The Sensorium experience… elemental lessons in understanding flavours

John Mulgrew

Sensorium experience

July 21 2022 04:30 PM

“There’s no way that’s banana,” a friend adamantly professes, half serious, half comic, as we sit in the upper floors of Belfast’s grand National Bank Building.

And as we sit, huffing various scents from inhaler-like devices, I realise to myself this isn’t a typical Saturday in the pub for a couple of pints.

This is Sensorium, one of two new drinks experiences as part of what’s now known as the Spirit Circle. It’s operated by the award-winning Taste and Tour, run by the ever-knowledgeable team of Caroline Wilson and Phil Ervine.

The idea with this particular experience is to break down and establish the elements that make up the things we like to consume, how we taste and smell, how that’s impacted by other factors, and ultimately the components we may prefer in our beverages – knowingly, or otherwise.

First off, it’s a very clever piece of design and set up. The venue sits above The National bar and tends to only be used in evenings and weekends, and thus, is a grand three-floor stage for The Spirit Circle during the day.

Our main host is another Phil, our guide, meandering through this journey across a couple of hours of tinctures and palate and sensory exploration.

I’m trying to write around the experience without being too prescriptive and spoiling any surprises or interesting elements along the way.

But, essentially, the bulk of the first element is about learning, evolving and understanding what makes up the taste profiles of the drinks we enjoy.

We start off with tackling the main five components of flavour (although learn there are certainly more), and then move on to identifying samples of tinctures and their main flavour components.

I think I’ve a half decent palate, and while I pick out a few on the nose, I’m knocked for six on others. Are you sure this isn’t candy floss?

We’ve a drink in hand while all of this is going on – something alcoholic but more of a palate cleanser.

We move on to the olfactory element of the day’s proceedings. A rubber latex nose looks up at us, nestled among small multi-coloured inhalers, each containing a different odour. Many of them stump us – familiar, yet unfamiliar.

Sensorium experience

Much of what we are doing here will shape our beverage choice on the final top floor later, but before then we are treated to an almost Orwellian multi-media experience half way up, complete with cocktail. Think something along the lines of Ridley Scott’s 1984 advert for Apple’s Macintosh.

From there, it’s off to the upper floor and drinks garden atop the grand building. The earlier work you’ve put in will go on to shape what your next beverage is. It’s an interesting one, and while I landed something I’d be unlikely to ever order in a bar, it sat well on the palate.

There’s also the opportunity to pick a final cocktail, this time listed by its character rather than simply a name. I choose well and end up with what I believe was a punchy Manhattan.

As the experience heads towards its conclusion, it feels like two hours well spent. Tickets for Sensorium start at £45, which essentially includes four drinks along the way. It’s an entertaining and informative experience which would work well with a group, or even just a couple of friends.

The Sensorium experience… elemental lessons in understanding flavours

Daily Headlines & Evening Telegraph Newsletter

Most Read

Top Videos

Watch: Video of two women fighting in Primark goes viral

Watch: Armagh couple's engagement video gains 20 million views on TikTok

Video: Shocking footage shows crowd encouraging two women as they brawl

Latest Food and Drink

Latest