With London Cocktail Week (4 – 13 October) fast approaching, discover The Wordrobe’s pick of the best city sips to try for the 10th edition of London’s best boozy occasion
1 Sip moonlight-inspired martinis at The Magritte Bar
Head to the lavish surrounds of The Beaumont for a tipple at The Magritte Bar. In honour of the shaken and stirred week, they’ll be serving a suave Moonlight cocktail for £6 from 4th – 13th October.
A twist on a classic Martini cocktail, The Moonlight has a base of Copperhead gin, mixed with Blue Curacao and the aromas of Laphroaig Whisky. A subtle moon-shaped garnish of icing sugar is at the base of the glass for an added enchanted touch.
For those feeling peckish, continue the night with a traditional feast at The Colony Grill Room next door – every Thursday, Friday and Saturday there’s also live dinner jazz to enjoy alongside the Atlantic-inspired spreads.
Where: 8 Balderton St, Brown Hart Gardens, Mayfair, London W1K 6TF
How: Click here or phone 020 7499 1001 to find out more and make a reservation.
2 Join Sartoria’s Libare Bar as they host Kris Du of Shanghai’s Speak Low for one night only
Mark the diary for this rare collaboration! On Friday 4 October, Savile Row’s Sartoria’s Libare Bar will play host to two of the world’s best bartenders: Kris Du of Shanghai’s Speak Low Bar, and Dario Schiavoni of Beijing’s Bvalgari Hotel.
Speak Low’s Kris Du, is a true trailblazer of the industry; having started his bartending career aged 18, arriving at Speak Low in 2015.
During his time at Speak Low, he has seen the heralded speak-easy take current seventh position in Asia’s 50 Best Bar Awards 2019, and ranked top 20 at the World’s 50 Best Bars Award 2018.
On the night, Kris and Dario will be working side-by-side behind the timeless Mayfair bar, rolling out cocktails inspired by flavours of Italy and China. Enjoy carefully fused Italian and Chinese-inspired drinks with true creativity and flair – we’re already thirsty.
Where: 20 Savile Row, Mayfair, London W1S 3PR
How: To reserve a table in the bar, please call 020 7534 7000. Walk-ins welcome dependant on availability.
3 Indulge in a world of whisky at The Whisky House
To celebrate London Cocktail Week’s impressive tenth year, The Whisky House will be offering the ultimate experiences for whisky lovers at Black Rock Bar.
From 4th -12th October, world-class whisky brands including Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, Talisker, Copper Dog, Johnnie Walker and Roe & Co will be offering a whisky-lovers paradise – The Whisky House.
London Cocktail Week’s Whisky House will be taking over Black Rock, a five-storey venue dedicated to whisky in East London.
Head here for an immersive maze of pop-up whisky takeovers, experiences and late-night DJs across the ten days. Sessions will include Bulleit Old Fashioned Masterclasses, Talisker Wild Spirits Foraged Cocktail Workshops and Johnnie Walker Blending Sessions.
The themed events will take place around the 185-year old interactive cocktail ageing tree trunk and also within the newly refurbished first-floor Blending Room and ground-floor Tavern. With so much to enjoy, it’s the perfect way to drink up the delights of LCC in style.
When: 4-7 October 2019
Wallet: £10 Festival Passes available to download from the DrinkUp.London app.
Where: Black Rock, 9 Christopher St, Finsbury, London EC2A 2BS
4 Enjoy an interactive experience at The Essence House
For something more boutique, pull up a pew at The Essence House. An interactive space that will transport guests on a journey of palate preferences to craft a bespoke cocktail, each sip will be carefully calibrated for each individual’s taste discovery to understand their individual palate profile.
The experience starts with the exploration of London Essence’s distilled botanicals and ends with the enjoyment of an exquisite bespoke cocktail.
At the heart of The Essence House, is a unique hands-on experience curated by Dr Rachel Edwards- Stuart – one of only a handful of experts dedicated to the science of gastronomy and flavour perception in the UK.
