Top 10 cocktails from Oriole bar

The founders of the Nightjar in Shoreditch open a new bar in Smithfield Market next week serving cocktails inspired by the Old World, New World and the Orient.

Named Oriole after a brightly coloured bird with impressive burnt orange plumage found across Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia, the bar boasts exotic “tiki chic” interiors and aims to transport guests back to a bygone era.

The basement bar, decked out with masks from the Congo and bronze sculptures from the Amazon, will play host to live swing, jazz and blues bands.

The menu is split into three sections: Old World, New World and The Orient and features cocktails inspired by the flavours and drinking habits in each.

Oriole is the brainchild of Rosie and Edmund Weil, who opened the Nightjar on Old Street five years ago, which is consistently appears in the top 10 of the World’s 50 Best Bars list.

Cocktails are made with painstaking attention to detail and often include unusual glassware and garnishes, while the menu is a pack of cards.

Click through for a round-up of 10 of the most intriguing cocktails on the Oriole menu and their recipes.

Bayou

Taken from the New World menu, this crazy cocktail, or should we say “croctail” is designed for sharing. Inspired by the crocodile-filled marshy lakes found in America’s deep south, the Bayou features Woodford Reserve Bourbon, absinthe treacle, yellow grapefruit, pepper and trompette de la mort (trumpets of death) mushrooms – drink if you dare!

Canton

Taken from the Orient section, the Canton cocktail is named after the Chinese port city on the Pearl River now known as Guangzhou considered the birthplace of dim sum. Once serving as the setting for the Anglo-Chinese “Opium Wars”, this cocktails aims to unite the best of East and West via Jinzu cherry blossom gin, lychee wine, osmanthus syrup and frozen longhan.

Everglade 

Another from the New World, the candy floss pink Everglade is inspired by the Kissimmee river in Florida, and the state’s tropical wetlands. Blending an American spirit with tropical touches, it features Bulleit Rye whiskey, gentian wine, absinthe and grapefruit citronette.

Finca Filadelfia 

Staying in the New World, this cocktail takes its name from a coffee plantation in Antigua Guatemala, known for its Spanish-Baroque architecture and colonial churches. Encapsulating the city’s exotic spirit, the cocktail features Zacapa rum, a coffee blend from Finca Filadelfia and durian foam.

Fort Cochin

Named after the port city on the southwest coast of India, the Cochin cocktail takes its inspiration from the Spice Route, founded centuries ago, which allowed for the trade of spices like cinnamon, cardamom, sandalwood, pepper and cloves between Asia, Africa and Europe. The exotic cocktail features Belvedere Pure, tulsi tea soda, mace liqueur and prickly pear jam.

Kiruna

Our first of the list from the Old Word, the sunshine yellow Kiruna is named after a Swedish town in Lapland where golden cloudberries grow. The drink takes its inspiration from the fruits free for people to forage for in Sweden, from wild raspberries and blueberries to loganberries, blending Absolute Elyx with Aquavit mead, root cider, cloudberry jam and mulberry leaves.

La Capilla

Named after an ancient bar in Mexican city of Tequila – the heartland of blue agave – La Capilla (the church) features Olmeca Altos Blanco Tequila, zesty ricotta, lemon, agave wine and evening primrose.

Prairie Horn

Inspired by the wheat fields, grasslands and bright blue expansive skies of the American prairies and served in a horn (!) this quirky cocktail features Bulleit Bourbon, prekese syrup, buffalo popcorn tea and mustard syrup – not for the fainthearted!

Ryoan-Ji

Named after a Japanese Zen garden in Kyoto, the Ryoan-Ji (meaning “temple of the dragon at peace”) is served in a cracked egg and features Nikka from the Barrel whiskey, blue rose milk, seagrass syrup and frozen rambutan,

Bosporus Barrel 

Blending flavours from the East and West, the Bosphorus Barrel, designed for sharing, is named after the stretch of water in Turkey that unites Europe and Asia. Oriole’s creation features Tanqueray Ten gin, rose wine, pink lemon and lemon verbena liqueur.