High Life

HIGH LIFE 81 At ROOM 309, there is so much more than meets the eye and this saying rings true of the unique cocktail menu, an experience that offers a temporary departure from reality into a world of imagination. The bar team has created a selection of eight longstanding classics, or the 309 Classics, aswell as eight cocktails under The Invisible Menu. On this special menu, the bar teamcombines advanced culinary techniques and a dose of fantasy to unleash a new level of cocktail appreciation from the absence of preconceived notions of color. These colorless libations allow guests to heighten their sense of taste and experience an unbridled flavor complexity. Lacking color yet packing intriguing aromas, flavors and textures, The Invisible Menu represents the future of cocktail appreciation. The Vanishing Watermelon Martini features centrifuged watermelon juice, Cointreau, simple syrup, basil tincture, Absolut Elyx vodka and a subtle sea salt foam. The Banana di Mana is a unique potion of Beefeater 24 gin, banana nectar, coriander tincture, simple syrup, sodawater andmicro herbs, and is also available as a spirit-free cocktail for those who prefer a non-alcoholic option. Crystal Old Fashioned will appeal to lovers of peanut butter, with a recipe of re-distilled peanut butter bourbon, homemade wood chips bitters and banana concentrate. From the Classics, the Balalaika brings to mind the theme song from Doctor Zhivago in which the unique sound of balalaika resonates against a fullorchestra.Thecocktail isaninfusion ofAbsolutElyxVodka, Cointreau, lemon and orange zest – sure to strike a chord with the drinker. Between the Sheets is a feisty concoction inspired by actress Norma Shearer, the embodiment of sexually liberated womanhood reflected in films such as Morocco. The cocktail is asophisticatedmixofMartell VSOP, Cointreau, Havana 3-Year-Old rumand lemon. Audrey Hepburn was the starlet muse for Coffee Cocktail, inspired by her breakfasts at Tiffany’s with a coffee and croissant. Surprisingly, Coffee Cocktail does not include coffee at all, but still manages to hit the spot with Remy Martin VSOP cognac, ruby port, whole egg, simple syrup and grated nutmeg.