What is a Mandala?

Traditionally Mandalas are diagrams containing geometric shapes that represent the universe, and they are used as as an aid to meditation by Buddhists, Hindus, and many other religions or societies.

The word means "whole," or "essence," so it's possible, for instance, to make a Mandala for a family using photographs of members of the family, pets, houses, etc, along with things pertinent to the family such as a poem that Aunt Emily wrote, or a recipe for Lamb Stew that has been passed down for generations.  A Mandala encapsulates the essence of its subject.

What is a Cocktail Mandala?

It's a concept I came up with recently.  A friend of mine makes Mandalas for individuals, families, and the like, and I thought that it was a nice concept to use to capture the soul of a cocktail.

This one is on a canvas, 11" by 14," which I painted, then I made it into a Mandala for the Aviation cocktail by adding the earliest known printed recipe, quotes about the drink, photographs, etc. Details here.

Why are there bottles of Beefeater, Beefeater 24, and Plymouth Gins on this Mandala?

Because the good folk at these fine gin companies are sponsoring an event at which I'll be giving this Mandala away to some lucky son-of-a-gun.  You'll hear about it soon.  Promise.

How Can You Get Your Own Personal Cocktail Mandala?

Commission your own Mandala by writing to gary@ardentspirits.com and asking for a free consultation.

Prices start at $2,500 for a Mandala measuring 11" by 14."