SYDNEY: A science fiction-inspired cocktail is sparking the imagination at Sydney’s most stylish sky-high bar, Dean & Nancy on 22, evoking wonder and curiosity from guests and quickly becoming a crowd-favourite.
The 2001 Space Odyssey cocktail was inspired by the classic 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey which centres on the spacecraft Discovery One and its onboard AI, HAL 9000. Made with Glenfiddich 21 Single Malt, apples, pears, cacao, cinnamon, Calvados and Paragon Timur Berry, the drink is served from a metallic pouch to symbolise the film’s compelling use of light, symmetry, reflection and altered perception – a cocktail that not only delights the senses, but is turning heads and igniting conversations.
Developed by the award-winning team at Dean & Nancy on 22 in collaboration with the world-renowned team at Maybe Sammy, the 2001 Space Odyssey is one of 14 bespoke cocktail creations on the bar’s Time Machine menu, each one inspired by the legends, events and pop-culture moments of the mid-century era.
Other stand-out creations include the Road Runner ‘Beep Beep’, a playful tribute to the beloved Warner Brothers’ cartoon that serves a tequila-based cocktail in a custom 3D printed dynamite bar vessel, along with Instant Camera, a vodka highball that channels the childlike curiosity that sparked Edwin Land’s invention of the Polaroid. Guests receive a freshly snapped instant photo as their garnish – a keepsake from their night in the sky.
Dean & Nancy on 22’s Restaurant & Bar Manager, Krisztian Csigo said the Time Machine menu was a nod to the venue’s origins, and the result of months of research finding both iconic and less well-known stories of the era.
“I wanted to take us back to the roots of the original concept behind Dean & Nancy which is the 50s-60s golden era of hotel bars, and this menu takes our guests on a journey back to this era,” he said. “Our Time Machine menu celebrates the people and moments that shaped a generation, brought to life through playful techniques, vintage references and modern mixology – it’s a fun and nostalgic trip back in time.
“The 2001 Space Odyssey is the perfect example of how a cocktail can blend history, pop-culture, storytelling and liquid artistry to deliver a thought-provoking and multi-sensory experience you’ll want to come back for.”
Dean & Nancy’s signature cocktail menus have become a fixture on Sydney’s prestigious bar scene – meticulously themed and crafted with such detail that it remains in place for a full year, inviting guests to keep coming back to savour each creation.Their flair and ingenuity for blending craftsmanship with storytelling saw Dean & Nancy included in the 2026 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards as a Top 10 Honoree in the Best International Hotel Bar (APAC) category for the fourth consecutive year.
