Tarot Card Cocktails
A Sip of Fate…
“The true Tarot is symbolism; it speaks no other language and offers no other signs.”
– Arthur Edward Waite, The Key to the Tarot, 1910
We’ve turned over the cards, and behind each one sits a cocktail waiting to be poured.
This season, we’re bringing six of the Major Arcana to the Copper Bar, each card reimagined as a drink built to match its meaning, its mood, and its warning. The Sun’s golden optimism. The Moon’s hazy mystery. The Devil’s velvet temptation. Every glass tells its own story, and every story has a twist waiting in the wings if the cards fall reversed.
This isn’t a gimmick menu. We went back to the origins of tarot itself, a deck born in Renaissance Italy centuries before anyone thought to read a future in it, and let that history shape the way we built each drink. Keep reading to see how a 15th-century card game became a cocktail menu, and which card you’ll draw first.
This page takes you inside that process, where storytelling, fortune, and spirits came together in one unforgettable menu.
Keep reading to uncover your fate…
Select Your Card To Discover Your Reading…
The History of Tarot
A Card Game Before It Was a Fortune
Tarot didn’t begin in a candlelit parlour with a fortune teller and a crystal ball. It began as a party trick for the Italian aristocracy.
Tarot began in 15th-century Italy, in the courts of Milan and Ferrara, where it was created for a card game called Tarocchi or Trionfi – meaning triumphs or trumps. It was a trick-taking game, and the wealthy nobility of Renaissance Italy would gather to play for entertainment and prestige. The oldest surviving set, the Visconti-Sforza deck, was created for the Duke of Milan’s family around 1440, hand-painted and built for a duke’s card table rather than a diviner’s.
The deck held four suits still recognisable today, Cups, Swords, Coins, and Batons (now more often called Wands). Alongside them sat 21 trump cards and one wildcard: Il Matto, the Fool, which could be played at any time to dodge following suit or losing a valuable card. Everybody wanted the Fool in their hand… some things about card games never change.
Those 21 trumps depicted figures instantly recognisable to a 15th-century player, the Emperor and Empress, the Pope, the Wheel of Fortune, Death, the Sun, the World. This wasn’t mystical code. It was the visual shorthand of medieval Christian morality and courtly life, dressed up for a game of trumps.
From Trick-Taking to Fortune-Telling
The leap from game to divination took another three hundred years. The shift happened gradually between the 18th and 19th centuries, sparked first by the theories of Antoine Court de Gébelin in 1781, a French scholar who claimed the cards secretly encoded the wisdom of Egyptian priests of Thoth. It was a beautiful story.
It was also invented. There’s zero archaeological evidence to support any Egyptian origin, and modern scholarship has debunked the myth entirely. But the myth stuck, and it did its job, it gave tarot a mystique that carried it out of the card room and into the séance.
Not long after, the fortune teller Etteilla published his own theories between 1783 and 1789, building the first deck designed specifically for reading rather than playing. Tarot had officially changed careers.
The Deck We’d Recognise Today
In 1909, the British mystic Arthur Edward Waite, a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, commissioned fellow member Pamela Colman Smith to illustrate a new 78-card deck. Before that deck, the Minor Arcana looked like plain playing cards, three cups meant the Three of Cups and nothing more. Smith changed that. She painted all 78 cards as full scenes, turning every card into something you could read on sight, without a book in hand.
That deck – now known as the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot – is the one still shaping how the world pictures the Sun, the Moon, and the Devil. It’s the deck we drew from too.
Understanding the Major & Minor Arcana
A full tarot deck holds 78 cards, split into two very different jobs…
Minor Arcana:
The Minor Arcana are the 56 cards of everyday life, four suits, from Ace through King, covering the small stuff. A difficult conversation. A stroke of luck at work. A quiet Tuesday. They’re the texture of a life, one card at a time.
Major Arcana:
The Major Arcana are the other 22. These are the headline cards, the Fool, the Sun, Death, the World, each one a chapter title rather than a sentence. Where the Minor Arcana whispers, the Major Arcana announces. These are the cards that turn up in films, tattoos and conversation even among people who’ve never held a full deck. Everybody knows the Devil card. Fewer people could tell you what the Five of Pentacles means.
