46 & Mercy, Shoreditch

Type of Bar: Basement, Quirky
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, Food

Food spot HotBox hides a beautiful secret in its basement: 46 & Mercy is a quirky, eclectic venue with a very distinct vibe and *incredible* Asian-style chicken wings. Reclining on beds with a cocktail in a strangly 80s Scandinavia space while surrounded by quality art, 46 & Mercy was way ahead of the 2016 curve with the big, but well controlled, presence of sherry in their drinks.

Photo courtesy of: http://drinkup.london.com

A favourite of the evening was being served: the Blessed Thistle brought together Ketel One vodka, Cocchi Americano vermouth washed with smoked pork fat & thyme, sherry vinegar.

Spectacular, everything is taken into consideration here (well, the nose can be a bit strong, if you want to nitpick). A fascinating twist on a vodka Martini, the washing lends to the cocktail a velvety smoothness and ease of drinking, as well as depth and herbaceous quality that goes to well with the floral Ketel One vodka. The sherry vinegar is a little bit of cheeky kick. An ambitious, and very successful, drink.

The Blessed Thistle

Next, the Rye Me to the Moon mixes Bulleit rye whiskey, Amontillado sherry, bay leaf syrup, Abbott’s Bitters – The sweet spicy nose of the cocktail opens to the flavours of powerful cherry from the whiskey, immediately after the spice of the bay leaf towers over the simmering softness of the sherry sweetness. In the distance a spicy quinine bitterness sizzles. Certainly more sweet than spicy, this smooth cocktail is a fantastic choice for lovers of an Old Fashioned.

Finally, the Stirred Mercy Brown goes for scotch: Glenmorangie whisky, black tea infused Amatro, Oloroso sherry, sweet vermouth. Now this is fun, with barely a hint of the whisky citrus, the black tea immediately muscles in. Once that dominating tea backs down, the whisky’s orange and citrus is allowed to play along with the dry sherry and the winter spices of the sweet vermouth. Long, balanced, silky. Gorgeous.

12717561_10153950998714559_1078844290801268197_n

Rye Me to the Moon

The cocktails here at 46 & Mercy definitely shine, but so does the service. Bartenders are swift, conversational, humorous and so much fun – and are very happy to walk you through the menu and chat about the drinks. The Hoodooist chides himself for not hanging out here more often, you definitely want to come by here.

Although, be careful about leaning forward from the reclining chairs!

Drinks: *****
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

46 & Mercy

46 Commercial St, Shoreditch,
London E1 6LT

http://www.46andmercy.com/

SCOTCH Pop up 2016 @ Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair

Jan22

Burns Night is almost here! To celebrate, we thought of the perfect place to celebrate this Monday, and hey, if you’d rather have a cosy night in, we’ve thrown in a couple of whisky cocktails to make at home at the end of the article!

Type of Bar: Whisky, Hotel, Pop up
Damage: ££££
Ideal for: Scotch, Date, Small Groups, Education

London Pop Up Scotch whisky Glenmorangie Milsean Browns Hotel Burns Night

Running till the 29^th of January 2016, the Brown’s Hotel is hosting the SCOTCH pop up in their Library room, exhibiting 40 different Scottish whiskies and couple of scotch cocktails – A tribute to their sister hotel, the Balmoral’s, SCOTCH Bar.

Whisky Ambassador, Fraser Robson, has whiskies from all over the traditional regions at his disposal: Speyside, Islay, Campbeltown, the Islands, the Highlands and Lowlands in a variety of blends, malts and vintages dating back to 1940, and what a brilliant collection it is. Running from 15 pounds a dram, up to 400 (the Glenmorangie Pride 1978), the choice of whiskies is intimidating at first, but easier to traverse through with the brilliant Mr. Robson guiding you.

12507610_10153909443499559_6540949867285989628_n

Sponsored by Glenmorangie, best to start their event with the Glenmorangie Original: a demanding golden yellow, a classic whisky. Intensely citrus on the nose, the initial flavours are more flowery, with a dark citrus length.

However, more discussion revolved around the launch of this year’s Glenmorangie Private Edition: the Milsean.

Glenmorangie Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation, Dr. Bill Lumsden, gushed over the whisky, and upon tasting it, we got an idea why. The Milsean is painfully nostalgic – inspired by Dolly’s Mixtures, the whisky is even named ‘sweet things‘ in Gaelic. It’s matured in ex-bourbon casks and then extra-matured in former wine casks that once housed red wines for Portugal’s Doura Valley, re-toasted for the purpose.

What we get is a sweet whisky, rich with moreish candied fruits, with a bright nose of fruit, sugary – like sherbet, and sugar cane. The palate begins with a blast of candy, then the tartness of candied orange peel, cherries and plum – followed by a long spicy finish of borwn sugar, winter spice, and maybe a bit of fudge?

The Milsean, for the Hoodooist, is definitely a unique whisky, with a very specific purpose. Much like it’s packaging of cherry and white vertical stripes – it’s a dessert whisky – a dram or two after dinner is all you need if you aren’t sweet of tooth and don’t mind bit of a burn.
London Pop Up Scotch whisky Glenmorangie Milsean Browns Hotel Burns Night

For cocktails, the first simple Orange Zest brought out the complexity of the citrus of the Glenmorangie Original with ginger ale and Angostura bitters, a simple enough drink, but a refreshing and effective one.

