How Do Colours Taste? This Cocktail Menu Is Inspired By Synaesthesia

Whether it’s tasting words or hearing voices when you read, synaesthesia is a perceptual phenomenon where one sense triggers another. If you haven’t experienced it before, now may be your chance, as it’s the inspiration behind a new cocktail menu launching this week at Fitz’s Bar at London hotel Kimpton Fitzroy. 

This Is The World’s First Synaesthesia Cocktail Menu

Titled Spectrum, the new menu aims to explore how colours taste with 12 cocktails. Created by bar manager Massimiliano Bosio, the drinks are separated into a dark and a light side – the former offering refreshing, vibrant blends, and the latter centred around complex, bold flavours. 

The King of Persia, for instance, draws on the royal associations of purple – a colour historically reserved for nobility. A floral, fruity cocktail, it’s made with The Botanist Gin, kaffir lime, pine, rose petals and Pinot Noir reduction, with floral hints of pomelo, bergamot and grape. 

Naturally, the yellow cocktail – named The Sapsucker – is a sunny, tropical drink with a citrus tang, made with Tapiato Blanco Tequila, Canerock Spiced Rum, tepache and grapefruit, capturing the essence of sun-dappled afternoons. 

In stark contrast there’s the Black Hole, inspired by the mysterious allure of its namesake. A mix of Sipsmith Gin, Corte Vetusto Mezcal, banana, walnut, shiitake mushroom and Amontillado Sherry, it has a deep flavour designed to intrigue. Also on the dark side there’s the Taboo, which reflects red with sweet and spicy flavours, pairing Cazcabel Tequila and Peat Monster Whisky with mandarin, chilli, pineapple and strawberry. 

‘We’re delighted to introduce the SPECTRUM cocktail menu, a first of its kind that combines the art of mixology with the sensory magic of synaesthesia,’ says Massimiliano Bosio, Fitz’s Bar Manager. ‘Each drink tells its own colourful story, offering an immersive experience for our guests. We can’t wait for people to explore the flavours of the spectrum in a truly unique way.’

Fitz’s Bar is a glamorous spot found inside the five-star Kimpton Fitzroy hotel in Russell Square. Open late every night of the week, the cocktail den features Art Deco-inspired interiors – think ostrich feathers and plush furnishings – and is renowned for its innovative drinks menus.

The Spectrum menu launches 6 November 2024, fitzs.co.uk