The American cocktail of the pre-prohibition era was long considered an aid to good appetite, digestion, and cheer. These potent potables were created to be savoured and enjoyed as much for their tastes as for their effects.

Prior to prohibition, cocktails such as the Manhattan, Martini, and Rob Roy were made with fine quality spirits and fresh juices or fruits. New drinks owed their invention either to unusually enterprising bartenders, or to imaginative (and sometimes daring) patrons longing for new savours and flavours. During this time, “Have you tried this one?” was almost as common a prelude to something as, “Have you heard this one?”.

Once prohibition was enacted, the “Golden Age of Cocktails” was thrown into a “Dark Age” of sorts, where top-shelf spirits were lost to bathtub gin and rot-gut whiskey. Many Americans raised during the Speakeasy age never truly knew what a good quality drink was.

This collection of chocolate bonbons, crafted by The Chocolate Lab, represents an homage to nine classic pre-prohibition cocktails, using authentic cocktail preparations inspired by the 1935 Waldorf-Astoria bar book. Each cocktail is crafted with high-quality spirits and paired with complimentary fine chocolates sourced from different cacao-growing regions.

Cheers!