Last week L and I headed down to Jacobs Market to try out some of the new cocktails Ten Mill Lane are launching. They're bringing out a new menu full of tasty cocktails which will be on offer mid week.
Ten Mill Lane is based on Mill Lane in the centre of Cardiff and is a great cocktail bar. L and I will be heading there for her birthday at the end of the month. We love a good mid week cocktail session (as you may know if you've followed our blog from the beginning and we were sharing our cocktail hour series found here)
The event was held in Jacobs Antique and Ten Mill Lane had gone all out decorating it to showcase there new menu. The inspiration for the new menu comes from artwork and each cocktail is related to the piece of art that inspired.
Of course we found mirrors to take selfies in!
Onto the cocktails, as mentioned above they are all inspired by artwork which I love and the cocktails themselves are a work of art. I love the thought that has gone into the presentation of them all.
Self Portrait - Frida Kahlo
Tequila isn't a drink I'd pick and I don't tend to pick it even in cocktails but I was won over with this. The Tequila was a love of Frida Kahlo which is why it was picked as the base of this art inspired cocktail. The mix of it with mango add a sweetness and then citrus and peppercorn rebalance this out. Not once I'd pick of the menu without trying but it was delicious and one I'd order again.
A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande - George Seurat
L and I couldn't wait to try this. Straight away this is one we'd have chosen off the menu based on ingredients. Sweet vermouth, raspberry and wormwood vodka. The combination of these is delicious and we could imagine drinking these on a chilled out sunny Sunday!
Bleeding Medals - Gilbert and George
We missed this one as it came round for tasting but our love of tea means this will be the first one we order off the menu when we go back. I love the presentation of this, not only a teacup but tea too. This inspiration came that tea is seen iconically as an English tradition so the blend of gin tea bitters and earthy liqueur are said to be reminiscent of a black tea with lemon juice and sugar to balance out the flavour and a splash of milk! I can't wait to try this!
The Treachery of Image - Rene Magritte
The presentation of this cocktail is amazing. Inspired by the art work it's based on it gets delivered to the table being smoked and served in a glass pipe! As expected it's base is a oaky whiskey but balanced out with a sweet vermouth. Also adding cloves, cinnamon and vanilla for flavour and warmth. A hint of absinthe brings the warm feeling to recreate the pipe! This sounds like a winning combination to me. I'm a big whisky fan.
Blue Dress - Leonid Afremov
This is one of my favourite presentations. The sugared glass is a great touch and the delicate flower on top. This is also tastes as good as it looks with a mix of gin, green tea and elderflower cordial this is an easy drinker!
Red Poppies and Daisies - Vincent Van Gogh
Another great presentation, with cocktails I'm perfectly ok with not drinking out of a glass if it looks pretty and this certainly does. This contains rum (probably L's favourite liquor!) brandy and mango juice which helps to bring out the flavours of both liquors to produce a sweet cocktail to represent the flowers. A hint of absinthe represents the foliage of the art work.
I Saw the Figure 5 in Gold Cocktail - Charles Demuth
This is a cocktail that's right up my street, whisky, orange liqueur, and maple syrup with honey and bitters. Simple but works well and gives great flavours!
Campbell's Soup Can - Andy Warhol
This is one I'd never have picked to try. Of course served in a can it's a new take on a bloody mary. Even served with a dash of parma ham if you're not vegetarian and chilli candy floss. Like a bloody mary it contains tomato juice but included is a mango vodka to give it a new flavour twist. This isn't something I'd order again but I didn't dislike it!
This is one I'd never have picked to try. Of course served in a can it's a new take on a bloody mary. Even served with a dash of parma ham if you're not vegetarian and chilli candy floss. Like a bloody mary it contains tomato juice but included is a mango vodka to give it a new flavour twist. This isn't something I'd order again but I didn't dislike it!
Summer - Alphonse Mucha
The last cocktail I've got to share but there are a few more. This was an unexpected winner for L and I. It combines wine and gin (that sounds dangerous straight away!!) with elderflower. This really works. The wine and elderflower give a sweetness to this gin cocktail but still keep it light!
So that's some of the new menu from Ten Mill Lane. L and I were totally won over by these new cocktails and can't wait to try the rest when we celebrate her birthday! It's great to try new cocktails that aren't a classic. If you'd seen our 101 things in 1001 days when we did those one of my things was to try 10 new cocktails. If only we were still in those 1001 days I've have covered them!
Are you a cocktail fan? Have you been to Ten Mill Lane?
Love M
xxx