The second, the Spey Trip, is a fascinating drink, inherited by the SCOTCH pop up from the hotel’s resident Donovan Bar. Inspired by the Balvenie scotch it uses, and the Speyside region it hails from, the Spey Trip is constructed entirely from the scotch and its containers. The tumbler is the laser-cut bottom half of the Balvenie bottle, the platform it is served on also made from the Balvenie casks. An Old Fashioned using figs instead of sugar syrup, a spectacular drink that brings out the spicy sweetness of the Balvenie with the fig, which also appear as dried garnish (which dipped in the Old Fashioned taste incredible).

I was left torn about this drink by the end of it, since the first half was wonderfully layered and complex, but the last half became overwhelmingly sweet with the figs. And a whisky like Balvenie is a shame to lose.

The SCOTCH bar’s atmosphere is perfect for the venue, relaxed, subdued, with the occasional tartan – the Brown’s Hotel itself is a stunning building (from 1837), the interior sprawling, and couches numerous. And service is impeccable. A fantastic addition to the London whisky scene, and one I wish was permanent.

Slainte!

Drinks: **** – *****
Atmosphere: ****
Service: *****

Brown’s Hotel

33 Albemarle Street, Mayfair
London, W1S 4BP

https://twitter.com/browns_hotel

HEY. YES. THERE IS MORE.

I mean, it *is* Burns Night tonight, and if you’re gonna stay in, might as well do it with a couple of easy to concoct cocktail at home, devised by Alexander & James.

Haig Clubman
A refreshing tasting whisky cocktail which combines gentle spice and fruitiness perfectly.

Ingredients:
50ml Haig Club
35ml Sparkling apple soda
6 dashes ginger bitters

Method:
Built over hand-cracked ice in either a highball or tumbler, garnished with a long slice of root ginger (ideally cut with a mandolin).

But hey, say you’re more of a bourbon person (what the hell are you doing here?) but say you are, we haven’t forgotten you!

Apple Mint Julep
A light cocktail with a fruitful flavour and a hint of mint is perfect for a refreshing serve this
Burns Night.

Ingredients:
60ml Bulleit Bourbon
90ml apple juice
A dash or two of bitters
3-4 mint sprigs

Method:
Muddle the mint and apple juice together in a cocktail shaker. Add the Bulleit bourbon, a couple dashes of bitters and ice to the shaker. Shake well for 20 seconds and then strain into a tumbler glass filled with cubes of ice. Garnish with a mint leaf if desired

That’s all, folks! Make sure to enjoy your Burns Night with your favourite scotch – we know we will!

Brahms and Liszt, Homerton XMAS EDITION

Dec4

Type of Bar: Local, Shop / Off License
Damage: £ – ££
Ideal For: Date, Small Groups

No small secret that QuiQuiRiQui Mezcal ranks up in one of the Hoodooist’s favourites, and the good news is, the brains behind the QQRQ outfit, Melanie Symonds, is now running the Brahms & Liszt Off License and Tasting Room that revolutionises the off license and liquor store for the modern, discerning drinker.

What I love about this spot is first the incredible selection of normally difficult to find brands and spirits: your Poitins sit side by side with possibly the largest selection of tequila and mezcals in London. And there isn’t any need to beanxious trying something new: Brahms & Liszt‘s ‘try before you buy‘ policy means you always leave happy.

But that’s not all! “If you’re up for a bit of educational boozing, you can also attend master classes with some of the drinks industries’ leading personalities in the shop. Expect anything but the norm when you pop by to pick up a bottle: spirits that would otherwise be hard to come by are now easily accessible at Brahms & Liszt.

An interesting selection of handcrafted spirits have been carefully selected from small independent brands that represent something special and unique in their category. This distinctive approach unlike nothing else in the whole of the UK gives customers the opportunity to uncover these outstanding spirits for themselves or for others. Should mixing cocktails at home be a little too much, you can enjoy delicious range of classic bottle aged cocktails that are made in house bought by 100ml, very much like a wine refill system made to be drunk over ice.”

This Christmas, Brahms and Liszt unleashes a new batch of by the bottle cocktails that can be tasted at a masterclass – only this December!

And outside the tasting session, the three cocktails can be bought by the brilliant bargain bottle: £28 for a 500ml or £15 for 250ml.

And what fabulous cocktails they are, the Christmas Old Fashioned, the Alaska, and Santa’s Little Helper have a little something for everyone.

The Christmas Old Fashioned

East London Liquor Company Gold Rum, winter spiced Demerera spirit, and Bob’s Mandarin bitters make up the sweet and spicy Christmas Old Fashioned: the ELLC’s Gold Rum, imported from Guyana, imparts a beautiful toffee and warm vanilla, heated by the mulled spices in the drink, clove and nutmeg sizzle with the zesty mandarin bitters. Smooth, warming, making the perfect digestif on Christmas night.

Probably my favourite, though sweeter than my usual, it just felt too Christmassy to not love. Need a bottle of this.

The Alaska

It’s always surprising to find a gin drink in the winter catalogue – a twist on a Savoy classic, the Alaska is the more aromatic of the three: Gin, Cocchi Americano, Yellow Chartreuse and orange bitters. Smooth and almost velvety, the cocktails is deceptively light. Citrus and juniper and tempered by the Yellow Chartreuse, concluding with an orange finish. Well rounded, with a dry edge. An excellent aperitif!

Santa’s Little Helper

The Santa’s Little Helper brings in the big guns: Qui Qui Ri Qui Matalan Mezcal, Bold London Cherry Spirit, Kamm & Son’s Ginseng Spirit – powerfully smoky, the mezcal muscles in with tropical fruit and pepper, leashed by the sweeter cherry. The next explosion of smoke is a big one, finally ending on a long dry finish from the Kamm & Son’s ginseng.

