One night. Five flavours.
A global cocktail journey through taste, scent, sound and story.
Created as a one-night-only activation for Mount Gay and Rémy Cointreau, this experience invited brand ambassadors from around the world to explore the five basic tastes through immersive cocktails.
Each guest entered blindfolded and in small groups, moving through five sensorial zones designed to ignite sight, aroma, sound, touch and taste.
Every station was anchored by a cocktail and layered with lighting, scent, props, music and character-led service. From UV-lit bitterness to playful fetish-inspired sweetness, every detail was engineered to surprise and delight.
The space was structured for movement and discovery. With staggered entry, ambient sound design and purpose-built props, we created a theatrical world within a working bar environment. Designed for press, social, and long-term recall, this was cocktail storytelling at its most layered.
Imagine willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, but instead of chocolate replace it with spirits and willy Wonka himself is a Mexican man called Eduardo.
- Natalie Jahangiry, Founder, Designer & Editor, To Work or Play
Guests welcomed with clipboards and grouped in fives.Served a palate cleanser and blindfolded before entry.
Barbados Terrace Theme
Cocktail: Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum Punch
Glassware: Small barrel
Area 01: the fetish indulgence
Setting: Low lighting, fetish props, masks, candles
Characters: Latex dominatrix and masked host
Taste: Sweet
Cocktail: Peanut & Mezcal Cocktail
Peanut Infused Nuestra Soledad Mezcal
Chipotle Syrup
Masa Water (Pozol)
Coconut Water
Peychaud’s Bitters
Coriander Seeds
Crushed Peanut
Lemon Zest
Burnt Masa Powder
Glassware: Broken plant pot base with internal bag
Area 02: fish and chips
Setting: Fishmonger stall with paper, hot lighting, salt and vinegar aromas
Characters: Turkish-Albanian-English fryer
Taste: Umami
Cocktail: Fish & Chips Cocktail
Mushy Peas Infused Tanqueray 10 Gin
Mushy Peas Infused Noilly Prat Vermouth
Mushy Peas Shrub
Himalayan Salt Ice
Lemon, Vinegar & Olive Oil Essence
Pea Cress
Glassware: Fish & chips takeaway box
Setting: Fully blacked-out UV-lit space with jungle spice aromas
Characters: All black outfits with white masks and gloves
Taste: Bitter
Cocktail: Aquarium Cocktail
Mount Gay Black Barrel
Lejay Green
Apple Liqueur
Bay Leaf, Vanilla and Bajan Syrup
Orange Zest
Tonic
Glassware: LED-lit aquarium-style glass
Setting: Royal Navy and island props with anchors, molasses, coral reef, sails
Characters: 1700s English sailors
Taste: Sour
Cocktail: Red Sea Cocktail
Mount Gay Black Barrel
Cointreau
Cranberry Shrub
Edible Rocks
Gummy
Samphire
Aji Powder
Edible Snail Gummy
Glassware: Long round transparent dish
Setting: Archaeological dig with ancient sculptures, salt, cacao, corn
Characters: Explorer and historian inspired by Indiana Jones
Taste: Salty
Cocktail: Popcorn & Pistachio Cocktail
Popcorn Fat-Washed Wild Turkey 81
Lejay Dark Chocolate Liqueur
Pecan Syrup
Lemon Juice
Cocoa Powder
Egg White
Roasted Meringue
Pistachio Dust
Glassware: Warm bubbled glass
Flavour is more than taste.
It’s story, space, rhythm, and emotion.
This was a journey through five senses. Crafted with purpose, layered with surprise, and led by the world’s most inspiring voices in drinks.
- EDUARDO DE LA MORA
Founder & CEO, Maya Hospitality