Why We Chose Six Cards From the Major Arcana
Twenty-two cards was never going to fit on one drinks list, so the real work was choosing which six earned a glass.
We wanted cards a guest could recognise the moment they read the name, no tarot manual required. The Major Arcana does that instinctively. It’s built from archetypes, not footnotes, and that’s the same instinct behind everything we do at the Copper Bar: theatrical, a little flamboyant, and never so obscure that the story gets lost before the first sip.
Six also leaves the deck half-drawn on purpose. Sixteen Major Arcana cards are still waiting in the wings, Death, the Tower, the Star, the World among them, which means there’s a second act to this menu somewhere down the line, whenever we’re ready to turn the next card.
Our Tarot Card Cocktails
The Sun
Joy, success, optimism…
The Sun is the most straightforwardly happy card in the deck, so we built the most straightforwardly happy drink to match.
Golden Hour Spritz
Vodka, Passoã, topped with Prosecco and orange juice, finished with a dehydrated orange wheel.
Symbolism Behind the Ingredients…
Prosecco does the heavy lifting here, bringing the lift and fizz of celebration to the very first sip. Passoã adds a warm, sun-ripened sweetness underneath it, the kind of flavour that feels like the first properly warm afternoon of the year. Orange juice rounds the whole thing out into something bright and unfussy, and the dehydrated orange wheel floats on top like its own small sunrise.
There’s no shadow hiding in this glass. It’s built to be drunk in good company, ideally outside, ideally without checking the time.
When reversed:
Negativity, self-doubt, clouds over happiness…
Turned upside down, the Sun loses its warmth. Success curdles into self-doubt, and the clouds roll in over what should be a clear day.
The reversed twist: We pull the Passoã and bring in Campari instead. The sweetness that carried the original drink gives way to bitterness, and that golden, easy glow turns sharp and a little unsettled. The same spritz, seen through a very different mood.
Your Reading…
This is a moment for celebration, and you’ve earned it. Recognition finds you now, for work well done or simply for who you are when you stop hiding it. Confidence draws people toward you, so let your enthusiasm show rather than talking it down. Whatever’s been quietly building is about to start paying off. Ask for what you want today, the answer is more likely to be yes than you expect.
When reversed: Something’s dimming a moment that should feel brighter. Don’t let a passing setback convince you the whole picture has changed, because it hasn’t. Watch for self-doubt creeping in where confidence used to sit, and resist the urge to shrink yourself to avoid disappointment. The clouds will pass. Give yourself permission to feel good again, rather than waiting for permission from anyone else.
the moon
Mystery, intuition, dreams…
The Moon is the deck’s most unreliable narrator, a card about instinct, illusion, and the things we sense but can’t quite name.
Midnight Mirage
Gin, elderflower liqueur, blueberry syrup and lemon juice, topped with tonic water and garnished with blueberries.
Symbolism Behind the Ingredients…
Gin sets a cool, botanical backbone, and the elderflower liqueur drifts over the top of it like something half-glimpsed rather than clearly seen. Blueberry syrup deepens the colour into a bruised, nocturnal shade, while the lemon juice keeps a sharp edge running underneath all that softness, intuition cutting through the haze. Topped with tonic water, the drink stays pale and slightly luminous, closer to moonlight on water than anything served under a bright bar light.
It’s a drink that rewards sitting with it a while. Not everything reveals itself on the first sip.
When reversed:
Confusion, deception, anxiety…
Reversed, the Moon’s intuition tips over into confusion, the same fog, but without any of the clarity underneath it.
The reversed twist: the gin steps aside, and the tonic water is swapped for ginger beer on top. The result is warmer and more unsettled than the original, with a spiced heat replacing the clean botanical calm, the same midnight setting, but the ground feels less steady underfoot.
Your Reading…
Not everything needs an explanation tonight. Your instincts are unusually sharp right now, picking up on things your rational mind hasn’t caught up to yet. Trust the quiet pull toward, or away from someone, even without a reason you can put into words. This isn’t the moment to force clarity or make big decisions. Sit with the uncertainty a little longer and let the answer surface on its own.