A series of interactive taste and aroma tests will help identify each individual’s palate profile, explore how nature and nurture play a part in the flavours that they like and dislike. This will help to enhance their drinking experiences through the understanding of their taste preferences.
Some of the world’s most skilled bartenders will also be on hand to distil drinkers’ profile. Both exquisite alcoholic and non-alcoholic options will be available, perfectly pairing London Essence’s distilled botanicals and purest flavours with luxury spirits brands.
Wallet: Tickets from £10 per person.
When: The experience lasts approximately 45 minutes and tickets should be booked in advance.
How: Visit londonessencehouse.com for more details.
Where: 5 Great Newport St, Covent Garden, London WC2H 7JB
5 Enjoy the ultimate Cointreau Margarita cocktail at The K Bar
Expertly-crafted tipples and swish surroundings – what could be better? In celebration of London Cocktail Week and Cointreau’s 170th Anniversary, Alfred Cointreau himself is taking the reins behind the bar.
He’ll be mixing up classic and twists on the iconic Margarita, as he tells the story of Cointreau and how to make the ultimate Cointreau Margarita cocktail.
A key ingredient in over 350 classic cocktail recipes and bringing together generations of loved ones, Cointreau’s bold orange flavour and incomparable freshness have solidified its role as the heart and soul of cocktail culture.
The K Bar can be found within The Kensington on the corner of two of London’s iconic thoroughfares, Queen’s Gate and the Old Brompton Road.
Inspired by the sophisticated atmosphere of a gentlemen’s club, the bar’s features include deep grained oak panelling with integrated bookcases, softened by racing green and royal blue hues, and finished with dimly lit lighting and accents of polished brass detailing.
When: Thursday 10th October at The Kensington from 6pm – 9pm
Where: The K Bar, 109 – 113 Queen’s Gate, South Kensington, London SW7 5LP
How: Click here to find out more and make a reservation.
6 Sip at Sanderson’s Long Bar as they welcome Le Syndicat, one of World’s 50 Best Bars
Parisian sips await! Sanderson hotel will be hosting an exciting 6-day residency with award-winning Parisian bar, Le Syndicat.
Placed in the top 25 of ‘The World’s 50 Best Bars 2018’, Le Syndicat will be popping up at Long Bar, Sanderson’s prominent 80-foot cocktail bar for a limited time only.
From Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 October, Le Syndicat’s cocktails will make an impressive addition to Long Bar’s chic and cutting-edge menu – which explores a selection of ‘Signature Cocktails’ and ‘Sanderson Classics’, showcasing the complete collection of Sanderson’s all-time favourite cocktails.
Influenced by the French couture houses, Le Syndicat produces innovative cocktails with inspiring aesthetics and is proud to predominantly showcase French ingredients. In addition to unique and detailed creations, the talented bar team are also known to add a French twist to well-known classics.
The menu will include a range of suave sips – don’t leave without ordering a Froggy Style, a spicy yet refreshing mix of Grey Goose vodka, coriander syrup, fresh lemon juice, fresh Granny Smith apple juice, with egg white, a hint of wasabi and popping candy.
Wallet: Each cocktail will cost £15.
When: Tuesday 1 to Sunday 6 October.
Where: 50 Berners St, Fitzrovia, London W1T 3NG
7 Go for gold at Hutong
Golden hues and stunning views are just around the corner. Hutong, situated on Level 33 of The Shard are celebrating Golden Week (the annual Chinese holiday) alongside LCW with a new cocktail creation called the Golden Dragon.
The Golden Dragon offers a refreshingly fruity addition to the menu, combining Passionfruit syrup, Passionfruit liqueur, Golden Rum dragon fruit and Ginger and Lemongrass cordial.
Presented in an ornate glass and garnished with dragonfruit, guests can sip on the new cocktail and admire the panoramic views of London Hop House Beer 13, the popular larger, will also be available to guests to celebrate the occasion.
With a dreamy location on level 33 of The Shard, this venue offers astonishing views of London accompanied by fascinating and diverse cuisine of Northern China.
When: The new cocktail is available from 1st – 7th October.
