Two liquors with distinct personalities are starring in hotel restaurant programs: Kentucky bourbon and British gin.
The Rosewood London’s Holborn Dining Room is launching The Gin Bar, featuring the city’s largest collection of gin. It’s offering 400 different versions of the quintessentially British spirit, including spiced gin, a gin-sake mix, Dutch genevers and a £52 (US$75) Taplows London Dry Gin.
If you prefer the spirit with a tonic, the restaurant has 27 different kinds, including a signature tonic made from a “top secret recipe.”
“We always want to have a strong British feeling in everything we do at Holborn Dining Room, so why not work with the most celebrated U.K. spirit?” bar manager Matthew Sloper said.
Marriott Hotels is taking a different approach with a quintessentially American spirit, bourbon: The brand kicked off its “Bourbon Battles” last week. The five-city tour started in the Marriott in Lexington, Kentucky, the heart of bourbon country, and will move through several other cities before culminating in New York City on National Bourbon Day, June 14.
Each “battle” features four contestants mixing their best bourbon-based cocktail. Winners of each round will head to New York.
“Bourbon has all the essential elements to create an engaging bar experience for our guests. It has a rich history and compelling stories driven by unique brands. It offers options for everyone’s taste, from creative cocktails to exclusive pours” said Matthew Carroll, vice president brand management, Marriott Hotels.