What happened: So as well as being brought into existence by thoroughly good guys, Hanging Ditch has a particularly idiosyncratic approach to its backbar: all the bottles are suspended from the ceiling, twinkling in the soft light like ethically-sourced diamonds. It’s honestly a stunning effect, and I suddenly understood why small babies can be so entranced by dangly items on a mobile. As well as looking glorious it’s also remarkably practical, by which I mean, all bottles appear to be easily grabbed for drinks making and no one seemed to hit their head.
The drinks I tried included….
La Rosita (pictured above): a spectacular mix of tequila, sweet and dry vermouth and campari, all of which I bloody adore and together they form a lushly layered drink with a hint of stickiness from the campari and resiny depth from everything else. I love it. It’s served down, in a glass as thick and sturdy as an aeroplane window, which adds to the general satisfyingness of it all.
Resperation: Vodka, lemon, elderflower, marmalade and peach: I mean. Obviously you’ve got some soft floral stuff happening here plus some distinct zinginess but honestly the only way I can describe it is that it tastes like that feeling you get when a couple on a TV show that you love finally, finally, finally kiss after you’ve been wanting them to for ages.
Gunpowder Blood and Sand: A drink I love on account of how deadly the name is, this classic is given new legs with Gunpowder, a smoky and aggressive local rum which pleasingly fogs up the varying layers of sweetness provided by the Cherry Heering and orange juice. I would’ve liked to have drank this out of a more sturdy glass, but it was so delicious that you could’ve poured it into my cupped hands and I would’ve been chill.
Daiquiris, plural: obviously they are very capable of making whatever classics you so desire as well as their own concoctions; and with a special on they were slinging excellent daiquiris all evening – all of which were a viciously well-balanced mix of sweet and sour and effortlessly drinkable.
Fernet: because I am a bartender and I accept my fate that fernet is now obligatory and inescapable.
I spy with my little eye, several babes that I know IRL, but let’s also appreciate the cool fit-out and also how much emptier that bottle of fernet is (photo courtesy of the swell Matthew McArthur)
On a scale of 1 to Is This The Real Life, Is It Just Fantasy: It’s a 1. So, quite often the stuff I get invited to that makes it to this blog is not stuff I can necessarily recreate on a regular basis but like, I will so be back here. This bar is DOPE. I am quite happy to spend money here and in fact spent several moneys there later on Sunday night. So saying that this is a 1 on the scale of 1 to bla bla bla is in fact a very good thing. Sure, the quantities and swank-ness of the drinks may have been at a higher level than I can normally back myself for, but this is absolutely not the last time I’ll be having them.
Would I do this again for not-free: See the above paragraph, but: obviously.
Earnest thanks for making me feel fancy to: Hanging Ditch, which can be found at 14 Leeds Street, just next to Goldings and the Wellington Chocolate Factory. Opening a bar in Wellington is not the surest and most straightforward path to success and/or a good night’s sleep, but I have a good feeling about this one. And – feel free to read the Fancy Plans and Pants To Match archive while you’re here.
A lovely article from a lovely lass, thanks for all the shout outs for my pictures.
@MatthewJMc
LikeLike
“honestly the only way I can describe it is that it tastes like that feeling you get when a couple on a TV show that you love finally, finally, finally kiss after you've been wanting them to for ages.”
LAURA SOLD I am going there and trying this drink immediately
LikeLike