Horse to Water opens in The Bahamas
The team behind acclaimed cocktail bar Bon Vivants have developed an intimate speakeasy at the Bahamian resort of Baha Mar, which features a rare spirits library and a premier backgammon salon.
Described as a love letter to the heritage of The Bahamas and high-stakes social gaming, Horse to Water is an intimate speakeasy retreat that is ‘poised to shake up Nassau’s rising cocktail scene’.
The bar’s name seeks to bridge Nassau’s sporting history with its artistic soul by honouring the legendary Hobby Horse Hall racetrack, which was built in 1792 near the Cable Beach site where the Baha Mar resort is located today, and visionary Bahamian playwright Winston Saunders.
Complementing this homage, Horse to Water boasts a sophisticated backgammon salon, harking back to the golden age of Nassau’s social scene when the board game was synonymous with Caribbean lifestyle and leisure.
By pairing a world-class cocktail programme with these timeless rituals and intellectual play, Horse to Water aims to offer an evening out where ‘the strategy of the game is as essential as the quality of the spirits’.
“Horse to Water is a masterclass in Bahamian heritage and modern mixology,” said Kyle Jones, co-founder of Bon Vivants. “Partnering with Baha Mar to elevate Caribbean spirits and Bahamian history has been incredibly rewarding. This venue puts regional craftsmanship on the global stage, and we can’t wait for guests to experience it.”
Graeme Davis, president of Baha Mar, added: “We are thrilled to debut Horse to Water, a sophisticated love letter to cocktail and cigar enthusiasts that is deeply rooted in Bahamian heritage.
“The hospitality teams across Baha Mar continue to draw new inspiration from the islands, culture and history of The Bahamas. Together with the incredible team at Bon Vivants, we are proud to debut a modern, spirited cocktail experience within a beautifully designed space that you cannot find anywhere else in The Caribbean.”
Uplifting Caribbean cocktail culture
By enlisting the help of the team from Bon Vivants, the first venue in The Bahamas to break into North America’s 50 Best Bars, Horse to Water hopes to elevate the region’s culinary and nightlife landscape.
The cocktail programme prioritises technique and storytelling through advanced methods such as clarification, fat-washing, house infusions, and inventive garnishes.
Guests will encounter unexpected details throughout the menu from fig-leaf infusions and black salt accents to edible paint and pistachio-dusted glassware, all designed to create cocktails that are as expressive as they are balanced.
Complementing the cocktail programme is a rare whiskey library curated in collaboration with spirits expert and journalist Noah Rothbaum, featuring an evolving collection of exceptional and hard-to-find expressions such as Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash and Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year.
Among the signature beverage creations, highlights include Paradise Cove – a tiki-inspired cocktail built around a house-made fassionola syrup – a nearly lost ingredient from the ‘golden era’ of tropical cocktails.
The drink is layered with sesame oil and finished with a Bahamian benny cake garnish, which is a sesame brittle that nods to a beloved local sweet and brings a Bahamian touch to a classic tiki format.
Meanwhile, the Curious George is a playful reinterpretation of the Old Fashioned that incorporates banana and Amaro Montenegro, and is presented with a bamboo leaf wrapped along the interior of the glass.
The bright, fruit-forward cocktail called Core Memory features Ketel One Botanical Peach & Orange Blossom, plum wine, green tea, and layers of stone fruit flavours. The drink is finished with edible paint brushed onto the glass – a visual flourish that reflects the bar’s artistic sensibility and offers a seamless transition into the venue’s curated art programme.
Design, art and play
The space is described as a sanctuary of design that has been meticulously crafted for ‘the art of conversation’.
With amber-hued lighting and rich textures, the atmosphere aims to feel both elevated and inviting.
Plus, Horse to Water boasts a ‘museum-quality collection’ of rare Bahamian works, curated by artist and Baha Mar’s executive director of arts and culture, John Cox, all of which has been conceived as a means of storytelling for the venue.
Through partnerships with social backgammon clubs and brands, including Remington Davenport’s NYC Backgammon Club, Horse to Water will offer ‘sundowners’ tournaments, strategy lessons for beginners and advanced beginners, as well as spirited doubling cube sessions.
In addition to its cocktail, art and tabletop programmes, Horse to Water also offers a cigar experience via its smoke lounge, which boasts a curated humidor.
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