Dean & Nancy on 22 is taking Sydney drinkers into another dimension with the 2001 Space Odyssey, a sci-fi-inspired cocktail that has quickly become one of the standouts from the bar’s latest Time Machine menu.
The sky-high lounge, which was also a finalist in the 2026 Bar Awards, has built a reputation around highly conceptual cocktail menus, and this latest serve leans heavily into storytelling.
Inspired by Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, the cocktail combines Glenfiddich 21 Single Malt with apples, pears, cacao, cinnamon, Calvados and Paragon Timur Berry.
It is then served from a metallic pouch, a reference to the film’s use of light, reflection and altered perception.
Developed by the Dean & Nancy on 22 team in collaboration with Maybe Sammy, the cocktail forms part of the venue’s 14-drink Time Machine menu, which looks back at the people, inventions and pop-culture moments that helped shape the mid-century era.
Restaurant and Bar Manager Krisztian Csigo said the menu was designed to reconnect with the original inspiration behind Dean & Nancy.
“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,” said Csigo.
“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.”
“Our 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,” said Csigo.
Elsewhere on the menu, the Road Runner ‘Beep Beep’ takes inspiration from the Warner Brothers cartoon, serving a tequila-based cocktail in a custom 3D-printed dynamite vessel.
There is also Instant Camera, a vodka highball inspired by Edwin Land’s invention of the Polaroid. Guests are given a freshly snapped instant photo with the drink, turning the garnish into a keepsake from the night.
The menu continues Dean & Nancy’s approach of building its drinks list around a single theme and keeping each edition in place for a full year.