Muse, a new cocktail bar from the mind of Marcis Dzelzainis, will open its doors this November at RSA House in London, serving sustainable British cocktails in collaboration with Idyll Drinks.
Housed within the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce’s 250-year-old Georgian town house behind the Strand, the bar will spotlight sustainable agriculture, local provenance and rewilding projects with a collection of ‘wild distillates’, while drawing inspiration from the RSA’s regenerative Design for Life Mission.
The RSA has helped shape society since the Enlightenment and has been at the forefront of significant social impact since it was founded in the location in 1754.
Dzelzainis, consultant and founder of Idyll drinks, has held role at the likes of Quo Vadis, 69 Colebrook Row, Zetter Townhouse, Satan’s Whiskers, Dandelyan (now Lyaness), Sager + Wilde, Corinthia and Christina’s.
With a dedicated entrance for access, the ground-floor Muse is designed to have a “relaxed... private members club feel”, with artwork adorning the walls and a granite bar as the centrepiece.
The bar’s offering is in collaboration with Company of Cooks and Dzelzainis’ Idyll Drinks, while head bartender Kevin Price Houghton will lead the bar team.
The menu will include eight core serves which will renew yearly, in addition to four ‘wild cocktails', exploring speciality ingredients, wild botanicals and smaller scale producers.
Cocktails on the core menu include Crimson & Clover, a blend of gin, Aker English Rose Vermouth, Capreolus Raspberry Eaux de Vie, rhubarb and lemon, while The Blackadder (pictured top) is with Vault Aperitivo Bitter, Hepple Sloe & Hawthorn Gin, sour cherry, lemon and almond with a couple of dashes of Devil’s Botany Absinthe.
East of Eden is a refreshing serve with Cucumber Distillate, Sipello, apple juice and rhubarb soda; Cucumber & Tonic (pictured centre, top) is a twist on the classic created with Cucumber Distillate; while Shipwreck Fix is a rum-forward cocktail, with rosehip, hawthorn and verjus.
My Bloody Clementine is a whisky serve, with chamomile, ginger, honey and yuzu; William Shipley, named after the founder of the RSA, is with vodka, lemon and Idyll Gooseberry & Rooibos Soda; while the Truffle Martini is a spin on the vodka classic, with truffle distillate.
Among the wild serves is the Myrica Gale Daiquiri, with light 'rum’ and Oaxacan Rum, sourced in Mexico, while the Wild Carrot Margarita (pictured centre, bottom) is a vegetal take on the favourite.
Pineapple Weed Pisco Sour is a nod to the Peruvian classic, with pisco, pineapple weed liqueur, lemon and bitters, while the Hogweed Old Fashioned is a delicious nightcap, with rye whiskey, Somerset Cider Brandy Pomona Liqueur and hogweed bitters.
Muse at RSA House (18 Adam St, London WC2N 6AA) will open in November from Monday-Friday, 4pm-11pm.