Adore this cocktail, but it’s one you will have to take your time with. This is a bottle you buy if you wanna go all the way for a bit more raucous Christmas Eve!

Brahms & Liszt is the kind of spot I’ve been waiting to see open in London for a while. It exhibits a powerful understanding of modern drinking culture in London, it’s educational edge, obscure collection, and money-saving try-before-you-buy opportunity makes it an ‘off license’ other liquor stores in the city could learn a thing or two from.

Not to mention their bottled cocktails are the bomb.

Blurring the line between bar and shop, Brahms & Liszt is probably marking a change in the winds of cocktail culture in the city. Major thumbs up from the Hoodooist!

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: ****
Service: *****

Brahms and Liszt,

10 Chatsworth Rd, Homerton
London E5 0LP.

http://www.brahmsandlisztlondon.uk/

Machine No.3, Homerton

Nov6

Type of Bar: Local
Damage: £
Ideal For: Date, Small Groups

The Hoodooist wishes he lived closer to Hackney.

Launching *this Friday*, Machine No.3 refurbishes an ex-laundrette to set up a quality new bar up in Homerton. The brains behind The Three Compasses – siblings Lauren and Antony Johns, with partner Brian Le Camus took the disused space and are now knocking out expertly crafted cocktails, organic wines, and craft beer all 50% off only on 6th November 2015!

You got that right, 50% off drinks after 6PM at the bar’s launch on 6th November! More info below the review!

The minimalist space exposes brick wall and a small bar to make the most of what essentially a smaller venue – but makes up for the space with character and liveliness as the DJ spins live. Design is still inspired by the laundrette it once was, evident at the booths and the back space. The cocktail list is decently long, and an imaginative mix of classics and original set to satisfy every palate – and the Hoodooist is excited to take it on.

Machine No.3 Cocktail Bar Hackney Homerton London

The Right Hand

Let’s start with a winner, eh? The Right Hand (awesome name) brings us Havana Anejo Especial rum, Campari, vermouth, Xocolatl Mole bitters. Very well balanced on the Campari, smooth and dry, but rounded off well with the creaminess of the Havana and sweetness of the vermouth. The Hoodooist adores this cocktail. Beginning with the light spice and vanilla of the rum, there is an immediate flow into the Campari’s bitter flavours of gentian and the orange zest of the vermouth. Finally, the cacao and cinnamon from the Xocolatl Mole wash over the palate in an almost milk chocolate smoothness to finish.

Beautifully well balanced aperitif. Gorgeous.

The Ford

On the theme of aperitifs, the Ford makes an appearance: Jenson’s Old Tom gin, Noilly Prat, Benedictine. From it’s home in Bermondsey, Jensen’s Old Tom is a traditional 19th C. style sweet gin, so goes unsugared but preserves the sweetness of the classic Old Tom gins. The nose is light with pine notes, and the floral Noilly Prat. The drink is as smooth and light as the nose – a fantastic classic twist on the Martini, the Hoodooist is impressed with the deft hand that stirred this cocktail. After the initial pine bark bite, the Ford opens up to the Benedictine herbal flavours, which immediately proceed to the Noilly Prat finish of orange and spices, a light but floral and aromatic sweetness.

A classic that is often difficult to get just right, here done well.

The Vieille Carre

The Vieille Carré is not to be trifled with. Vieille Prune brandy, Rittenhouse Rye, Vermouth blend, Benedictine brings up one hell of a bitter cocktail. Heavy and full of depth, this cocktail is one to have earlier on in the night, since later it can be a lot of take in – it’s certainly an acquired taste, and for those who know it’s what they like.

The Rittenhouse Rye plays a smaller part in this event, hanging out with it’s sweet corn and pepper in the background while the brandy, heavy with plum, oaky as all hell, muscles in and takes centre stage. The vermouths hang around the sides, rounding off the edges with spice and orange citrus, ending with Benedictine herbalness. Take your time with this velvety, bitter cocktail so full of rich forest flavour.

The Tommy’s Margarita

On our final round, we ended on a comfortable class Tommy’s Margarita, Olmeca Blanco tequila, lime, agave, salt. Normally the Hoodooist avoids salt on his Margaritas, but it really complements the sweeter, honeyed flavours of Olmeca Blanco – and it’s smokiness gives it dimension. A reliable classic. We end the night with a shot of the good old QuiQuiRiQui Matatlan mezcal. Because that’s how a good night either begins or ends.

This little bar hidden away in Hackney knows what its doing, and after a few flashy openings this month, the Hoodooist is glad to find a spot that cares more for quality and service than making a noise. Minimalist it might be, but service is spot on with Emmanuel serving up those Right Hands and shots of mezcal. Machine No.3 knows what a good cocktail is, and with a long, well-balanced and varied menu, there’s always someone to satisfy.

It also knows that if you want to create a fanbase, don’t charge 12 quid for a good drink. Affordable and fun, with a homey vibe, it follows a similar winning formula as Casita Bar – setting itself on a track for a cult following. Fun + Quality + Not murder on the wallet = a place you want to spend all night.

DO NOT MISS THE HALF PRICE COCKTAILS AT THE LAUNCH 6TH NOVEMBER 2015!

Machine No. 3 will be officially opening its doors from 6pm on Friday 6th November with 50% off drinks all night long as well as delicious pints of pale ale served up by brand new Dalston brewery ’40FT’ as we well as local London distiller Alex Kammering supplying some of the much-lauded Kamm & Sons to feature in a cocktail specially created for the launch.

