Grant Collin’s Drinks

With the impressive achievement of opening up 55 drinks venues under his belt, Grant Collins knows a thing or two about what makes the perfect drink, and just as importantly, what makes the perfect ambience to enjoy it in.  From London to the Maldives, from the Maldives to Asia and from Asia to London, Collins has racked up the air miles in a bid to serve Sydney some of the best cocktails around.  Since taking over Gin Lane in 2018, it has been listed in the ‘Top 5 Gin Bars in Australia’, a pretty impressive feat.  More recently, he has also opened up the Japanese themed Blossom Bar, just a few doors down.

So where does this inspiration come from?  According to Grant, ‘the creative cycle never really stops’ with a lot of inspiration coming from pastry and dessert chefs.  And this isn’t hard to tell, having a drink at a bar that has had the magic sprinkling of Collin’s creative flair really is like entering into the adult world of Willy Wonka.  Being presented with a bubblegum martini garnished (if you can call it a ‘garnish’) with a citrus smoke bubble from the barrel of a bubblegun, I was instructed to: pop with nose, sniff and drink.  Giddy with the excitement of the theatrics would be an understatement, but more importantly, these cocktails are not an instance of ‘style over substance’.  The unity of the senses, combining the sweet taste of bubblegum infused vodka with the heady scent of the citrus infused bubble, creates something truly unique.

Grant also divulges that often with new openings, the theme for the place comes before the creation of the drinks list, as the two need to compliment each other – everything from the music to the decor.  The other key factor to success are the staff – passionate, motivated, knowledgable staff are all part of creating the perfect customer experience.  So it seems that there is way more to enjoying the perfect beverage than you or I may have anticipated.

So the real question is… while in isolation how do we attempt to recreate some of this Grant Collin’s magic in our lives?  Well thanks to the wonders of modern technology we can now join him for ‘Virtual Friday Drinks’ and gain some insight into making cocktails at home.  However, if this all sounds like a little too much effort for your busy schedules, then why not take advantage of Gin Lane’s new ‘Drive Thru Cocktails and Bar Snacks menu’.  Pre-order via hello@ginlanesydney.com, await confirmation and have your order brought to your car (available Tuesday-Saturday).  For those lucky ones who are within 1km, you are able to get these delivered for free.  Watch this space for full delivery options within the coming weeks!

So why not add another bow to your string during this isolation period and tune in to hone your cocktail making skills, or take the slightly easier route and chill with a drink from Gin Lane’s impressive ‘Drive Thru’ menu and watch the master at work instead…