Cocktails (and swank cocktail bars) are all the rage, from a new Harry Potter-themed space in London to the iconic long bar at Raffles in Singapore, home of the Singapore Sling, and thousands in between. In Toronto, near the top of the list is always the Library Bar at the Royal York Hotel.
A treasured “cocktail den” in the iconic 94-year-old landmark hotel, the space was introduced in 1972 as a traditional British-style bar that evolved into the renowned martini institution it is today. “Library Bar is a beloved international figure and a cornerstone of Toronto’s great history as a meeting place of the minds,” enthuses hotel GM Edwin Frizzell.
Also, a great place to have a drink – under the auspices of award-winning Director of Mixology James Grant, who has recently introduced at a new cocktail collection that draws inspiration suitably derived from a canon of both literary and film classics, creating a unique, new cocktail experience in the modern-traditionalist bar.
The menu is showcased in themes of Martinis, Masterpieces, Poetry, Folklore, Science Fiction, and Best Sellers, and features cocktails ranging from $85 to $125 with ingredients like sturgeon caviar.
Guests can opt for the signature Birdbath Martini, Spice Melange featuring a cricket garnish, or the new and creative Southern Reach, in which riboflavin creates an atomic neon appearance, garnished with an edible szechuan button for an intense but temporary tingling mouthfeel sensation.
Winner of the Diaego World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2021 and Canada’s 100 Best Bartender of the Year 2022, Grant’s hospitality ethos and creativity as a bartender is largely due to solely managing and bartending at his alma mater, Little Hong Kong, a 16-seat bar in Edmonton.
“Stepping into the role of orchestrating the guest experience for one of Canada’s most storied hotels requires a sense of reverence for its legacy, and lends the opportunity to write your own chapter in Toronto’s history,” he says. “I’ve always had a passion for stories, which carried me through my academic career studying history, myth, and literature. As a bartender, I’ve found a medium through which I can share stories with my guest. More importantly, through these drinks, I can help craft new stories for those who join us in Library Bar.”
“There is an art to hospitable entertaining, and I believe James and our whole team have created a menu that is at first an enjoyable read, then, transforms into a surprising delight to the senses the moment the cocktail is served to our guest,” adds GM Frizell.
Library Bar’s menu features 20 cocktails in total – 17 new cocktails and three from the most recent menu.
Martinis
Library Bar’s seminal classic, The Birdbath Martini, features a new recipe for QUILL Gin by Grant in partnership with a local Ontario distiller. The next addition to the bar’s exclusive martini list introduces The Luxe, a masterpiece in its own right for the quintessential Birdbath martini, featuring a new house olive oil and butter spirit, vermouth blend, lemon oil, and served with a soft pretzel and sturgeon caviar.
Cocktails: The Classic, The Luxe
Masterpieces
A section of cocktails headlined by fictional and non-fictional protagonists alike, highlighting their triumphs and follies. The Masterpieces are defined by an exceptional caliber of ingredients that create an elevated dining experience. Master & Commander lends upon tales on the high seas from the Napoleonic War; Birthday Suit is a coy phrasing for The Emperor’s New Clothes; The Curator is an ode to the painting of Sir George Locke that hangs above the bar’s mantelpiece; and, King of Dreams embodies the Greek myth of Morpheus and the ancient ideals for paradise on earth.
Cocktails: Master & Commander, Birthday Suit, The Curator, King of Dreams
Poetry
The juxtaposition of this section’s cocktails highlight Grant’s mixologist character: technical execution balanced with a great sense of muse, curiosity, and humour. Best showcasing Grant’s style is Divine Comedy, a cocktail inspired by Dante’s Inferno. Served in a beer tulip, the beverage journeys from intense heat to a smooth, cool finish with Amaro Lucano, an Italian herbal liqueur, habanero, and eucalyptus – and garnished with a prosciutto crisp. Guests will be equally moved by The Legend of Princess Kaguya, a Japanese folk tale that inspires a visually serene cocktail in The Moon, composed primarily of Dillion’s Gin and Shōchū, a Japanese distilled beverage, and garnished with a bamboo leaf ribbon and grapefruit coin.
Cocktails: Ghost Ships, Bespoke Tailoring, The Moon, Divine Comedy
Folklore
Grant fondly introduces Folklore with the menu heading, ‘Cocktails wild and unhinged in their profiles.’ Black Lodge, Grant’s personal favourite, is an ode to David Lynch and Mark Frost’s television series Twin Peaks, featuring Lagavulin 16 Year Scotch Whisky, Campari, Coffee Liqueur, and Sweet Vermouth, creating a bold and smoky drinking experience.
Cocktails: Black Lodge, Wild 400, Gunslinger Punch, Little Seeds
Science Fiction
This collection showcases Grant’s intentional shift in orchestrating a new iteration in Library Bar’s traditional guest experience, demonstrating the iconic brand’s evolution as an industry-forward cocktail bar, proving to be an impressive first for the global Fairmont Hotels & Resorts brand.
Cocktails: Spice Melange, Last of Us, Sacred Beast, Southern Reach
Best Sellers
A growing collection of the bar’s fan favourites, featuring Dominicana, a play on the espresso martini, and Twist of Fate, the most ordered Library Bar cocktail from the previous menu since the bar’s reopening in November 2021.
Cocktails: Dominicana, Twist of Fate
With glass purposefully in hand, we at Travel Industry Today continue our series on some of the planet’s best bars, patios and rooftop venues. For more articles in the series, click here:
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