Frank Kane: At Dubai’s Burj Al Arab ‘light sweet crude’ costs 1,000 times more than oil

One part of the Middle East, I can reveal, has withstood the downward global pressure on the price of crude. In fact, it is possible to charge around US$35,000 for a barrel of “light sweet crude” in one particular UAE outlet.

No, those zeroes are not a mistake. I do indeed mean a premium approaching 1,000 times over the price per barrel of oil, which was quoted yesterday at around $40.

But before the region’s budgeters leap for joy, I should warn that the product in question is available only in one very exclusive outlet in the region, and only in very small quantities.

The outlet is the new cocktail bar at Burj Al Arab, Gold On 27, and the quantity is about 175 millilitre per order – about the size of a juice glass.

Light sweet crude is the name given to one of the drinks on the menu that Burj has developed for its latest glamorous venue. All the drinks have a Dubai/UAE/Arabian theme, and light sweet crude – as the source of the region’s riches since it was discovered in the 1950s – gets place of honour at the top of the menu.

It has several ingredients, including foie gras, saffron, honey, desert salt and activated charcoal, garnished with several drops of truffle oil, in an “homage to the discovery of oil that underwrote Dubai’s initial rise to greatness”, the menu informs us. It sells for Dh140 a shot, meaning that one small glass is only $1 or so cheaper than a whole barrel of the real thing. And, if my back-of-the-envelope calculations are correct, would also implies the price of $35,000 if the same rates were adopted throughout the oil business. Quite a big “if”, I know.

But Gold On 27 was a real treat, and many thanks to Jumeirah for the chance to sample its luxuries at a pre-opening night for selected media last week.

The menu is a catalogue of eccentricities, with drinks named after various features of the UAE’s history.

In addition to light sweet crude there was “the wisdom of pearls”, which infuses lobster bisque, yoghurt and Worcestershire sauce with something else to produce a liquid memorial to the pearl industry. And “city of gold”, which blends rhubarb and Angostura bitters with several other things to produce a tipple that talks to Dubai’s history of trading in the yellow metal.

There was “demise of the donkey cart”, “scent of the souq” and “above the clouds”, as well as my favourite, “sabkha” – a reference to the crust on the surface of the salt flats prevalent throughout the region.

It mysteriously uses “salted and coastal ingredients” in its preparation. I’m happy not knowing exactly what these are.

There is also an intriguing mocktails menu, which was hugely educational.

I never knew that “element 79” is the atomic number for gold, nor that Dubai Creek was also called “the river Zara”. These are also the names of delicious drinks.

I’ve got to say I loved Gold On 27. It oozed the glam and bling that Dubai pulls off so well, and that Burj Al Arab has made its trademark.

The “grand old lady” of the Jumeirah chain is looking good, and seems to be appreciating the money that is being spent on her.

Next to be unveiled is the North Deck, Burj’s very own beach resort.

I guess I’ll have to report on that too, in a few weeks. It’s tough sometimes, business journalism, but somebody has to do it.

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