From the 26th July – 31 Aug, for one month only, Grape & Olive Bar held The Spicy Cocktail Challenge!
The challenge consists of four carefully crafted chilli drinks at $25 each. They were all limited edition cocktails and each drink was hotter than the last. It could be completed alone or in a group, but only one prize was handed out per challenge started, and each drink had to be finished entirely.
Round 1
Garnished with a Ginger crystal and Jalepeno, this drink had a hint of pepper, only the slightest taste of spice in drinks.
A nice drink to ease into the challenge and most people could finish this drink without difficulty.
Spice level: 1/5
Round 2
This round was a Mezcal Old-Fashioned with a kick. I found this drink quite smooth because I am a fan of mezcal with its smoky taste. If you’re a fan of dark spirits neat or negronis, you might have liked this one also.
This one was definitely the real start to the spice challenge, but it was still easy to finish.
Spice level: 3/5
Round 3
This was the group favourite. A sweet and spicy pineapple margarita. It brought the heat, but a lot of the spice came from the glass’ garnished rim. Plus, the sweetness of the pineapple juice would cut through, ending the drink on a high note.
Apparently, this was the round where most people stopped the challenge. I think that’s fair enough, as it was definitely the spiciest margarita I have ever had.
Spice level: 4/5
Round 4
A bloody mary made from tomato juice and pure spice! This was still a bold and tasty drink – it had to be sipped because it was so spicy. They gave us a glass of milk in between this round, and I’m glad they did because the spice also lingered for a long time after drinking.
I loved the little chillis made into devil horns for the garnish – such a cute presentation for a fiery drink.
Spice level: 6/5
Overall, this was a fun challenge and great activity with friends for a night out. I would order all except the last drink again! We made it through all the rounds, so stay tuned for when we head back to enjoy our prize!
Thanks for joining me on my journey!
For more cocktail content, check out my favourite bars in the Auckland CBD and my pinterest board!
