Savoy’s Beaufort Bar debuts magic-inspired cocktails

The Beaufort Bar at luxury London hotel The Savoy has unveiled a new cocktail menu that explores the “fabled history, dark drama and timeless romance” of magic.

The Tennessee Voodoo features on the new menu at The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar

Launching on 16 October, the Intrepid Magic menu is split between three sections, each named after one of the “three pillars” of a magic trick – The Pledge, The Turn and The Prestige.

The Pledge section refers to the first part of a trick, when a performer builds anticipation in the audience. Featuring light mixed drinks, wines and Champagnes, this part of the menu is said to evoke the “excited and expectant mood felt at the start of an evening”.

The next section, The Turn, refers to the part of a performance that’s about creating intrigue. Drinks in The Turn “invite guests to expect the unexpected”, combining “clandestine flavours” with agave spirits, gin, tonics and fortified wines.

Finally, The Prestige, represents the end of the evening and is inspired by the moment the audience experiences a “satisfaction in wonder”. Mixed drinks in this section focus on dark spirits with “full aromas and rich flavours”.

Interpreted Magic features drinks inspired by Charles Darwin, Houdini and Derren Brown

On the menu, imbibers will find the Merlin’s Madness, made with Grey Goose Vodka, Cynar amaro, Rinquinquin aperitif, peach wine, strawberry rooibos tea and lemon, and the Bright Spark, which features Star of Bombay Gin, Italicus Bergamot Rosolio, lemon verbena and Sherry cordial, lemon and Louis Roederer Champagne.

Imbibers can also sample the Twice Shy, featuring Bacardi Rum, Chazalettes Vermouth Bianco, salted pistachio yoghurt, earl grey tea, vanilla, lime, milk and framboise eau de vie, and the Soothsayer, which is made with Craigellachie 13-year-old whisky, Gavi di Gavi wine, Bareksten aquavit, saline solution and sugar.

Cocktails across each section of the menu draw their inspiration from magical figures, including characters from Greek myths and fairy tales, radical inventors, modern day scientists and some of the world’s most famous magicians – including Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, Tim Berners-Lee, Houdini and Derren Brown.

On the menu, drinkers will find the Frozen Petal, which takes its inspiration from Hades, god of the underworld; Girl Power, which explores telekinesis and how it can be used for good and evil; and Sea & Land, inspired by Macbeth’s famous cauldron incantation and created to explore the magic of prophesy.

Alongside the cocktails, The Savoy’s executive chef, Fabrice Lasnon has created a food menu that complements each sections of the drinks list, which features oysters, caviar and ceviche in The Pledge, savoury and juicy pork belly, beef ribs and sliders in The Turn and sharing plates in The Prestige.