You do not want to miss this night out! (3.50 for a cocktail? I mean, you must be crazy to miss out.)

Drinks: ****
Atmosphere: ***
Service: ****

Machine No.3

271 Well Street, Homerton,
London, E9 6RG.

https://www.facebook.com/MachineNo3

68 and Boston, Soho

Nov3

Type of Bar: Wine
Damage: ££ – ££££
Ideal For: Date, Small Groups, Wine

You’ve probably seen it, you can’t miss it – Soho has welcomed in the new 68 and Boston!

Right beside Bo Drake on Greek Street, 68 and Boston boasts two floors with two completely different personalities. Downstairs at 68, the slick red bar is devoted to affordable wines coming in at £20 a bottle – pretty reasonable in this part of town.

Upstairs at cocktail bar Boston, much like the gilded decor outside, glitters gold with an old fashioned style twisted into modern form, hardwood, sophisticated cerulean walls and gold spread across the slightly labyrinthine venue. The design will immediately strike a Londoner as odd – it’s like someone wedged a City bar into Soho, almost as peculiar and someone wedging Street Feast into Guildhall.

Not detracting from the venue itself being beautiful, no – it’s gorgeous. Of course, your mileage may vary on the matter, our table found it all rather odd and slightly forced. If you are looking for a City bar in Soho’s lively surrounds, though, this would be the spot!

As for the bar, there are some big names involved – President of the UK Bartender’s Guild, Luca Cordiglieri designs along with head bartender, Josh Powell – and the menu reflects that.

2015-2016’s latest trends are immediately visible: more use of wines as vermouths and sherries, longer, lighter serves overall. Before the review, I must point out that this being being a launch, for the staff’s convenience for all the quick rounds of drinks being knocked out one after the other, a restricted menu of 5 cocktails were being served. These are the five reviewed.

L-R: Loud Tempests, and the Squid Ink Martini

A firm favourite and easily the winning drink of the night really went in for the kill in it’s trendiness. The Loud Tempests mixes Lagavulin with samphire-infused White Port, Benedictine and Abbott’s Bitters. Well balanced, the loud peat of the Lagavulin is toned down, it’s sweetness coming in alongside the powerful samphire, which I’d argue dominates the cocktail. A finish of smoky vanilla, anise and herbs lingers. Relaxed, not attempting too much, the cocktail impresses.

The Dazed & Confused rides well with the smoothness of the Absolut Elyx vodka, and bright citrus bitters. This Martini is brought to life by the cardamom infused Cocchi Americano vermouth. Mind you, this is for those who truly not just tolerate, not just enjoy, but relish and delight in cardamom. It’s strong, and it’s not trying to hide it. Personally, it could do with relaxing on that front. A wash of cardamom is welcome, a kick in the teeth with it is another. As long as you enjoy cardamom, this is a novel twist on the vodka Martini.

L-R: Dazed & Confused, and the Peace Offering.

The next two drinks are ambitious, and the Hoodooist loves their ideas. However, they cocktails have underestimate the strength dry sherries can exert over other flavours in the drink.

The Squid Ink Martini is better off of the two, with a short list: Tanqueray gin, En Rama Fino sherry, squid ink. The first sip is a briny bite of sea salt from the ink, followed by powerful Fino sherry. If you enjoy Fino, you will enjoy the Squid Ink Martini. Or you could drink Fino sherry. Maybe with salt. Enigmatic and enticing presentation, though.

The Trader faces a similar dilemma. Bacardi 8yr, Vanilla and Coffee infused Bacardi Carta Blanca, Amontillado sherry, Triple Sec, lime and pineapple juice, sugar syrup. For a drink with that many ingredients, it all gets lost in a mass of sugar and Amontillado with some pineapple juice.

Finally, the Peace Offering was anything but. Olmeca Reposado, Cocchi Torino vermouth, Tempranillo, Agave, unfortunately did not work. The table of seven all rejected it. Like many City bars, Boston appeals in extremes of flavour.

We had an enjoyable Merlot and Pinot Grigio downstairs at the 68 wine bar, though. So there are ups to this venue, just downstairs.

There are some wonderful ideas here that have a tendency to overkill – luckily, overkill is something easily dealt with with a tweak. Perhaps in our excitement for novelty, it is possible to rush headlong into trends, and overdo some of them, as seen with the powerful sherry flavours dominating entire drinks. At the price these drinks are coming at, though, one would rather wait to see the very possible and easily made changes before shelling out 10-16 pounds for one.

Some big talent here I’m wishing the best to!

Drinks: *
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ***

68 and Boston

4-5 Greek Street, Soho,
London, W1D 4DD.

http://www.68andboston.com/

W. M. Barker & Co., Bishopsgate

Oct26

Type of Bar: Basement
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups, Large Groups, After Work

Notorious for either its history or its name, the popular Dirty Dicks a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street Station has transformed its basement into an all new, all day cocktail bar and cafe.

Serving up toasties, coffee, craft beers and cocktails makes this a great ‘pop in anytime’ kinda spot, which is perfect for the City surroundings. Besides great coffee and bites, the cocktail menu takes a daring step with all the drinks being shrub-based. Shrubs, normally served as acidic aperitifs, can be sweetened dramatically depending on the infusion, and on the other ingredients in the cocktail.

WM Barker & Co., goes for the sweeter. In fact, the whole cocktail list is made with primarily sweet drinks. Each cocktail is named after nearby area, marking the bar as the boundary between City and Shoreditch, attempting to appeal to both markets.

