Absent Ear, which won Brugal 1888’s Best Cocktail Bar at this year’s Scottish Bar and Pub Awards, has unveiled a revolutionary new menu – its first in two years – promising cutting-edge mixology with immersive Scottish art to deliver a unique cocktail experience.
In a UK first, guests are transported into a two-floor digital gallery where art featuring “weird and wonderful drinks and everything in between” and where the cocktail inspires the cocktail from the art.
Two years in the making, chief creative Liam Grogan has paired minimalist precision with, “maximalist indulgence to offer guests a multisensory drink adventure.”
Absent Ear’s Fragola-Rama cocktail is inspired by bespoke artwork by Glasgow artist Sophie Rowan, and a tribute to strawberry in its most refined forms with Diplomatico Planas Rum, Manzanilla Sherry, and Strawberry. Meanwhile, Two & a Choux features Coconut, coffee, birch caramel, and a decadent pastry cream foam, inspired by Glasgow artist Rory Kennedy’s piece, Coffee.
Liam Grogan, general manager and head of drinks development at Absent Ear, explained, “This menu is the culmination of everything we’ve been working toward as a team.
“Absent Ear has always been about bold, creative flavours, and this time we’ve pushed ourselves to make drinks that aren’t just great cocktails—they’re experiences. Whether it’s a minimalist creation like Fragola-Rama or a maximalist spectacle like Roobarb & Custard, this menu represents the absolute best of what we do.”
Each drink reflects innovation at its finest, with techniques like cryo-concentration and lacto-fermentation pushing flavour boundaries. Signature ingredients like Coconut² and Strawberry³ showcase layered complexity and sustainability.
Alex Riches, Head of Operations at Absent Ear, said, “Our new menu represents the pinnacle of what we’ve been striving towards at Absent Ear, and we couldn’t be prouder of what the team has achieved.
“Absent Ear’s mission is to elevate Glasgow hospitality, push drink boundaries, and cement Absent Ear’s reputation as an award winning cocktail destination.”