Bar launches Givenchy cocktail list

The Green Bar at the Café Royal hotel in Piccadilly has launched a cocktail list inspired by the perfumes of French fashion house Givenchy.

The Atelier Collection, which goes on sale on 1 February, was devised by the hotel’s mixologist Tiziano Tasso and features seven cocktails that aim to mirror the notes in the different Givenchy fragrances.

Merging the worlds of perfume and drinks, Tasso has paid attention to keeping the colour of the cocktails as near as possible to the scents they represent, taking the base notes of each perfume, from flowers and woods to fruits, as the starting point for creating the seven cocktails.

The collection is available at the Parisian-themed Green Bar until 31 March, with each cocktail priced at £13.

This is not the first time a cocktail bar has taken perfume as its muse – last June The Ritz in Berlin launched the world’s first perfume-inspired cocktail bar that encourages guests to match their drink to their scent.

Named Fragranes, the bar serves 15 cocktails inspired by perfumes from the likes of Armani, Jo Malone and Guerlain.

The Café Royal opened in 1865 and during its first incarnation was frequented by the likes of Oscar Wilde and his young lover Lord Alfred Douglas, known as “Bosie”.

French fashion house Givenchy was founded in 1952 by French designer Hubert de Givenchy, who created Les Parfums de Givenchy in 1957.

In 1958, Givenchy asked Audrey Hepburn to be the face of Givenchy L’Interdit in the first celebrity collaboration of its kind for a perfume.

Click through for a gallery of the seven different cocktails in the Atelier Collection.

Oud Flamboyant

Inspired by the Orient, the base note of the perfume is oud wood, with labdanum and smoky leather also in the mix. To mirror it, the cocktail features Japanese whisky and mandarin juice for balance and depth.

Cuir Blanc

Inspired by Givency’s original profession as a glove maker, leather is the prominent note in this perfume, which is paired with white pepper and white musk. To pair, Tasso has created a twist on a Martini featuring a Siberian pine needle extract to give the palate a woody, fresh taste.

Ambre Tigré

A fragrance with a wild side, inspired by Givenchy’s fur prints, Ambre Tigré weaves vanilla and labdanum around an amber base note. Served with a twist of lemon peel, the arresting orange cocktail blends American rye vodka with Dutch honey whisky and English amber beer.

Ylang Austral

This absinthe-green scent weaves together notes of mandarin leaf, ylang-ylang and sandalwood, combining woody and floral notes. Garnished with slices of granny smith apple, the refreshing cocktail combines rum, sour apple sherbet, orange curaçao and mandarin oil.

Néroli Originel 

Inspired by a dress worn by Givenchy’s first muse, Audrey Hepburn, the base note of the fragrance is Tunisian neroli, which is married with iris and musk-vanilla. Served with a twist of orange peel, the cocktail blends Cognac with vanilla, lemon and bitter orange essential oils.

Bois Martial 

Inspired by Givenchy’s fondness for architectural cuts, Bois Martial takes coconut wood was its base, which is blended with pineapple sage and cedar wood. Twisting on its tropical flavours, the cocktail features Jamaican rum, pineapple and sage leaves to add a savoury note.

Chypre Caresse

This pretty pale pink perfume is fresh, feminine and floral, combining notes of lemon, jasmine, angelica and patchouli. Tasso’s raspberry pink interpretation of the scent marries gin with jasmine, lemon, citrus and honey for a sweet finish.