WM Barker Dirty Dicks Bishopsgate City Cocktail bar Poitin

#TheBanker

Beginning with the Bank #TheBanker, we find a unique combo of Absolut vodka, Sherry vinegar, Ban Poitin, champagne syrup, milk, cream, raisin bitters. Now this is bizarre – served in a milk bottle, the first sip is a massive wallop of a hundred flavours at once, till you go in for a second.

Sweet, yes, creamy, oh yes – this certainly is a dessert drink that begins with a pleasing sherry vinegar bite to cut through all the cream. After, it, literally, there is no other comparison: it’s liquid bread pudding.

Honestly, that is exactly it. It finishes off with a lingering champagne syrup.

For someone who normally does not go for sweet drinks, the Hoodooist was oddly charmed by this. Probably the most unique cocktail on the menu.

WM Barker Dirty Dicks Bishopsgate City Cocktail bar Rye Whiskey

#TheInvestor

To go in for something a bit more balanced after the Bank, we ordered the Bishopsgate #TheInvestor: Rittenhouse Rye, La Fee absinthe, peach, peach bitters, mint, sugar. Sounding much more classic Sazerac/Julep, the likes of something that would not be amiss at the Buffalo Bourbon Empire.

However, bitter it is not – I think this cocktail could do with stepping back on the sugar syrup, the bittersweet is followed by a caramelly thickness which one assumes is coming from a lot of sugar syrup. Absinthe aniseed slowly develops. I suppose I went in with a certain expectation of this drink, I’d like to see the spice of the rye playing more of a part.

WM Barker Dirty Dicks Bishopsgate City Cocktail bar gin

#ThePriest

St. Pauls #ThePriest really stands out from the menu with its sour profile: Whitley Neill gin, Green Chartreuse, maraschino, cucumber, cucumber shrub, lime juice, sugar, cucumber ribbon and cornichon. It’s wonderfully heavy on the Chartreuse, which is unmissable as first. Wonderfully tart, the sweetness of the cucumber and maraschino do set in, and if you pay close attention, the unique botanicals of the Whitley Neill are present in the background. A nice change from the sweetness so far.

WM Barker Dirty Dicks Bishopsgate City Cocktail bar Vodka Gin

Foreground: #ThePriest, #TheTrader
Background: #ThePhotographer

Hoxton #ThePhotographer – is, unfortunately, a drink I don’t see myself ordering again. Sipsmith Gin, Sipsmith Sloe Gin, apricot liqueur, pomegranate shrub, lime juice, shortbread crumble rim. Sound wonderful, but really, the shortbread rim is the best part. The overwhelming sugar content of the cocktail, though, is choking.

However, all is not lost: The delightful Craig behind the bar will knock out one of the best Maker’s Mark Old Fashioneds if you ask nicely. A great way to polish off the evening, and change from the Hoxton.

WM Barker Dirty Dicks Bishopsgate City Cocktail bar Halloween

Tarot XIII – #Death

Finally, with Halloween just around the corner, WM Barker will be releasing a Halloween special on the day!

The Tarot XIII – #Death, comes with all the dark sweetness you’d expect of the holiday: Muddled sour cherries, sour cherry shrub, sherry, Kahlua, Port, and Tia Maria, topped off with Schweppes. I will have to admit, this cocktail does have a lot going on in terms of depth, with all the layers of dry fruit from the sherry, the coffee from the Kahlua, et al. But the unmissable, striking flavour is the intensely sour-sweet sour cherries. It is distinctly Halloween, and probably also has the sugar content of a bag of trick-or-treating candy.

WM Barker & Co. is certainly a spot one can see becoming packed with people through the week. Time spent sat at the bar is fun with the company of Craig and team, and more than enough space at a bar that is deceptively larger than it first seems. There is amazing talent behind the bar, and a more varied menu will really showcase their skill.

The only thing that makes this a difficult spot to grade for drinks is, though there is obvious thought going into the cocktails, they’re all on the sweet side, even the ones that lean away like the St. Pauls. Luckily, bartenders will make classics on request, but one feels it should be something that is addressed in the menu.

A fun night out, as long as you know what you are going for!

Drinks: ** (variety) – *** (quality)
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ****

W. M. Barker & Co.

Basement of Dirty Dicks,
202 Bishopsgate,
London, EC2M 4NR.

http://www.wmbarkerandco.uk/

The Cocktail Trading Company, Smithfield

Oct19

Type of Bar: Tiny, Basement, Quirky
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, After Work

The boys from CTC, Soho have done it again!

The Cocktail Trading Company Development Bar & Table (can we just call it CTC? Cool, okay), now a bustling hotspot in the heart of Soho, has branched out into cocktail-starved Smithfield, under the popular Ask For Janice on Long Lane.

The basement is tiny, if you’re lucky you might bag a couch (book in advance!) – and I recommend you find a good seat, because time can fly here! (Very) Dim-lit and cosy with a strongly Twin-Peaks-cabin-vibe, the playlist really makes the venue. Well, that and the incredible drinks and service provided by the Olly/Andy/Elliot trinity.

It’s probably worth mentioning that with 7 cocktail awards between them, it is difficult to go wrong with a good old classic here. About half the menu is classics, but the team will happily go off menu if you ask.

Cocktail Trading Company London Smithfield

The Brasso

The menu here will be the same as the CTC in Soho, so the Hoodooist decided to go for some uncharacteristically longer cocktails.

