Ghost Labs has launched a new line of ready-to-drink cocktails created by a stellar lineup of creatives, including former Diageo bigwig Anthony Wilson and leading chef Alex Claridge, who you might recognise from Great British Menu.
Looking like the drinks-world equivalent of The Ordinary skincare, Ghost Labs is a visually minimalist, design-led innovation which reimagine cocktails as you know them - namely being overly colourful boarding on garish, deceptively strong and simultaneously sweet.
The best way we can describe them is if Heston Blumenthal turned to cocktail mixology, as Ghost Labs - perhaps unsurprisingly for someone with ‘Lab’ in its name - use science to create the colourless cocktails. It breaks down the ingredients on a molecular level, and rebuilds them to create a final product that is completely clear, whilst still retaining its full flavour profile.
What's in the range?
Each ready-to-drink can is enigmatically named after its spirits base including ‘Gin’, ‘Tequila’, ‘Whisky’, ‘Rum’ and ‘Vodka’ - we did warn you they were minimalist. And speaking of minimalist, the Ghost Labs range has minimal calories, with just 110 kcals per 300ml can. No cocktail shakers, no waistcoats, no colour; in their words, it’s drinks without the nonsense.
Its Gin features grapefruit, lychee, and cucumber whilst the Tequila is paired with grapefruit, maple, and chili. Its Whisky has honey, pear, and gingerbread to bring a warm honey taste. The Rum is blended with coconut, passionfruit and vanilla, bringing all the tropical vibes that you’d hope for. Finally, its Vodka is made with espresso, cascara cherry, and guarana. And to save you Googling it, cascara cherries are the dried skins of coffee cherries, and guarana is a climbing plant which has approximately four times the amount of caffeine than found in coffee beans. You might recognise it from energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster, so the Rum cocktail sounds like it packs a caffeinated punch.
Ghost Labs’ aim is to address the annoyances that often come with ordering drinks, like long queues, and inconsistent pours at venues and festivals. Whilst you may think the packaging is simple, it’s deliberately designed to stand out.
Each 300ml can is 5% ABV and contains 110 calories. A six-pack retails for £18 and can be found at Selfridges, Zapp, and via the Ghost Labs official website.
