After three years of development, the latest edition of the Hawksmoor cocktail menu is finally ready to see the light of day. The drinks list celebrates the second golden age of cocktails (1995-2005), which saw the revival of mixed drinks across the globe.
From modern takes on classic steakhouse cocktails to sub-zero martinis, digestifs and dessert-inspired night caps, the new Hawksmoor cocktail menu combines the comfort of recognisable drinks mixed with the tongue in cheek irreverence, artistry, and skill that the bar is known for.
Head of Bars, Liam Davy, oversaw the creation of the list, which features deceptively simple drinks that belie the hours of research and technique that have gone into them.
Credited with creating one of the coldest Martinisin the World, Hawksmoor’s Martini Section is dedicated to honouring the king of the cocktail, each one chilled to a bracing -12c. The Pink Gibson features a mix of sweet and savoury, with Boatyard Vodka, Audemus Umami Gin, Aperitivo Co. Dry Vermouth, and pink pickled onion. The Ultimate Gin Martini, made with Hepple gin, Aperitivo Co. Dry Vermouth and Filicudi lemon oil, is bright and punchy, whilst the Dirty Vodka, using Boatyard Vodka, Fino Sherry, and Kalamata olives, is a briney hit, rich with minerality.
Steakhouse Sharpeners dives deep into the classic aperitifs of the American steakhouse, with drinks such as the Classic Champagne Cocktail made with champagne, cognac, verjus, pineau de charente, all poured over a sugar cube saturated with bitters. The Bloody Mary, a smoky and spicy concoction rich with umami, is made with Bloody Mary Paste (chipotle, sherry vinegar, pequillo pepper and Franks Hot Sauce), lemon juice, vodka, and Tongue in Peat Tomato Juice. The Ranch Water pays homage to a popular US drink originating from West Texas; mineral and fresh with a gentle agave hum, it’s a carbonated mix of tequila, mezcal, pineapple soda, hopped kombucha, jalapeño sal,t and agave syrup.
Second Golden Age is a tribute to the era that resurrected cocktail craft, with much loved favourites tweaked after hundreds of tiny iterations across Hawksmoor’s bars. Tommy Verde, which uses tequila, mezcal, cucumber agave, olive brine, green tabasco and green tomato juice, is complex and vegetal, with a hint of smoke. The Lychee Martini is a grown up and piquant twist on the original, with Portobello Road Vanilla vodka, lychee liqueur, Singani, orange wine cordial, and cucumber agave. The Spring Punch, with Solovey Vodka (a Ukrainian vodka that donates profits to WarChild), lemon juice, champagne and blackcurrant shrub, is the perfect blend of fruity and tart.
The Sacred Six section features timeless classics, including Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew, the Reformed Pornstar, and the rich and buttery Fuller Fat Old Fashioned.
Nightcaps are the ultimate after-dinner drinks, a mix of sweet pudding-style cocktails and sultry dark and bitter digestifs. For a sweeter treat, the Praline Mudslide is a celebration of the classically kitsch cocktail, made with hazelnut ice cream, praline paste, Horlicks and white miso, with Eminente rum; it’s a nutty mix of luxury and retro cheekiness. The Spiced Plum Sazerac is neat and subtle with a bright bitterness, with plum distillate, Calvados, plum syrup with star anise and Absinthe.
For those looking for drinks with all the flair and flavour but none of the alcohol, the Temperates section of the menu has a delicious range of 0% ABV drinks, from non-alcoholic cocktails to a selection of brewed and fermented delights. The menu includes L.A Brewery Kombucha and Saicho Sparkling Teas, and to harness the luxury of sparkling wines and champagnes, try Blurred Vines 0% Wine – effervescent and sharp with bright floral and fruity notes.
For more information, head over to Hoawksmoor’s official website.
In March, Hawksmoor opened The Lowback, an eco-friendly floating pavilion docked in a new neighbourhood in Canary Wharf.
In September 2021, the bar chain opened its first location in New York.