41 DEGREES: COULD THIS BE THE BEST SPOT FOR COCKTAILS IN TBILISI, GEORGIA?
The Cost -$24
The Atmosphere – Finding this article is thankfully much easier than finding 41 Degrees without any help - so you are already one step ahead of the game. The very cool cocktail spot is located in the passageway into a residential building on the same side of Galaktion Tabidze Street as Vino Underground, a popular wine bar. 41 Degrees’ metal door has what appears to be an address on it but it is actually just the number 41 with a degrees symbol, not 410. Check out our picture for some help with identifying exactly where the bar is.
Once you make it inside, you will be welcomed into a shabby chic industrial-looking room with a bar in the middle, stools around it, and a few high tables along the walls. The décor isn’t anything that is going to blow you away, but it is all about the craft cocktails at this spot that fits about 20 guests and serves many in-the-know locals. There are no reservations accepted but if you get there on the earlier side, you are likely to have an easier time getting a seat.
Opened in 2018 by Roman Milostivy, a very impressive bartender, 41 Degrees Art of Drinks has a great-sized list of both signature cocktails that do not change as well as a more seasonal, sometimes even weekly, menu of specialty cocktails and new creations. All of the available cocktails are hand-written out in an elementary school-style notebook for patrons to review and order from. The creative cocktails feature homemade syrups, bitters, and liquors that use local and traditional Georgian and regional ingredients
The Order – Santo Bello, Golden Fleece, and a Gamlet.
The Fantastic - The Santo Bello, a mix that features cognac and Zigu, a natural, sweet dessert wine made in Kakheti from grape juice, wine, and Chacha, a traditional Georgian brandy made from grape pomace. The cocktail also contains Cherry Heering, a sweet cherry liquor, Noilly Prat, the French handcrafted vermouth, and palo santo, a South American tree that gives the drink wood and pine flavors. Overall, the dark cocktail, which is served in a tall coupe-like glass, is delicious, has a unique taste, and is surprisingly not too sweet – it’s a wonderful cocktail to enjoy pre or post-dinner.
The Golden Fleece was equally as good though. A gin base with matsoni, a fermented yogurt that has been eaten in Georgia for over 600 years, triple sec, tkemali cordial, a liqueur made from the popular Georgian sour green plum, lemon juice, sugar, and soda, the Golden Fleece was a delight. The white cocktail, which is served in a tall glass, had a great texture to it because of the matsoni and really highlighted some wonderful Georgian ingredients that aren’t frequently used in cocktails, even within the country.
The Great – The Gamlet is a simpler cocktail, but it was still very enjoyable, and it also had a unique Georgian flavor to it. The only ingredients in the drink, which is a play on a gimlet, are gin and tkemali cordial, which replaces the lime in the classic cocktail. Because of the tkemali’s acidity and sour taste, it does well to replace the lime and creates a really nice cocktail that has become a signature for the bar.
The Verdict - 41 Degrees is a must-visit spot for any cocktail drinkers that find themselves in Tbilisi. The creativity and uniqueness of the menu and the care that goes into making each drink is something that deserves to be recognized and the way that Georgian flavors and culture are brought into the cocktails is quite impressive. When you go, make sure to try the Santo Bello and the Golden Fleece if they are on the menu!