Fifth generation Camus Cognac is the largest family-owned, independent Cognac House. Founded in 1863, it lies in the Borderies, Cognac's smallest sub-region famed for the intensely aromatic character of its spirits. The same year, Jules Verne's book 'Five Weeks in a Balloon: A Journey of Discovery by Three Englishmen in Africa' was first published. Now you can celebrate these milestones in a famous and historic building that was built around the same time, only 10 years later!
On 12th September, Camus launched 'Voyages Extraordinaires', a cocktail adventure with London's Gothic Bar in the grandiose setting of the iconic St Pancras Renaissance Hotel.
The three-month long partnership sees the bar presenting an innovative cocktail menu, alongside a programme of activities including cocktail masterclasses. Visitors to the lavish environs of the Gothic Bar can enjoy a menu of three extraordinary cocktails devised by bar manager, Jack Porter, inspired by Jules Verne's famed Voyages Extraordinaires book collection.
Anthony Parker, UK Sales Manager for Camus, said: "Jack and his team have created three amazing drinks to highlight the vision and impact the author has had on us as a Cognac House."
One of the drinks will feature at the Gothic Bar as part of London Cocktail Week (3rd to 13th October). Also, the team is organising a takeover with Parisian bar Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel de Crillon on 14th November.
Jack has married three Cognacs - Camus VSOP, Camus VSOP Borderies and Camus Île de Ré - with imaginative stories that take the drinker on a visual and delicious tasting journey, paying homage to the author and to Camus' quality, history and renowned aromatic style.
The three books chosen, after which the cocktails are named, are Five Weeks in a Balloon, Journey to the Centre of the Earth and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. "What seemed fitting", explains Jack, "is that we chose the earth, wind or air and sea, so all possible elements of travel."
This cocktail showcases ingredients found in parts of Africa, the continent explored in the novel.
Peanut-infused Camus VSOP is paired with ginger liqueur, banana eau de vie and oloroso sherry. For a theatrically extravagant touch, a scented smoke balloon sits on top of the drink, which when popped spreads a ginger aroma in front of you!
This cocktail displays earthy, mineral, fruity, herbaceous and bitter flavours. Here, the aromatic Camus Borderies VSOP is paired with Lutèce Aperitif, Roots & Spice Liqueur, citrus mix and London Essence Tonic Water. Jack describes some of the reasoning behind the cocktail. "As it's Journey to the Centre of the Earth, we wanted to make earthy flavours. So, the liqueur includes things like caraway, sarsaparilla, pine and juniper. It's topped with a little bit of cayenne syrup, giving a bit of warmth and spice."
An eye-catching tall ice cube contains zingy, red cayenne syrup, frozen and drilled into a hole in the ice, representing the lava channels and explosive heat of the earth explored in the book. The same cayenne syrup is also used to garnish the finished cocktail.
This deliciously quirky cocktail marries the nautical theme of the novel with the maritime heritage of the Camus Île de Ré Cognac, named after the island which is home to France's westernmost vineyards. It's the most innovative, fascinating and my personal favourite of the three drinks - a genius cocktail!
The Cognac with its iodine-rich profile is perfect for a serve that combines flavours of the sea with seaweed, oyster and sea salt. The other ingredients are Falernum (a sweet liqueur or syrup flavoured with lime, sugar and typically ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds), homemade pickled dulse seaweed, oyster tincture made from the juice of oysters shucked by the chef, and cucumber. Oyster shells from the restaurant are sterilised then frozen, before being filled with layered ice, a sea fennel gel and salty fingers (a sea vegetable similar to samphire), giving the perception of an ethereal aquatic scene!
If you've never tried a Cognac serve, or even if you have, the Gothic Bar should be on your list of must-visit venues this autumn. So come and explore your imagination with these Jules Verne-inspired, deliciously novel (see what I did there) cocktails 😋 in the elegant confines of a historic London location. Santé!
The Camus Cocktail menu is available until 30th November 2024 at Gothic Bar, St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, Euston Rd., London, NW1 2AR.