When reversed: Something isn’t quite what it seems, and a part of you already knows it. Anxiety may be colouring how you’re reading a situation, making it feel bigger or darker than it is. Before you react, separate what you actually know from what you’re only fearing. Someone close to you may be holding something back, give them the chance to be honest before you assume the worst.
the lovers
Connection, romance, harmony…
The Lovers is a card about union, two things becoming something better together. Therefore we designed a drink built on a pairing rather than a dominant flavour.
Twin Flame
Raspberry vodka, lychee liqueur, cranberry juice and lime juice, garnished with raspberries.
Symbolism Behind the Ingredients…
Raspberry vodka and lychee liqueur sit at the heart of the drink as the two halves of the story, one sharp and fruity, the other floral and soft, neither one trying to overpower the other. Cranberry juice threads them together with a tartness that keeps things from tipping into anything too sweet, and lime juice sharpens the finish just enough to stop the romance turning saccharine.
The raspberry garnish floats on top as the closing image, two flavours, resolved into one glass, one story.
When reversed:
Imbalance, conflict, difficult choices…
Reversed, the Lovers stop being about harmony and start being about the crossroads, imbalance, conflict, and a choice that can’t be avoided any longer.
The reversed twist: the lychee liqueur is removed, and a float of red wine takes its place on top. The soft floral note disappears, replaced by something heavier and more serious sitting over the drink, the balance visibly disrupted, the way the card intends.
Your Reading…
A relationship in your life deserves your full attention right now, whether that’s romantic, family, or a close friendship. Say the thing you’ve been holding back, appreciation lands differently when it’s spoken rather than assumed. This is a moment for choosing what truly matters to you, and letting go of the connections that have quietly stopped serving you. Harmony is available, but it asks you to be honest first.
When reversed: A choice you’ve been avoiding has become harder to keep avoiding. Tension in a relationship is asking to be addressed rather than smoothed over one more time. Check whether you’ve been giving more than you’re receiving, or the other way round, the balance has slipped somewhere. Whatever the difficult conversation is, it will cost you less than the silence has.
the magician
Manifestation, power, creativity, making things happen.…
The Magician is the card of raw potential turned into action. It’s the only card on this list where we reached for smoke, because the Magician doesn’t just mix ingredients, they transforms them.
The Alchemist
Dark rum, pineapple juice, lime juice and cinnamon syrup with a dash of bitters, garnished with a smoked cinnamon stick.
Symbolism Behind the Ingredients…
Dark rum forms the foundation, rich and full of intent, while pineapple juice and lime juice bring the brightness and acidity that keep the drink from feeling heavy-handed. Cinnamon syrup and a dash of bitters add the warmth and complexity that turn a simple mix into something with real depth, and the smoked cinnamon stick arrives at the table still faintly smouldering, the visible proof that something has just been made from nothing.
It’s theatre in a tumbler, built for the moment it lands on the table rather than the moment it’s finished.
When reversed:
Manipulation, trickery, untapped potential, lack of direction…
Reversed, the Magician’s confident creation becomes something murkier, manipulation instead of manifestation, potential that never quite finds its focus.
The reversed twist: The dark rum is swapped for spiced rum. The base spirit shifts from something grounded and rich to something sharper and less predictable, the same trick, performed with a little more sleight of hand.
Your Reading…
You have everything you need already in your hands, the only thing missing is the decision to begin. This is a moment of real momentum: ideas move quickly from thought into action, and the people around you notice your focus. Trust your own ability to shape the outcome, rather than waiting for the right conditions to arrive on their own. Start the thing. The timing is better than it feels.
When reversed: Check who’s holding the details before you commit any further, because not everyone involved is being as straightforward as they seem. Your own potential may be sitting unused because the direction hasn’t been clear, so give yourself space to decide what you actually want, rather than reacting to what’s in front of you. Be wary of shortcuts that look cleverer than they are.
the empress
Abundance, beauty, nurturing…
The Empress is the card of nature in full bloom, meaning this drink was always going to be the greenest, freshest drink on the menu.
