Wessex Scene were invited to an exclusive trip to Turtle Bay to try the new cocktails on their menu. We brought five of our most excited tasters to review the seven new drinks.
The reviewers:
Alyssa-Caroline – ‘My signature cocktail is a strawberry pornstar martini from Slug & Lettuce.’
Martha – ‘I am no stranger to a happy hour, 2-for-1, or a student night – and I’ll (almost) never say no to a Jägerbomb. I normally go for fruity/juicy cocktails or creamy dessert-type drinks, so I was upset that White Caribbean had been taken off the menu to create space for the new Turtle Bay drinks.’
Jade – ‘I like to keep my cocktails simple, a sucker for classics like sex on the beach and blue lagoon. I wouldn’t say I’m a classy drinker, more of a ‘drink to get drunk’ type.’
Jago – ‘I’m a heavy drinker, big fan of ciders and cocktails.’
Emily – ‘I’m usually done after one drink and I prefer drinks that taste like juice, mm juice.’
Kingston Solero (ve) – White rum, mango, passionfruit, coconut milk, vanilla, & fresh lime
Alyssa-Caroline – 2/10: ‘A tangy and confusing big yike in a glass.’
Martha – 8/10: ‘I was a big fan of this drink! Like the name, it tasted of a solero lolly (one of my favourites) and went down very easily. The coconut milk & vanilla make it a great after-dinner drink.’
Jade – 6/10: ‘If watery juice is your cup of tea then you’ve found the one.’
Jago – 2/10: ‘Just under the boundary of curdled milk and slightly sweet as well.’
Emily – 6/10: ‘It’s literally ice cream. I’m not sure if this would sit well if you have lots of them but I’d happily keep drinking it.’
Grapefruit Fizz – Aperol, passionfruit, grapefruit & Prosecco
Alyssa-Caroline – 7/10: ‘I don’t normally go for tangy or citrusy, but this one is a refreshing deviation from my norm! Tastes like how you feel on beach holiday mornings when everything’s warm and sunny and you can see the waves crashing on the shore.’
Martha – 7/10: ‘This cocktail gave me sunny beach holiday vibes! It was light and fruity, and would go well with brunch (regular, not bottomless).’
Jade – 4/10: ‘Maybe I’m just not classy enough for this one because I can’t get over the bitterness.’
Jago – 10/10: ‘Gorgeous taste slight fizz to it; a smooth easy flavour to drink; I’ve found when I start it’s more bitter and sharp but gets really enjoyable after a few sips in I was told could mix it instead.’
Emily – 10/10: ‘An absolute yumfest. It’s like a San Pellegrino all grown up, and the bitter grapefruit and the tangy fizz makes what could have been a bit too much truly spectacular.’
Spiced Julep (ve) – Duppy share spiced & tequila, fresh lime, mint, apple & ginger beer
Alyssa-Caroline – 2/10: ‘Orange juice meets toothpaste for trauma in a cup.’
Martha – 7/10: ‘Again. This drink was spritely, with a little fire in it’s belly. I am not usually a tequila drinker, but this spiced & fruity drink definitely persuades me.’
Jade – 9/10: ‘Like a cuddle from the inside, it leaves you warm and tingly.’
Jago – 8/10: ‘Can’t taste the tequila so that’s nice, exactly what I expected; before drinking it a spicy taste with a warm feeling on the throat.’
Emily – 5/10: ‘Definitely not my favourite of the night but wasn’t too bad. The ginger is quite an overwhelming flavour.’
Rum Runner (ve) – White rum, amaretto & banana liqueur, fresh lime, grapefruit & raspberry
Alyssa-Caroline – 3/10: ‘A nightmare in a glass.’
Martha – 5/10: ‘This drink was mostly ice, sadly. Though it would be great for anyone with a super sweet tooth, it wasn’t for me. I am not a parma violets fan, and Rum Runner definitely made me think of that kind of sugar sweet.’
Jade – 8/10: ‘Reminds me of a pack of love hearts, sweet and yummy!’
Jago – 6/10: ‘It tasted sweet with a strong sense of raspberry. No one has yet stepped forward to properly describe it.’
Emily – 6/10: ‘While the prospect of banana liqueur was a bit scary, it didn’t stand out and the drink was well balanced. It was, however, like drinking an entire packet of sweets which felt very weird.’
Pineapple Daiquiri (ve) – Jamaica Cove pineapple rum & triple sec, fresh lime & pineapple
Alyssa-Caroline – 1/10: ‘You know that feeling when you really want to like someone but they’re just the worst? …yeah. This drink is the taste of that disappointment.’
Martha – 6/10: ‘This drink was fruity but warming, a slightly odd sensation but nice nonetheless. Would I say yes if you offered me one? Yes, but it’s not top of my list.’
Jade – 5/10: ‘Pineapple bites back.’
Jago – 6/10: ‘Stronger taste of alcohol than others, sharp aftertaste, strong taste of pineapple, and is quite bitter.’
Emily – 6/10: ‘Originally my score for this drink was much lower; it was very strong and overwhelming. After a couple more sips, it relaxed a bit and the pineapple was a nice change to a classic.’
Montego Bay (ve) – Wray & Nephew, falernum, fresh lime, apple & pineapple
Alyssa-Caroline – 0/10: ‘What do this cocktail and Donald Trump have in common? They’re both orange, vile, and begging to be cancelled.’
Martha – 1/10: ‘The worst has been saved until now. This drink is a backstabber. You take a sip, and think ooh fruity! Then, a horrible aftertaste (which made me think of toilet cleaner) creeps in. One sip was far too many for me.’
Jade – 3/10: ‘I never knew what bonfire smoke tasted like until now.’
Jago – 6/10: ‘Similar taste to the daiquiri: strong taste of alcohol, slightly of pineapple. I don’t mind it despite the majority criticism.’
Emily – 5/10: ‘Slightly uninteresting apart from one thing: why did it keep changing from yellow to green?’
Coconut & Grapefruit Mojito (ve) – Koko Kanu & white rum, fresh coconut, mint, lime & grapefruit
Alyssa-Caroline – 4/10: ‘Listerine meets vanilla for a pairing no one asked for.’
Martha – 10/10: ‘A slow drink, but super refreshing! I ordered this one again…’
Jade – 8/10: ‘It should be being served by a topless waiter on a beach somewhere glamorous.’
Jago – 6/10: ‘Strong. Taste the coconut and got a minty taste.’
Emily – 8/10: ‘Yummy and refreshing. I also ordered this again but I would avoid it at Happy Hour – it catches in your throat a bit after half a glass so two might be a bit too much.’
You can read about Turtle Bay’s updated menu here, as well how to book.
