The Award-Winning Dublin Cocktail Bar With A 28-Drink Tasting Menu

You've heard of tasting menus, but what about one that is made up of strictly cocktails? At Dublin's Bar 1661, a 28-cocktail tasting experience titled "We Call This Power" lets participants sample each one of the drinks offered on its menu. The orchestrated showcase of libations is presented to a limited number of attendees seated around a private communal table. Cocktails are served with explanations of the concept, style, and names of each drink. 

Throughout the tasting experience, drinks are made in scaled mini versions, so instead of having to put back full-sized cocktails, those embarking on the boozy adventure have smaller amounts to sip. Cocktails are garnished similarly to the regularly-sized drinks served at Bar 1661, and an occasional fleet of cocktails is presented in groupings to allow guests to compare and contrast flavor profiles. Drinks are carried to the table in waves approximately five minutes apart, and light snacks are offered throughout the experience. At the halfway point, several non-alcoholic drinks are offered to refresh the palate. 

Bar 1661's drink menu is made with local partnerships in mind, and many drinks are concocted with Irish ingredients. The bar's own Belfast Coffee is made with poitín and cold brew coffee. While a typical Irish coffee serves up whiskey and hot coffee, this twist on the classic is a refreshing, delicious sipper. Poitín, also called Irish moonshine, is splashed into many other tasty creations as well, as the bar has committed to both preserving and elevating the spirit through drink recipes and tasting experiences.

Bar 1661 opened in 2019 and has since made its mark on the cocktail scene, earning accolades in the form of Spirited, Food & Wine, Bar of the Year, and Irish Craft Cocktail awards. The name of the bar references the year in which poitín became illegal (in 1997, the spirit experienced something of a renaissance once it regained legal status). 

For those interested in attending the cocktail tasting experience, a limited seating of 10 participants means that the $180 tickets go fast. Bar 1661 also regularly hosts events with industry collaborators and distilleries. The team has traveled throughout Ireland and beyond to share poitín, recipes, and tips with cocktail lovers around the globe, and plans are underway to build an additional establishment in Dublin that celebrates Irish coffees and classically-made drinks.