Garden Of Venus
Gin, elderflower liqueur and apple juice with fresh mint and cucumber, garnished with edible flowers.
Symbolism Behind the Ingredients…
Gin and elderflower liqueur give the base its floral, faintly luxurious character, while apple juice brings a natural sweetness that never tips into anything artificial. Fresh mint and cucumber do most of the storytelling here, filling the glass with the kind of scent you’d expect from a walk through a well-tended garden rather than a bar. The edible flowers on top are the final flourish, abundance made visible, nothing held back.
It’s a drink built to be generous, in the same way the Empress herself is generous, with flavour and with fragrance.
When reversed:
Dependence, overindulgence, creative block…
Reversed, the Empress’s nurturing abundance curdles into dependence, too much comfort, not enough growth.
The reversed twist: The elderflower liqueur is replaced with violet liqueur. The drink keeps its floral heart but trades the light, airy elderflower note for something heavier and more cloying, abundance turning in on itself, exactly as the reversed card suggests.
Your Reading…
You’re in a season built for growth, and it deserves more of your attention than you’ve been giving it. Whatever you’ve been quietly nurturing, a relationship, a project, an idea, is ready to be given more room. Let yourself enjoy comfort and beauty without guilt, abundance isn’t something to apologise for. News that brings warmth or a new beginning may be closer than you think.
When reversed: You’ve been pouring energy into everyone and everything except yourself, and something has started to run dry as a result. Providing comfort to other people’s needs has taken the place of genuine nurturing. Step back before dependence becomes the default. Whatever you’ve neglected while looking after everyone else needs your attention back.
the devil
Temptation, indulgence, desire…
No card on this list needed less persuading than the Devil. Velvet Temptation is the richest, most unapologetically indulgent drink on the menu, and it doesn’t pretend otherwise.
Velvet Temptation
Vanilla vodka, Baileys and crème de cacao with a splash of double cream and a pinch of salt, garnished with chocolate dust.
Symbolism Behind the Ingredients…
Vanilla vodka and Baileys build a smooth, creamy base that coats the glass before you’ve even taken a sip, while the crème de cacao deepens everything into something closer to dessert than drink. The double cream pushes the texture further still, thick and velvet-soft against the tongue, and the pinch of salt does exactly what salt does best against chocolate, it sharpens every note it touches rather than dulling any of them. Chocolate dust finishes the glass like a shadow settling over the rim.
It’s a drink that asks nothing of restraint. That’s rather the point.
When reversed:
Breaking free, liberation, regaining control…
Reversed, the Devil loses its grip. Temptation gives way to liberation, the chains come off, and indulgence is finally back under control.
The reversed twist: The crème de cacao is replaced with a shot of espresso. The dessert-like sweetness sharpens into something bolder and more alert, comfort traded for clarity, the same glass now working to wake you up rather than pull you under.
Your Reading…
Something is pulling at you harder than usual, and it’s worth being honest with yourself about what it actually is. Desire isn’t the problem, losing sight of your own judgement while chasing it is. Notice where a habit or a person has more of a hold on you than you’d like to admit, and decide, clearly, whether that hold serves you. What you name plainly tends to lose some of its power.
When reversed: Something that’s had a grip on you is finally starting to loosen, even if it doesn’t feel finished yet. This is a moment to reclaim control over a habit, a relationship, or a pattern that’s outlived its purpose. The hardest part of breaking free is usually the decision, not the doing, and you’ve already made more progress than you’re giving yourself credit for.
let the cards decide your fate…
Six cards, six cocktails, and sixteen more of the Major Arcana still sitting in the deck for another year.
Whether you’re drawn to the Sun’s easy optimism or the Devil’s velvet-lined indulgence, every glass on this menu was built to earn its card, history, and symbolism.
Which one will you draw?
Hollie Davies is part of the marketing team at Penventon Park Hotel. She loves all things seasonal, from crisp autumn mornings to twinkling Christmas nights. She never skips her morning coffee and finds magic in the little things that stick with you, all too well.