Wallet: The Golden Dragon cocktail is £10 and Hop House Beer is £5.50
Where: 33, The Shard, 31 St Thomas St, London SE1 9RY
7 Loosen your belt for a five-course cocktail pairing dinner at Carousel
Grab a fork and get ready to feast. In the lead up to London Cocktail Week, The Botanist Gin’s Wild Dinner will see top chef and director of Hunter Gather Cook Nick Weston create an innovative five-course menu served at Carousel, from 1st-5th October 2019.
Gin lovers and wild food enthusiasts alike are invited to enjoy this series of special Wild Dinners hosted by The Botanist Gin at Carousel.
The evenings will include a five-course culinary tour of wild and seasonal UK produce created by Nick Weston of Hunter Gather Cook, along with perfectly paired foraged The Botanist cocktails crafted by Abigail Clephane, The Botanist Gin’s UK brand ambassador.
The menu will reflect a celebration of game, featuring the best in wild and foraged food that the UK has to offer, including Douglas fir cold smoked fallow deer, grilled wood pigeon breast, and blowtorched pheasant, and perfectly paired cocktails including the long and fizzy Fig Leaf, a peachy and tannic Nettle Gimlet and an earthy Truffle Martini.
When: The Botanist Gin’s Wild Dinner at Carousel is open from Tuesday 1st Saturday 5th of October, with the bar open at 7pm and a dinner start of 7.45pm.
Wallet: Tickets cost £49.50 per person.
Where: 71 Blandford St, Marylebone, London W1U 8AB
8 Pitstop at The Coral Room and The Bloomsbury Club Bar for exceptional Double Takeover
Get ready to bar hop in serious style. Taking place on Friday 4th October only, two of London’s best bars will be welcoming a duo of internationally acclaimed bars for a special Double Takeover.
1 The Coral Room, London x Paradiso Bar, Barcelona
Barcelona’s best kept secret – Paradiso – will be leaving its charming hideaway and heading to the vibrancy of Bloomsbury’s The Coral Room. The speakeasy, which currently sits at #37 amongst the bars listed in The World’s 50 Best, will be treating Londoners to a selection of its innovative cocktails for the evening of 4th October.
Back in Barcelona, the 97-seat Paradiso, hides behind a refrigerator door; a surprising home for one of the best bars in the world. The bar is headed up by Giacomo Giannotti a true master of his trade.
Paradiso’s cocktails are the exquisite concoctions of the master mixologist, who won the 2014 World Class Best Bartender in Spain with his masterpiece cocktail “Mediterranean Treasure” and came in 8th in the global final in London. Giacomo and his team will be bringing a list of four of their award-winning cocktails to The Coral Room.
2 The Bloomsbury Club, London x The Old Man, Hong Kong
From Hong Kong to London, intimate 25-seater speakeasy The Old Man will be bringing its Hemingway-inspired cocktails to The Bloomsbury Club for one night only. It’s no secret that booze was Hemingway’s life-blood; he was a sophisticated drinker, a lover of fine spirits, and a true connoisseur who sought out the best bars from Paris to Pamplona.
Led by three of Hong Kong’s cocktail and bar forerunners, “old men” Agung Prabowo, James Tamang and Roman Ghale, The Old Man has taken the cocktail scene by storm with innovative drinks and a unique approach to mixology.
After opening its doors in August 2017, The Old Man made waves by debuting at #5 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2018 as the Highest New Entry, ultimately placing #1 in 2019, as well as being crowned the winner of T.Dining Awards’ Best Cocktails category in 2018.
With a name, drinks menu and overall concept paying tribute to Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize winning fictional work, The Old Man and the Sea, Agung Prabowo and his team have concocted some truly inventive cocktails with an Asian touch.
London’s The Bloomsbury Club Bar is delighted to be playing host to Asia’s current Best Bar and The World’s 50 Best Bar’s #11 allowing guests to experience a night even Hemmingway himself would have been delighted to attend.
When: 4 October 2019
How: Click here to find out further details for The Bloomsbury Club and here for The Coral Room.
