11 drinks to travel the world with Guglielmo Miriello: the director of the cocktail bar and restaurant inside Mandarin Oriental Milan guides guests through the liquid atmospheres of Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days."
The venue
A secret garden in the heart of Milan unveils the creations of chef Antonio Guida and the high mixology of the team led by Guglielmo Miriello, director of Mandarin Garden. A meeting place to linger from morning until late evening, the cocktail bar and restaurant represent a comfortable refuge in the cold season, where the black and white motifs of the walls complement the black marble tables in the indoor area.
As temperatures rise, the focus shifts outside, to a magnificent garden furnished with sofas, armchairs, bistro tables surrounded by lush plants, and soft lighting ideal for relaxation. An urban oasis connecting Mandarin Oriental Milan guests to the essence of Milanese courtyards, hidden behind large doors and guardians of green wonders.
The interior of the lounge is dominated by a spacious counter where guests can sit to witness the show of mixing. The bartender team is led by deputy bar manager Gaetano Ascone, under the supervision of Miriello, a master of Italian hospitality and experienced mixologist.
The stage is set for the drinks on the "Around the World in 80 Days" menu, a selection of 11 blends designed to accompany cocktail lovers on a taste journey, revisiting the exotic stops that marked Phileas Fogg's global pilgrimage.
The number of drinks on the menu is not arbitrary but represents each blade of the Mandarin Oriental fan, much like the journeys narrated in the famous 1872 novel that spans from Hong Kong to India, passes through London, and now reaches Milan in the heart of the Quadrilatero.
The drink
The liquid adventures start from the English capital with Reform Club, a cocktail evoking the beginning of Fogg's journey, full of enthusiasm and expectations. Sweet and spicy notes blend with Amaro Santoni and manzanilla sherry, complemented by a rhubarb and strawberry shrub, topped with peach-scented white soda and jasmine.
The Phileas drink leads to the Suez Canal, capturing the sensations of a sea journey, with a light breeze caressing the face and Mediterranean scents joining hints of the Orient. The base includes gin enriched with the spiciness of Timut pepper, mixed with Cocchi's pink Americano, strawberry water, and orange aromas.
The journey continues to India with the Mr Fix blend, dedicated to new encounters and the sweet and bitter moments capable of creating indelible memories. In the glass, a tea-infused Rooibos gin meets mango cordial and curry leaves, along with the bitter notes of Muyu's black cardamom chinotto.
The passage to Calcutta takes Mandarin Garden guests directly into the jungle, riding on the back of an elephant with Kioumi, a blend that combines the pungent notes of rye whiskey with the smoky hints of Chai Masala tea-infused scotch, red wine, and black lemon cordial.
Before reaching Hong Kong, sips become sweet and vibrant like the eastern seas with Rangoon, a rum-based drink with toasted coconut, combined with chocolate bitters, Grand Marnier, and roasted pineapple soda.
From Hong Kong to Yokohama, the glass transforms into ceramic with an ice sphere in the center maintaining the temperature of Carnatic, a blend of Roku gin, Sakura vermouth, kaffir lime leaf cordial, and patchouli extract.
One of the highlights of the Mandarin Garden list is Passepartout, marking Phileas' arrival in Japan, with Nikka From The Barrel, Oolong tea, toasted pineapple, and vetiver, completed with Peychaud's bitters and a meringue on top of the transparent ice cube inside the glass.
The journey continues to San Francisco with Golden Gate, turning the elegance of the Belle Époque into liquid form with a blend of tequila and mezcal, fresh notes of mastiha, green apple, and cucumber water, infused with verbena, vanilla, and a pepper essence. The Mandarin Garden drink list also pays homage to New York with Railway, a bold cocktail based on rye whiskey, vermouth, and orange bitters, with the burnt note of smoked maple caramel. In the Big Apple, a stop is made on Broadway, where the sparkle of stage lights reflects all facets of the drink, sweet with sherry and green apple, and smooth with its calvados-base.. The oceanic crossing to London is enriched with banana scents with a tropical velvet and vanilla, completing the Henrietta drink's base of Macallan 12 y.o., Disaronno, and Jamaican cold brew, closing the imagined world tour by Jules Verne.
Finally, the Mandarin Garden cocktail menu includes two non-alcoholic blends and embraces the signature drinks that have defined Guglielmo Miriello's career. Like Love in Portofino, based on gin, elderflower liqueur, agave nectar, fresh cucumber, balsamic basil, lemon, lime, and absinthe. Or the Vintage Negroni, a flagship from the Dry Milano era made with gin, Campari, Cocchi Storico, and Cocchi Barolo Chinato. Off-menu tip: when the director is around, order a French 75, a classic in mixology that represents the pinnacle of a taste journey, never disappointing any palate in the refined ambiance of Mandarin Garden.
Contacts
Mandarin Garden
Via Andegari, 9, 20121 Milan MI
Phone: +39 02 8731 8898
