XMERON (Decameron)
The winner of our Festive Showcase Competition 2024, created by Davide representing Hide - Below bar.
Inspired by Giovanni Boccaccio's masterpiece Decameron. Set during the time of the Black Death, the plague that was devastating the city of Florence, a group of ten people move to a safe countryside villa. To pass the evenings each member of the party tells a story each night, resulting in ten (X) nights of storytelling, ten (X) stories per night.
INGREDIENTS
40ml XMUSE vodka
2.5ml XMUSE homemade coffee liqueur
1ml XMUSE homemade Palo Santo and Tonka bean tincture
10ml crusted port
50ml blackberry juice
5ml lemon juice
10ml sugar syrup
The Flower of Scotland
Our runner up entry to our Art of Bartending competition, by Dario Orsili.
INGREDIENTS
50ml X Muse
15ml X Muse lavender liqueur
15ml Violet liqueur
15ml Rose syrup
25ml Lemon juice
Foam ingredients:
White chocolate
Vanilla syrup
Milk
Aquafaba
Rose syrup
Orange blossom water
Lemon juice
Kintsuji
The winner of our 2024 Art of Bartending competition, Stevie Burton presenting this glorious martini
INGREDIENTS
X Muse vodka
White Port
Yuzu
Cocoa bitters
Vertumnus
Created by Dario Orsili representing 100 Princes Street Hotel, in our Edinburgh Art of Bartending heats. A delicious martini inspired by the god of seasons, Vertumnus and the oil painting produced by the Italian painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo.
INGREDIENTS
50ml X MUSE vodka
25ml Lemon Juice
20ml Sugar syrup
20ml Aquafaba
5 grapes
6 basil leaves
Garnished with a small mint sprig
.jpg?v=1730215096596)
Musa Hiems (Winter Muse)
Created by Mattia Rovaris, from Bar Prince at the Balmoral. First served at the X Muse Festive Showcase 2023.
INGREDIENTS
55 ml X Muse (Milk Clarified)
15 mk pear and cinnamon syrup
5 ml Licor 43
2.5 ml Italicus
1 dash orange bitters
Topped with a Campari and mulled wine foam
Garnish: Dry orange, pear, and cinnamon powder as garnish
Method: Add garnish to the rim of a nick and nora glass. Stir ingredients with ice and strain. Top with the foam.
The Tenth Dance
Created by Caitlin representing The Sheraton hotel, Edinburgh for our Art of Bartending competition heats, a delicious martini playing with chili flavours. Inspired by Dance (La Danse) a painting by Henri Matisse in 1910.
Auld Lang Syne
One of our runners up in the 2023 Festive Showcase competition, Edinburgh. A delicious cocktail created by Glenn from Cocktail Geeks.
INGREDIENTS
40ml X Muse vodka
10ml Glenmorangie 10 year whisky
15ml Toasted oat infused honey
12.5ml Raspberry cordial
25ml Full fat milk
Garnish with a cranachan snap and cream
Naughty or Nice
An incredible runner up that we loved in our Festive Showcase Edinburgh 2023, Angus representing The Commons Club, Virgin hotel Edinburgh. The drink featured a "naughty" or "nice" jelly where drinkers can select either jelly to flavour their coctail.
Muffins and Mint
A runner up in our 2023 Festive Showcase, Edinburgh, this cocktail was created by Caolan from Nightcap
INGREDIENTS
40ml Mint washed X MUSE vodka
40ml Blueberry muffin and cranberry cordial
Served on a rock ice
Garnish with a mini blueberry muffin
LIGHT'S DRUNKEN REMEDY
Created by Ali Polyakov, inspired by Anya Gallaccio's 'The Light Pours Out of Me'
First served at the X MUSE Art of Bartending Finals 2023 at Jupiter Artland
"A rugged surface with an alluring beauty this grotto, according to the artist, "is the result of an intense and private process when the stars aligned, and everything fell into place."
This parallel can be found in the creation of X Muse - combination of hard work and help from the universe.
What is the significance of the amethyst? The stone derives its name from Greek Amethystos, which when translated, literally means "a cure and remedy against drunkenness".
In addition to its help to keep us sober when we drink, it plays a role in the creation of X Muse. When blending with water, the spirit is rested over a large amethyst stone to add purity.
When garnishing, the basil must be hidden as an easter egg to the words inscribed on the bottle cork - Plura Latent, Quam Patent (More is hidden than revealed)."
INGREDIENTS
50ml X MUSE Vodka
30ml Blueberry Basil Cordial* 2.5ml Crème de Violette
1 drop of a 20% Saline Solution
Garnish: Blueberry tuile and small piece of basil hidden underneath.
Method: Put a charged amethyst stone inside of the shaker together with ice and throw the ingredients 5-6 times. Strain over a rocks glass with a big block of ice. Garnish and serve.
*Cordial: 500g blueberries, 300g sugar, 250g water, 50g basil, malic acid, citric acid. Put the blueberries into water over high heat to bring to boil. Simmer covered until the berries begin popping (~10 minutes). Turn the heat off, strain the blueberries and add the sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add the basil and leave covered for 15 minutes. Strain, add the acids depending on the weight of the yielded liquid (5% malic and 5% citric). Stir until dissolved and bottle.
Take the strained blueberries and spread them over an oven tray. Cover with demerara simple syrup and place inside over 160°C for around 10 minutes. Cut into small squares and keep in the freezer.
APOLLO COMPOSING
Created by Ali Polyakov, inspired by Sappho.
First served at the X MUSE Art of Bartending Finals 2023 at Jupiter Artland
"X Muse is about achieving perfection with the ingredients they use. Plumage Archer and Marris Otter are two heritage barleys know for they quality rather than their yield. Combined with an exceptional purity of aquifer water we come very close to the concept of perfection.
When talking about Sappho (inspiration behind the name and brand) we dive into the Greek mythology regarding the nine muses and arrive at Apollo who became their choir leader. Sappho's poetry was so beautiful that she was named as the 'Tenth Muse'. It was almost like Apollo was singing through her. That's why the name of my cocktail is Apollo Composing.
The reason behind the birch is because of its significance in the countries where vodka was created (Poland, Russia, Ukraine). I am paying homage to the founders of this spirit.
INGREDIENTS
60ml X MUSE Vodka
5ml Dolin Dry infused with silver birch bark*
2.5ml Eucalyptus Syrup (William Fox)
2 drops of a 20% Saline Solution
Garnish: Caramelized Marris Otter and Plumage Archer turned into powder*
Method: Freeze organic birch sap and use as ice for stirring. Garnish your martini glasses by brushing the rim with eucalyptus syrup and then stick the powdered barley. Stir the ingredients in a mixing glass, using frozen birch sap as your ice for around 30 seconds (you want to achieve a dilution of around 25ml). Strain and serve
*Dolin Dry infusion: combine 140g Dolin Dry and 20g silver birch bark in a glass container and leave in a fridge for 2 hours. Strain and bottle
*Spread the barleys on an oven tray and dash with simple syrup. 180°C for 10 minutes. Put into a food blitzer until turned into powder