WHEN it comes to Burns night there are few venues in Scotland as impressive as the famed Gleneagles, nestled in the heart of the Ochil Hills in Perthshire.
The revered hotel which has captivated travellers for nigh on 100 years is inviting discerning customers to indulge their Burns night this month at The American Bar, winners of the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award at The World's 50 Best Bars.
The showbizlion.com believes there is nothing better than a luxury hotel which offers both adventure and outdoor pursuits combined with fine dining and a drinks menu to challenge your tastebuds.
In keeping with true Scottish tradition, Gleneagles are pleased to present the Honeyberry cocktail - an elevated Scottish Whisky cocktail using Aberfeldy 12 year whisky, Honeyberry and Kefir 13.
Combined together the liquid is a perfect complement to whisky and when combined, results in an Alexander-style cocktail – creamy but deceptively light with a spicy finish.
Renowned Head of Bars, Michele Mariotti, has taken its luxury offerings to the next level, focusing on locality and taking an innovative approach to incorporate ingredients sourced from the Gleneagles’ rolling hills of Perthshire, resulting in a truly unique bar experience.
Whether guests choose to visit The American Bar or The Century Bar, they can indulge in the most tantalising and inventive cocktails crafted with the finest ingredients found both locally and within the hotel's existing ecosystem.
Gleneagles' American Bar offers beautiful decor that playfully evokes the glamour of the 1920s and ‘30s. The walls of the bar exude opulence, wrapped in a unique Scottish heather dyed cashmere, woven exclusively for Gleneagles.
The stunning original fireplaces, restored to their former glory, boast lilac marble and custom-made brass mirrors, while vintage glass column wall lights add a touch of old-world charm to the luxurious cashmere panelling. This bar is a visual feast for the senses, transporting you to a world of excitement and elegance.
The bar team is passionate about creating imaginative and exciting drinks, as demonstrated by their highly anticipated Book of Berries menu launched in 2022. Inspired by the 20th-century Observer Books, this menu features eighteen cocktails, each dedicated to a single botanical berry sourced from the local area and produced sustainably.
The Book of Berries menu is not only a celebration of the classic cocktail, but also a statement of Gleneagles' commitment to creativity and sustainability. By using waste and non-prime parts of produce, the bar team has created an extraordinary cocktail menu that showcases the diversity of botanicals and their origins.
The menu's hero serve is the Juniper Martini.
To showcase how the different varieties of juniper can enhance the taste of this ultimate classic, the team partnered with South Loch Distillery in Edinburgh to create three bespoke gins, each using only one botanical - juniper.
In addition to the Martini, the Book of Berries menu boasts a range of exciting cocktails, such as Blueberry, which uses Gleneagles’ Garden Café blueberry muffins to create a vodka-based cocktail, and Avocado, which incorporates leftover avocado seeds to create an orgeat, which is then combined with white rum and Amaro to make a Mai Tai-style cocktail.
Another standout cocktail is Banana, which uses leftover peels that are caramelised to infuse bourbon, creating the ultimate twist on a classic Old Fashioned.
Gleneagles Hotel's Century Bar, designed by David Collins Studio, is a masterpiece of artistry and sophistication, inspired by the changing seasons of Scotland. The bar's elegant interiors feature garnet red as the central theme, with locally sourced accents that pay homage to the country's rich heritage. By day, the bar is the perfect spot to rendezvous with family and friends over coffee or a bite to eat. By night, the Century Bar transforms into an alluring space where guests can indulge in a glass of champagne or a rare malt whisky from Scotland's finest collection.
At the Century Bar, where a journey of flavour awaits, the menu features four categories of cocktails, each with its distinct style and essence.
The Great Adventure Book menu seeks to celebrate the contrasting landscape of Scottish countryside, split into four sections The Lochs, The Seas, The Forests, and The Glens.The menu dives into a wild and beautiful world of the great outdoors, encouraging guests to embark on their next big adventure. Though for those who would prefer less adventure and more sipping, a ‘Too Long Didn't Read’ summary is a perfect place to pick the tipple from. Visit the Century Bar and indulge in a full sensory experience that's wild, beautiful and uniquely Scottish.
Burns, if her were alive today, would surely choose to sit and take in all the opulent surroundings as he wrote his wit and wisdom.