Cocktails in the City – one of the biggest boozy events to hit the city and this year, it wasn’t on for a single night, oh no. Manchester was treated to two nights of boozy fun this time around, so if you missed the Thursday night fun (or might regret the hangover the next day) Friday night was there to help.
Another change this time around was the venue. Previously, Manchester Town Hall has added an element of history and glamour. This year it moved to a new venue, the Great Northern’s event space, used by Friday Night Food Fight, Boutique Bar Show, Forever Manchester and more.
And things got off to a good start before Emma and I even entered the venue – samples of Lanique, a sweet rose petal liqueur were on hand to wake up your palate. With a cucumber collins, or simply Lanique with tonic, this Turkish delight style liqueur was a pretty start to a messier evening.
Wandering in, the bright lights called to us. It’s the cocktail lovers equivalent of being a 5 year old in a sweet shop. Rum, tequila, gin or vodka, there was something here for you. And we wandered around sampling delights from all over.
Fumo is fast becoming a go to cocktail bar for me, and their truffle oil scented Amaretto Sour delighted, alongside their simple Disaronno and Cola, which used an Italian cola, rather than the American version, that added a bitter finish, hardening off this sweet liqueur.
I was also thrilled to see that Old J Spiced Rum had joined in the fun, alongside Damson – creating a negroni style cocktail with their sweet spiced rum that almost matched my hair in colour. It was hard not to get distracted by the flamingoes and neon bright lights on their fun stand.
Moving from fun to classical, Harvey Nichols had collaborated with Botanist Gin, to create an elegant cocktail, full of peaches, with a hint of thyme and lemon, the gins recommended garnish for their G&T.
As ever, Elixir Tonics & Treats saw us surrounded by fire and ice, literally, with blow torches and dry ice providing the theatre to their two cocktails and winning them the consumer vote – over both nights.
If you spotted here, there was also the tea lady on her tour, with a gin punch from Ish Gin. My eagle eyes spotted that recognisable bottle from a distance and it was a great palate refresher.
The Smithfield Social impressed too – this time with smoke that offered flavour rather than theatre.
Their collaboration with Wild Turkey created the Runnin’ Wild in Florence another negroni style cocktail, with lots of deep smoky flavours. The second cocktail was a deconstructed mint julep, which unlike it’s ice filled cousin, was more rich and intense in flavour.
We couldn’t leave without a visit to Epernay, who were paired with Benedictine DOM, and created the ‘Friends with Bene-fits’ cocktail, and a visit to Mr Cooper’s House & Garden, who had a match made in heaven with Portobello Road Gin.
But all too soon, we had reached out limit and no matter how hardened my liver, there was no way I could make it around every stand. So many excellent cocktails were missed.
Maybe next year, I need to do both nights….?
