W Cosmo: Carrie Bradshaw Would Be Pleased But Confused

“This is a cosmopolitan, right?” I asked the bartender, pointing to the item on the menu.

“Yes,” she assured me.

My confusion was justifiable. How many cosmos have you seen like this?

 

The W Cosmo, available at the ground floor bar of the W Hotel in Barcelona, is a world away from the usual cranberry tipple.

The description: “Skyy Vodka, Campari, apple juice, passion fruit and sugar.”

What I tasted: Absolutely no vodka passed my taste buds, although I did detect a faint whisper of bitter Campari. The apple juice sweetened, as did the sugar, while the passion fruit frothed everything up.

Overall, it was pleasant but I wanted something a bit more challenging. Cosmos are supposed to be a sipping drink. This version was more like a smoothie and slid down my throat too easily.

I’ve stated previously that I don’t like Campari. Surprisingly, however, I think this cosmo could benefit from an extra splash of it. It might help tamper the sweetness and put the brakes on consumption. Alternatively, how about adding a squeeze of lime?

Cosmopolitan girls like Carrie Bradshaw would probably be pleased to meet this drink, but I think it’d only be a mild flirtation. It’s hard to surpass a classic cosmo recipe.