Beginning with the Brasso: Stoli Vodka, ginger and orange brew, lime juice and soda, is a light, bright, spicy long drink served with chocolate wafer and candied ginger. Perhaps spicy isn’t the right word, but spiced – the ginger doesn’t have a strong kick, but a fun pep in its step. Simplicity does well for this cocktail.

The Daisy De Santiago

The Daisy De Santiago really exhibits the characteristics of Bacardi Heritage, with Lemon n Lime sherbet and Green Chartreuse. The tropical fruit and pepperiness cut through the cocktail quite easily, but immediately followed by a bombardment of citrus and the bitter herbal Green Chartreuse. It’s certainly a speciality cocktail with its intense sour and bitter flavours. Something very nostalgic here, something about 90s candy.

The Sherry Cobbler

Twisting an old classic, the Sherry Cobbler adds spiced syrup to the mix of sherry/sugar/citrus, and garnishes with berries. The spiced syrup gives us warm winter spices, adding dimension to the otherwise primarily sweet and well-known classic. If you want to turn the sugariness up to 11, you can always go for the much more desserty Chocolate Flip #1, bringing together Bacardi 8 yr rum, cacao-infused Chartreuse, Tawny Port and pistachio ice cream. With a deeper, darker cacao flavour, this is an adult’s dessert cocktail, with the rum’s winter spice and lush mouthfeel, and the bitter hits of the Chartreuse over pistachio ice cream for that smoothness.

The Chocolate Flip #1

With a very similar design, set up and cocktail list as it’s Soho sister, CTC Smithfield also keeps that distinctive attention to service that we loved about its predecessor. A welcome venue in the Smithfield area, and nice change from the after work boozers. I’d expect booking will be necessary.

Drinks: ***-****
Atmosphere: ****
Service: *****

The Cocktail Trading Company

Basement @ Ask for Janice, 50-52 Long Lane,
London, EC1A 9EJ.

http://www.thecocktailtradingco.co.uk/

Seymour’s Parlour @ The Zetter Townhouse, Marylebone

Aug17

Type of Bar: Hotel, Lounge, Victorian
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Date, Small Groups

After 69 Colebrook Row, Bar Termini, and the Zetter Townhouse Clerkenwell – Tony Conigliaro is back! Working with the newly opened Zetter Townhouse Marylebone, Seymour’s Parlour is instantly recognisable as its Clerkenwell relative with a more late Georgian twist.

Swathed in reds and greens, it’s a smaller space, but a comfortable one, overlooked by a portrait of the hotel’s fictional host, the Wicked Uncle Seymour. Inspired by the tales of the travelling louche, the cocktails are indulgent, and tend to a few more fizzy drinks than the Clerkenwell cousin, also perhaps knowing its market in Marylebone.

Drinking in this beautiful space is almost like spending an evening at the John Soane’s Museum, and is a room that would not look amiss at the eccentric collector’s home. So reclining on a couch beside the fireplace, we have a quick look at the menu, and a few do stand out.

Seymour's Parlour Zetter Townhouse Marylebone London Cocktail

The Turf Club

The Hoodooist begins with the Turf Club – Old Tom Gin, Dubonnet, Grape Reduction, Peruvian Bitters, and grass. The grass is not in the cocktail itself: inspired by the racetracks, the stem of the glass is entwined with grass and a reduced grass oil coats it – leaving the fragrance on the fingertips of the drinker. It’s not in the drink itself.

The cocktail is incredible. A modern take on the popular vintage tipple adds a sweet grape reduction, and Peruvian bitters that enhance the quinine flavours of the Dubonnet while also adding a bit of spice and kick. The short drink is deep, strong, and enveloping – there’s something almost soporific about it.

The Old Tom’s initial hit is quickly followed but the grape reduction, finally settling on the quinine and sweeter layers of the Dubonnet, and ending on a dry note, though well-rounded. Addictive, a favourite.

The Madeira Sour, & a shot of Flashed Madeira

The Madeira Sour is one for the citrus fans: Cognac, Flashed Madeira, Lemon and Walnut. An easy drink, this one. The flashed Rainwater Madeira – or the sweet Madeira that is concentrated with heat – retains its dryness, and balances the drink wonderfully. A woody cognac base goes fantastically with the citrus flavours, and long length of walnut finish is an elegant conclusion to a very confident drink.

Seymour's Parlour Zetter Townhouse Marylebone London Cocktails

The Last Laugh

The Last Laugh anticipates the Autumn coming soon: Cognac, Cider Apple Brandy, Apple Caramel and Apple Wood Bitters. This was wave after wave of varying takes on apple flavours. Appearing in quick succession, the bright brandy is quickly followed by the caramels, finally ending with the young citrus cognac notes with undercurrents of warm woodiness. Sounds like easy drinking, but takes deceptively longer with its intense flavour.

Finally, there’s the Two-Pennie Trash – Rye Whiskey, Powdered Malts, Treacle. This was an odd one – couldn’t quite place exactly what it was that I was tasting. On first sip it’s almost effervescent – it does, however, taste primarily of malt and yeast. One for the marmite crowd, I’d imagine – an acquired taste.

The Two-Pennie Trash

A good 4 hours whiled away in the comforting candlelit space, with the blues in the background, and marvellous drinks in hand – manager Claudio and Steve are delightful hosts, and in its first weekend service is speedy and attentive. The Hoodooist is already plotting to return to taste the Rake and Le Sphinx.

Another fantastic venue from the Zetter Group and Tony Conigliaro – should come as no surprise from these legends.

