Berlin bar first to pair perfumes and cocktails

The world’s first sensory bar combining cocktails with exclusive fragrances and aromas has opened in The Ritz-Carlton hotel in Berlin.

Fragrances bar is now open in The Ritz-Carlton in Berlin

Founded by bar manager Arnd Heissen, Fragrances provides a selection of hand-picked perfumes by revered designers including Giorgio Armani, L’Artisan Parfumeur and Annick Goutal, Yves Saint Laurent and Guerlain, which have been paired with cocktails using spirits from Diageo’s portfolio.

“At Fragrances, we want our guests no only to enjoy their drinks, but to experience them,” commented Heissen. “In the choice of their favourite cocktails, our guests depend entirely on their senses, an experiment which demands courage and curiosity on the part of the guests but which, at the same time can be unbelievably inspiring.”

Upon entering the venue, guests will be greeted by 15 cocktails arranged as small works of art to invite guests to touch and smell them.

The aim is to enable guests to “sniff out” their favourite fragrance and the matching cocktail, while it is hoped the exclusive fragrances will trigger fond memories and provide a “brief escape from everyday life”.

Available cocktails include La Nuit de L’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent, a blend of lavender infused Tanqueray 10, rhododendron sake, fresh lemon, and vanilla-vetiver-patchouli-grapefruit-eucalyptus-syrup. All cocktails cost between €14 and €19.50.

The menu also carries a selection of five alcohol-free mocktails priced at €11 each.

“Our new bar doesn’t only appeal to the nose and palate, but also the eye, the ear and our natural play instinct,” explained Heissen. “There is something to discover everywhere and so we have also appropriated objects such as bird houses, a wooden shrine or a metre-long bamboo stick and transformed them into creative cocktail containers.”

Click through to the following pages to see a selection of the cocktail and perfume pairings available at Fragrances.

Honour by Amouage

Tanqueray 10, Rose infused Ketel One, Wandering poet sake, fresh lem, eau de vie of coriander, rhubarb nectar and vetiver-jasmine-incense syrup.

Oud Royal by Giorgio Armani

Saffron infused Zacpa 23, rose water, Cardhu, incense syrup and Oud.

Vaara by Penhaligon’s

Pear puree, saffron infused Zacapa 23, Bulleit Bourbon,m rose water, magnolia-vanilla-honey-tonca-bean syrup and sandalwood.

Deleria by L’Artisan Parfumeur

Zacapa 23, red apple pink lady, raspberry, vanilla-palm-sugar syrup, fresh lemon and whiskey aged bitters.

La Nuit de l’Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

Lavender infused Tanqueray 10, rhododendron sake, fresh lemon and vanilla-vetiver-patchouli-grapefruit-eucalyptus syrup.

Nilang by Lalique

Mandarin vodka, lotus infused Cardhu, urakasumi tautropfen sake, jasmine-vanilla-Patchouli syrup and white chocolate.

Earl Grey & Cucumber by Jo Malone London

Earl Grey infused Don Julio Reposado, pink lady apple, jasmine tea and vanilla-honey-cucumber syrup.

Signorina by Salvatore Ferragamo

Jasmine and rose infused Tanqueray 10, red currant nectar, fresh lemon, vanilla-patchouli-syrup and pink pepper.

My Name by Trussardi

Lilac and violet vodka, almond, vanilla, cream cheese and yoghurt. 

Amour Nocturne by L’Artisan Parfumeur

Singleton Sunray, milk 3.5%, yuzu zake, honey-almond-fig-vanilla syrup