atop a map board which shows the journey and temperatures the barrel went thought during its 41, 000 nautical mile journey around the world. (Talk about something special).
For those with a little extra pocket money you can also take home a bottle of the Age of Discovery blend. Priced at £350, this sits in the Savoy Collection which was created with the support of esteemed drinks experts Specialty Drinks to celebrate the rare and the beautiful from the world of drinks; Age of Discovery makes a wonderful addition to this incredible collection.
The Age of Discovery cocktail itself matured in a hand chosen, 300 litre Jack Daniel’s barrel on board Queen Mary 2 during her 41, 000 nautical mile, four-month world voyage from January – May 2016. Formulated by the team at the world-famous Savoy’s Beaufort Bar, named Best International Hotel Bar 2015, the Jack Daniel’s cocktail [1] is inspired and influenced by the tastes and aromas of the continents Queen Mary 2 visited; from Europe to Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania.
Painstaking attention to detail and refinement has gone into the choice of ingredients to reflect both Cunard’s 176-year ocean-going heritage and the decades of history and patronage associated with The Savoy’s famous cocktail bars. Its home for the voyage, a Jack Daniel’s first fill American oak barrel, was carefully chosen by The Savoy, whose team traveled to the Jack Daniel distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee and personally chose the barrel of Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel to be used in Age of Discovery.
During her four-month circumnavigation, Queen Mary 2 visited 39 ports of call in 27 countries, during which time the barrel was secured in open deck space to expose it to the varied elements and climates that have influenced the fascinating final result. Prevailing temperatures, humidity and sunlight – as well as more inclement conditions – have combined to produce this truly unique barrel-aged cocktail.
Anna Sebastian from the Beaufort Bar says: “The Jack Daniel’s and Bacardi represent the discovery of the Americas, while the Dubonnet is there as a symbol of Cunard’s royal associations. The spice-infused Madeira, used to sweeten the cocktail, is synonymous with the famous spice trail and oceanic expeditions.”
Age of Discovery is a truly unique collaboration from three of the world’s most highly acclaimed brands: Cunard, The Savoy and Jack Daniel’s. Renowned for their traditions of service and excellence, these three brands have come together to create a world-class, world-travelled and globally one-of-a-kind cocktail. The cocktail will be exclusively available to purchase at The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar, and on board Queen Mary 2.
It’s a little out of our pocket money range but if you do manage to try it, please let us know your thoughts.
More information on Age Of Discovery can be found here.
I want one!!!!! Sorry 2! One for the Cigar Club and one for me….. lol