Drinks: **** – *****
Atmosphere: *****
Service: *****

The Zetter Townhouse Marylebone

30 Seymour Street
London W1H 7JB

http://www.thezettertownhouse.com/marylebone

The Tea Den @ Opium, Chinatown

Aug7

Type of Bar: Pop Up, Bar/Restaurant, Chinese, Speakeasy, Lounge
Damage: ££
Ideal for: Tea, Food, Date, Small Groups

Okay. Seriously. Forget what else is happening on Afternoon Tea Week 2015 (10^th-16^th August) – your butts should be at Opium Chinatown.

We’ve reviewed Opium Chinatown before (Click HERE for Review!), but this week they will be working alongside The London Tea Club, and lifestyle brand, Oblique.

The London Tea Club, spread across Europe and North America, supply members with teas every month matching their flavour profile – perfect for the tea buff – have supplied Opium with a share of some of their most popular teas to construct a spectacular tea-infused cocktail list for Afternoon Tea Week (though the Hoodooist says that they should be permanent cocktails on the Opium menu).

Tucked away in the deep red corridors of Opium, beyond the Jade Door on Gerrard Street, find yourself present with 5 magical cocktails, named after the tea used in the concoction:

Opium Chinatown Afternoon Tea Week Den Dim Sum Cocktail

The Antique Rose

A major hit of the night (with one friend drinking three of them exclusively), the Antique Rose: Absolut Elyx vodka infused with Antique Rose tea, with Cocchi Americano Rosa and orange oil.

A beautiful, beautiful twist on the vodka Martini, the nose is alluring and primarily the Rosa’s berries and florals (lavender?), with hints of bitter chinchona. By palate, the sweeter tea with powerful rose notes adds life to the Elyx, the strong tea and rose eruption is followed by enveloping raspberry, strawberry and vanilla – ending on a castanet kick of quinine, cloves, a hint of ginger and orange zest.

Sophisticated, aromatic, seductive. A winner.

The Lapsang Souchong

If you want to go for something a little less Carmen, and a bit more Cosette, then the Lapsang Souchong might be for you: Buffalo Trace bourbon, apricot liqueur, tea-smoked cherries.

The normally deep, smokey tea is mellowed here, in a cocktail that appears to be more similar to a whiskey sour than you’d imagine. A very good one, nonetheless. Shy, fruit laden, the cocktail begins with the apricot, followed by the Buffalo Trace’s oaky, toffee, brown sugar flavours, leading toward the slightly more tart cherry and ending on a soft bed of lapsang souchong smoke.

A bit sweet, bit fruity, longer and easy to relish for the whiskey sour fan.

The White Peony

Now the White Peony, this one is always just out of reach, so well-composed, so independent, with footfalls of tiny bells: Double strength White Peony tea, Herradura Plata tequila, Belsazar White vermouth, house falernum.

The nose is strongly of the white peony, but underneath there is a lingering layer of agave. The first flavour belongs to the Herradura, soft, oaky, bright agave notes – but give away almost immediately to the tea, and below flowers the very restrained Belsazar and falernum with spicier, fruitier flavours. This cocktail, though loaded with various flavours, always feels so restrained and in control – it is delicate and patience is needed to fully appreciate it.

In short: It’s a bloody success.

The Goji Berry & Chrysanthemum

In contrast, the Goji Berry & Chrysanthemum is far louder: The teas infused in Absolut vodka and a splash of pink grapefruit juice makes a strongly juicy and brightly fruity cocktail. It might lack the White Peony’s complexity, but is a great middle-drink when wandering through the menu to lighten the spirits between the hardhitters. It might not be the Hoodooist’s style, but is an admirable cocktail, nonetheless, well crafted.

The pink grapefruit juice and vodka are the first to hit you, followed by the flowering flavours of Goji berry, and finishing on the floral chrysanthemum.

The Iron Goddess of Mercy

Finally, the Iron Goddess of Mercy. More commonly known as Tie Guan Yin (or even TGY), the dramatic name comes from various legends that have the same result: the Goddess of Mercy, Guan Yin, has provided a patient listener with a treasure in the form of an Oolong tea whose popularity spread across the country. Rich, and sweet, using it in a nectar-like syrup for a classic Rum Daiquiri was a fantastic choice.

Refreshing, bright, but not lacking in depth, this cocktail (in all its simplicity) is a breath of fresh air, and a fantastic finisher to the menu. Sweet, uplifting, with hints of herb and spice in the distance (as should be customary of a well-made Daiquiri). Wonderful.

Honestly, recently the Hoodooist has been looking for cocktails that would ‘wow’ him again, and the Tea Den did just that. Having a sip of the teas before their respective cocktails is a great idea to appreciate the brews themselves, as well as identify their place in the cocktails. I also love that the menu is set out in an excellent order, I’d recommend working your way in the same order, as the cocktails flow and contrast wonderfully that way. Manager Bruce Govia has done a remarkable job with working with the London Tea Club here, and service is light, conversational, speedy and approachable.

I guess what I’m saying is: You cannot miss this.

Drinks: *****

The Tea Den @ Opium, Chinatown

15-16 Gerrard St,
London W1D 6JA

http://www.opiumchinatown.com/

Upstairs @The Ten Bells, Shoreditch

Aug3

Type of Bar: Pub
Damage: £
Ideal for: Shorties, Date, Small Groups

Reopened, the Upstairs at the enormously popular Ten Bells in Spitalfields has been revamped to a sort of Prohibition meets Renaissance-Cathedral chic. Amid winged armchairs and chandeliers, a Tracy Emin neon sign, religious paraphernalia and under the watchful eyes of the subverted Gabrielle d’Estrées et un de ses soeur, or in this case, Gabriel d’Estrées et une de ses frères – imbibers are treated to a British take on New York’s current cocktail trend: the Shorties.

