This London Bar Is Now Serving Virtual Reality Cocktails

'The Origin' comes with whisky, cherry liqueur and a two-minute trip to the Scottish Highlands.
Sarah Ward
Published on May 27, 2017

There's nothing unusual about ordering cocktail at London's One Aldwych hotel. Knocking back one of their beverages, however, is completely different. Before you sip on a blend of Dalmore 12-year-old whisky, Merlet cherry liqueur, grapefruit juice, chocolate bitters and Lallier Champagne, you'll get whisked away to the Scottish Highlands — without leaving your seat.

The boozy concoction is called The Origin, and it might just provide a glimpse of drinking in the future. Strapping on a VR headset, taking a jaunt through barley fields and the Dalmore distillery, and then following the ingredients on their trek to theCovent Garden bar is all part of the fun. Yes, the tasting, sipping and just generally enjoying the drink part is real — it's the preamble that toys with virtual reality.

"We take our guests behind the scenes to show them how the drink is made," One Aldwych head bartender Pedro Paulo explained to MUNCHIES. "Two minutes before the drink is ready, we say, 'We'd like to take you to the origin of the drink.' Then, we give them VR goggles and headphones to take them on the journey."

If you find yourself in London anytime soon, The Origin will set you back £18; however, that's a cheap price to pay for a top tipple and a detour to Scotland. And it you're worried that the combination of virtual reality and alcohol mightn't go down smoothly, don't worry. "It's really quite more of a swooping, gentle experience," says Paulo.

 

Via MUNCHIES. Image: One Aldwych.

Published on May 27, 2017 by Sarah Ward
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