The Inspiration Behind a Beautiful Bouquet of Cocktails

What inspired these creative new seasonal cocktails?

Camellias

We wanted to draw inspiration from the pinnacle of produce season, highlighting the most seasonal items. Each cocktail is meant to challenge your concept of normal by introducing you to new techniques, flavor pairings, and presentations. The Camellias menu specifically gives ode to its name, with each cocktail named after a particular Camellia flower, making the full bouquet of a cocktail menu. Through tasting the menu, find fresh floral notes, vegetal richness, and herbal complexity.

Fiat Lux

The daily sunsets in Charleston, with their stunning array of colors, inspired the naming of the cocktails. The vibrant hues seen each evening made choosing names for the drinks simple. The goal for the menu is to use fresh and local ingredients to capture the essence of spring on the rooftop. Each cocktail has been uniquely crafted with its own distinct personality and flavor, offering something for every taste preference.

What are quintessential spring flavors we can expect to find on the menu?

Our cocktail menus offer a variety of spring-inspired flavors, featuring fresh herbs and flowers like rose, chamomile, lavender, basil, lemongrass, and thyme. Ingredients like refreshing fresh pressed juices and fruits are also highlighted such as watermelon, tomato, strawberry, pineapple, and cucumber.

What are the Top 5 Spring Cocktails to try at Camellias?

1. Ballet in Pink: Clarified Cocktail, featuring Vodka, Sloe Gin, House Made Strawberry Syrup, Rhubarb Liqueur, Port Wine, Citrus, Vanilla. (light, smooth, sweet).
2. E.G. Waterhouse: House made cucumber infused Tequila, house made Orange & Mint Syrup, Pineapple, Lemon, paired with Aperol Caviar Pearls (tart, herbal, refreshing)
3. Professor Charles S. Sargent: Ford's Gin, House Made Basil & Red Pepper Syrup, Fresh Pressed Cantaloupe Juice, Lemon, Fuego & Orange Bitters (vegetal, savory, spicy) 
4. Pink Perfection: House Made Coconut Fat-Washed Tequila, House Made Cilantro Syrup, Fresh Pressed Watermelon  Juice, Lime, Lychee Liqueur, topped with a fluffy Velvet Falernum & Cilantro Foam (tropical, light, sweet)
5. Spring Frill: Ford's Gin, Elderflower Liqueur, Huckleberry Syrup, Prosecco, Soda (effervescent, floral, sweet)

What are the Top 5 Spring Cocktails to try at Fiat Lux?

1. Tangerine Sky: A bright and floral cocktail featuring locally crafted Firefly Vodka, complemented by a bergamot-infused Italian liqueur, fresh lemon, grapefruit juice, and a house-made orange and rose syrup.
2. Black Dahlia: A spicy and sweet poolside cocktail utilizing house-made tequila infused with blistered shishito peppers, paired with fresh lime, watermelon juice, finished with black sea salt.
3. Cloud Nine: A light and vegetal cocktail featuring locally crafted Hat Trick Gin, paired with an aromatized aperitif wine, fresh pineapple, cucumber juice, thyme syrup, and a house-made Elderflower Liqueur caviar.
4. Pink Horizon: A light & refreshing cocktail featuring locally crafted Firefly Vodka, ginger liqueur, fresh lemon, strawberry-tomato water, a dash of salt & pepper, & house-made basil syrup. 
5. White Sails: A tropical tiki-style cocktail crafted with Coconut Rum & Amaretto, featuring lemongrass-infused coconut milk, orange bitters, fresh lime, & a touch of cinnamon.

Which cocktails feature local spirits?

We love incorporating local spirits to create a strong connection between our outlets and the community. Over two-thirds of our Fiat Lux menu features spirits from Charleston, including Firefly Vodka and Bourbon, as well as Hat Trick Gin. At Camellias, the Ballet in Pink also features local Firefly Vodka.

Pictured here is the Lavender Lady: A bright and herbal cocktail featuring locally crafted Hat Trick Gin with fresh citrus, butterfly pea flower tea, lavender syrup, and a house-made chamomile-infused foam.

Which menu items pair perfectly?

Camellias

Professor Charles S. Sargent pairs perfectly with the Saffron Risotto Arancini as the red pepper notes tie them together.

Fiat Lux

White Sails is the best complement to our Gochujang Wings. The smooth and creamy coconut milk soothes your palette and provides a refreshing contrast from the sweet chili sauce. That sauce pairs wonderfully with the cocktail’s bright lemongrass notes, creating a fantastic balance of flavors.

Pink Horizon is the perfect match for the Red Pepper Hummus. Its delicate flavors complement the lightness of the hummus platter, while the hints of strawberry, tomato, and basil enhance the fresh, vibrant taste of the hummus and crisp crudité.

Which cocktails are the most instagrammable?

Each cocktail boasts its own unique color and garnish, making them stand out beautifully even from across the bar but here are a few that really stand out:

• Ballet in Pink strikes a pose with a floral accented glass and pale pink transparent hue.
• E.G Waterhouse has a bright green tone with a strong orange contrast from the intriguing accent of Aperol caviar.
• Tangerine Sky showcases a delicate elegance, with a soft pink color and garnished with a fresh rose petal.
• Black Dahlia makes a bold statement with black sea salt and a freshly blistered shishito pepper for an element of surprise.
• Cloud Nine (pictured here) is a showstopper, featuring a striking mound of elderflower caviar perched on a cucumber slice.
• Lavender Lady, a stunningly vibrant violet cocktail crowned with chamomile foam and a delicate sprinkle of fresh chamomile flowers and dried lavender.

Decide for yourself which of our delicious spring cocktails are grid-worthy to post. Visit us on the rooftop or in the champagne bar this season.

And don’t forget to tag us at: @hotelbennett | @camelliaschs | @fiatluxchas