Dubai: World's most expensive cocktail sells for Dh156,000; uses wine from James Bond 007 recipe

Served in one-of-a-kind crystal glasses, crafted with served by a ‘celebrity’ bartender, a cocktail made in Dubai has set the world record for being the most expensive one ever sold. Sold for €37,500 – approximately Dh156,000 – at fine dining restaurant Nahate, the cocktail was purchased by Dubai-based model and entrepreneur Diana Ahadpour at the end of a fierce bidding war.

Andrey Bolshakov, beverage and marketing director at Nahate explained that the idea was to create the most luxurious cocktail and to do this, the family-run restaurant at DIFC pulled out all stops. At a special invite-only event, the drink was auctioned off to the highest bidder. The starting price of the cocktail was fixed at Dh60,000 but the demand for the drink saw the price quickly double to be finally sold for over Dh150,000.

“The lady who bought it was determined to be the one who got her hands on the ” he told Khaleej Times. “Once she won, she enjoyed her drink and shared some with her friends. It was a truly special event for everyone.”

Putting the drink together

From the glass it was served to the ingredients in it, the cocktail was truly special. The drink was served in special Baccarat glassware made in 1937 that had been kept in a museum until now. “Only two pieces of it were made from a very special crystal, using an outstanding technique to showcase the crafts of the masters,” he said. “They have never been used and I picked them up by myself from Paris and brought it to Dubai.”

 The buyer of the cocktail was given these special glasses as a keepsake. The restaurant’s partner Patron Tequila crafted a special-edition blend exclusively for the event. “The master distiller created just 500ml of this blend, which was picked up by our staff from Mexico, one week before the event,” he explained. “We also used (a special fruit wine) Kina Lillet, which was used in the original recipe of a cocktail created for James Bond 007. They do not produce the original version anymore and there are only just a few bottles remaining all over the world. The bottle we got was from 1950s.”

Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese

Salvatore and Andrey Bolshakov

A special beverage named Angostura bitters from the 1930s was chosen to complete the “super exclusive” drink.

The drink was mixed by Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese, one of the world’s most well-known bartenders. “He's an icon of the industry and he has made drinks for many celebrities,” he said. “Basically, we we wanted to create the most luxurious cocktail in the world- something very valuable in terms of the experience and not just what money can buy.”

Most expensive mocktail 

Meanwhile, Dubai added another over-the-top experience to its luxury dining scene yesterday with the launch of what’s billed as the world’s most expensive mocktail — priced at Dh12,099.

Unveiled at Jimmydixs Restaurant and Lounge in Barceló Hotel, Al Jaddaf, the dazzling drink is served in a pure silver goblet, which doubles as a keepsake for the guest.

The lavish concoction blends fresh cranberry, mint, pomegranate juice, sea salt, and 24-karat EU-certified edible gold water and dust. It’s paired with two starters — veg or non-veg — topped with edible gold foil and dust, tailored to the guest’s choice.

The idea was conceived by Indian expat Sucheta Sharma, founder of the Boho Café Group, and brought to life by Jimmydixs bar manager Fredrick. The group is known for turning everyday beverages into high-end indulgences.

Sharma dismissed any suggestion that the launch was a marketing gimmick.

"This is not a gimmick,” she said. “It’s about creating a memory.”

Chinese expat Yao Lei was the first to try the drink after winning a lucky draw at the launch. “It’s surreal,” he said. “I’m not sure I’ll ever order it again, but I’ll definitely keep the glass.”

Organisers said they will be submitting the mocktail for consideration by Guinness World Records.

Boho Café, which opened last October at DIFC’s Emirates Financial Towers, previously made headlines for its served with a silver cup and saucer. In November, a European tourist on a gold coffee, four gold croissants, and two scoops of gold ice cream.