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Savoy sends aged cocktail around the world
London’s Savoy Hotel has collaborated with Jack Daniel’s and cruise line Cunard to create a barrel-aged cocktail which will mature aboard the Queen Mary 2 during a four-month world voyage.
The unique offering is inspired by the tastes and aromas of the continents Queen Mary 2 will visit
The cocktail, called Age of Discovery, will mature in a 300 litre Jack Daniel’s barrel on board Cunard’s flagship Queen Mary 2 during her 41,000 nautical mile four-month voyage, which departs from Southampton today.
Formulated by the team at the Savoy’s Beaufort Bar, the barrel contains a blend of Savoy Select Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Jack Daniel’s Old No.7 and Bacardi 8, with Spice Trail Madeira, Dubonnet, Martini Riserva Rubino and earl grey and cocoa nib bitters.
Age of Discovery was inspired by the tastes and aromas of the continents Queen Mary 2 will visit, including Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, and the era of naval exploration between the 15th and 18th centuries.
Neil Donachie, of the Beaufort Bar, explained: “The Jack Daniels 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.”
The cocktail will age in a former Jack Daniel’s first fill American oak barrel, which was selected – along with the Jack Daniel’s expression used in the cocktail – by The Savoy’s assistant food and beverage director, Daniel Baernreuther, at the brand’s distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee.
The barrel will be secured in open deck space for the duration of the voyage, which encompasses 39 ports of call in 27 countries, to expose it to the varied elements and climates that will influence the final result.
Nidal Ramini, head of advocacy at Jack Daniel’s said: “We have a great partnership with The Savoy and they’ve been hand-selecting their own Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel for five years. It’s great to take this partnership to another level and be involved with Age of Discovery.
“As the only whiskey maker in the world to craft every one of our own barrels, the idea of a barrel aged cocktail, containing the very whiskey that Daniel chose when we went to Tennessee together, travelling the world, was music to our ears. We can’t wait to see and taste the outcome, and see how the special Jack Daniel’s cocktail reacts to the elements”.
When Queen Mary 2 returns to Southampton on 10 May 2016, the barrel will be transported to the Houston Bottling & Co Pack plant in West Dunbartonshire.
It is estimated that the barrel will yield a minimum of 250 litres of Age of Discovery, which will join other one-of-a-kind spirits and liquids in The Savoy Collection.
The unaged version of the cocktail is now available at the Beaufort Bar.
Angus Struthers, Cunard director, added: “Cunard and The Savoy are world-renowned brands famed for their luxury and levels of service as well as the experience each is able to offers its guests.
“We are delighted to be able to create Age of Discovery during Queen Mary 2’s 2016 world voyage and to be able to offer our guests on the voyage the opportunity to try the non-aged version of this very special cocktail on board our flagship.
“By combining the special edition cocktail’s ageing process with Queen Mary 2’s world voyage we will ensure Age of Discovery is a genuinely unique creation.”