Glass enjoys a sensory journey at The Essence House to kick off London Cocktail Month

NOT long ago, we were very limited with the mixers which we could put in our drinks. No doubt tonic, club soda and ginger ale are bar staples, but as the world of craft drinks evolve, so have our tastebuds. 

A premium gin will taste great with a tonic, but is it the perfect pairing? Probably not. Our tastebuds are all different, and there is a much deeper science behind what goes well with what.

We took a trip to The Essence House in Covent Garden to find out more about the sensory journey behind our tastebuds, along with how to perfectly pair a mixer with your drink. 

The Essence House

The team behind the luxury mixer range, The London Essence, are the creative geniuses behind this new sensory experience. It comes just in time for London Cocktail Month, where drinks are being mixed and shaken up across the city. 

Stepping foot into The Essence House is a magical experience. Core colours of The London Essence range fill the venue, and the first room showcases the s main flavours which they have to offer in an artistic photo gallery setting. A host then goes on to explain the ethos of the brand before handing you a special notebook for you to record aromas and tastes during your experience. 

First, you begin by entering the ‘palate profiling’ area, where you will identify how you react to the three core flavours of sweet, sour and bitter. You’ll then move on to ‘the aroma test’ where you’ll go on a journey with your nose, smelling a range of natural fragrances. 

Garnish masterclass

Lastly, you explore the effervescence experience, where you learn about the importance of carbonation in drinks, and how they enhance the flavours. By the end, you should have key notes which define your flavour palette, and you’ll be given a drink match that pairs a spirit and London Essence mixer to suit your flavour profile. 

The experience comes to an end with a garnishing masterclass with a top mixologist. They explain which garnishes to add to your drinks, before teaching you how to prepare the perfect citrus rind on a glass. 

By the end, you’ll be sipping on what should be the perfect thirst-quenching drink for your tastebuds! In my case, that was a Martin Miller’s gin with the roasted pineapple mixer. 

If you want to learn more about the art of mixing, then The Essense House pop-up in Covent Garden is a must-visit. 

by Katrina Mirpuri

Tickets are available until October 24 for £20 per person.