Cocktails at The Botanist Chester...

It is no secret that I love cocktails (oops!) so I was pleased to head over to The Botanist Chester to taste their new cocktail menu this week. I love Chester and I really like The Botanist for both food and cocktails, against a cool and quirky plant-themed backdrop.

After a warm welcome, we started the evening with tangy homemade lemonade which made me think of sitting on a porch on a balmy evening. Yes, roll on summer! Luke, who was hosting the masterclass for the evening was so knowledgeable about mixology,  ingredients and the history of cocktails. I was impressed. He explained that two weeks of extensive training take place for each bartender, which is demonstrated in their knowledge.

We had a choice of of watering can cocktails as our next drink, based on whether we preferred vodka, gin or rum. My first choice of rum, cherry and thyme was a good one, with a sweetness which was irresistible. Fruits were muddled before our eyes as Luke expertly mixed the creations, whilst regaling us with spirit stories. 

The cocktail menu has been completely reinvented and for some of the drinks we were given a choice between the old and new recipes. The new blueberry and passionfruit martini was sophisticated with plenty of irresistible flavour, an ideal summer drink. 

The blackberry and mint julep conjured up the best of summer and autumn in one glass, with sweet and sharp notes which worked well together. 

The pear and kiwi crush was a glass of fun with a tropical feel and garnish of fresh kiwi, I could just imagine sipping these long into the evening during summer barbecues and outdoor dinner parties.

The lemon balm tini was a resounding hit with everybody with a citrus hit and a cool appearance; you could easily imagine Mr Bond himself propping up the bar with a few of these babies. 

This drink reminded me of a cocktail version of those lemon sherbet sweets... do you remember those...just me? Oh! 

You can never beat the classics, and I loved the cinnamon and oregano Old Fashioned, a new spin on a well-known cocktail which ticked every box. There is a timeless appeal to this cocktail which never fails to delight.

The Negroni is also an old favourite of mine, so I was glad to see that put in an appearance on the menu, in the form of a rosemary Negroni which again was an exciting new angle on a classic. 

One of my favourite drinks of the night was the imaginative Thai chilli crush, with a punchy level of spice (customised to our spice preference) I loved this drink, the like of which I had never tried before. I had never imagined a spicy cocktail could work, but work it did and in spades. Fiery perfection.

It was a great evening and the new cocktails went down a storm with all of the guests. the new cocktail menu at The Botanist has spared no attention to detail, with a new spin on every type of drink included alongside non-alcoholic varieties. Thanks to The Botanist for inviting me to this event. What do you all think, do you like cocktails and which of these would you choose to try first?

The Botanist
13 St Werburgh St, 

Chester 

CH1 2DY

http://thebotanist.uk.com/

As always I cannot wait to hear your thoughts and thank you so much for reading this post. until next time,

Camille 

xo