Reminiscent of Tony Conigliaro’s Negronis at the Bar Termini (Click HERE for Review!), Shorties attempt to maximise flavour and intensity, while minimising volume – essentially, it’s more than a shot, but less than a full-blown cocktail, something that you drink quickly before moving on to the next order of business.

The Hoodooist, for whom cocktails always – always – mean lying back and throwing two fingers up to the universe and its machinations in all their metaphysical yet infinitely irritating glory – this posed a challenge. After all, one might argue that their cheaper prices (6 to 7 pounds) is relative to their volume, but if you’re going to spend the evening here, you might end up spending more dosh than usual. It’s a complicated game, the gambling sort might enjoy this.

That’s the fun bit. The only part of this menu that one found slightly annoying was the fact that the cocktails lacked names. “I’ll have the one with the tequila – no, not the tequila and peach – the tequila and brachetto, yeah, the one from the ‘Fresh’ section, not ‘Crushed’,” I imagine to be needlessly complicated. Numbering them would be fine.

The cocktails are divided into separate categories from ‘Fresh’, to ‘Strong’, and ‘Late’.

From the ‘Strong’ group, the stand out drink would definitely be the superior Black Bottle Scotch, Apricot Liqueur, Cinnamon, Black Cardamom, Jaggery and on the side, a Camden Pale Ale. This instantly reminded me of the IPA Paanch at Dishoom, King’s Cross (Click HERE for Review!). The Black Bottle blended malt is slightly smokey, silky with elements of chocolate, ginger, honey and oak – the golden sweetness of the finish teased out further by the jaggery, the apricot and spices add a wonderful extra kick to a twist on an Old Fashioned. The side of ale is meant to be a way to lengthen the drink by sipping it between draws, a kind of cleanser.

It isn’t necessary, but they pair rather well, the brightness of the ale helping lift the heavy flavours, making each sip of the cocktail feel like the first.

The other three cocktails on the ‘Strong’ list struggle.

There is a distinct originality to the Rum, Fresh Pandan, Ginger, Palm Sugar, Mandarin Bitters, but it is definitely a distinctly acquired or unique taste. The sweet rum kicks you in the face as quickly as the pandan and palm sugar – lending to the cocktail a thick, green, rice-liquor flavour. Somewhat piney, and rather musty. This is a cocktail that can only be served as a shorty – because even for those who took to it (like the Hoodooist), there is only so much of it you can drink. The other three on the table failed to appreciate this.

The Gin, Creme de Peche, Jasmine, Peychauds Bitters, Grapefruit Twist, lacked character, and came off a bit too sour, too floral. Similarly, the Crushed Botija Olives, Noilly Prat Rouge, Gin or Vodka, was less of a Shorty twist on a Dirty Martini, but was filthy with a drop of Martini. What graced the table was olive brine and vinegar. Mixing the three cocktails together made them more palatable.

Making a strong cocktail that short might be problematic.

However, the ‘Fresh’ category held more promise.

The Bee Pollen Gin, Blossom Honey, Cocchi Americano, Lemon, Soda – this is what summer needs. The bright gin and the sweet, floral honey is balanced well by the dark, savoury bee pollen and the spiced quinine noted of the Cocchi Americano – lengthened by the lemon and soda. It’s one surprise after another when you go from savoury to sweet, to spicy to bitter to citrus and fizz. A fun little thing.

The Birbet Brachetto, Tequila, Maraschino, Burlesque Bitters, Lemon Twist and Soda, is a deep, sweet, and lightly floral cocktail that goes from the Brachetto grape’s intense spumante-esque sweetness to the floral sweetness of the Burlesque Bitters (like hibiscus?), to the Maraschino, finally ending with the tequila – bit sweet for the Hoodooist, but I can see that there is a market for this one. Expect sweet, a bit much, though.

The Red Date Shrub, Pommeu de Normandie, Vodka, Prosecco, Berries, was a hit or miss depending on the Prosecco used. Apparently a change in Prosecco halfway through the evening took a semi-sweet, berried, bright cocktail and turned it into gran’s basement. It’s up to you if it’s worth the risk.

Now, the beautiful ‘Late’ Shorties – they won the evening.

Tequila, Amaro, Condensed Horchata, Cold Brew Coffee: The Tequila and Amaro are mixed into the coffee, then the Horchata (a Latin and Spanish drink, this one maybe more similar to the Mexican variation: rice, condensed milk, vanilla, cinnamon? Something the Hoodooist had been craving for the past week) was frozen and dropped in like an ice cube.

Being impatient, the Hoodooist chipped away at his to melt, resulting in a milky caffeine-fueled digestif. Intensely bittersweet, the tequila lifts the Amaro’s bitterness out of the depth of the coffee/horchata combo.

The incredible nostalgia suddenly took the Hoodooist back to sneaking Kopiko Coffee Candy out in the middle of the evening as a 6 year old – anyone who tasted these Thai candies that randomly appeared in the house in the Middle East would recognise the flavour.

Finally, the Birch Wood Aged Vieux Carre – Rye, Cognac, Benedictine, Vermouth, Bitters, all aged in Birch – result in one of the most beautiful takes on a Vieux Carre. Incredible depth, lingering, powerful eau de vie finishes, the bitterness balanced with the woody sweetness of the birch wood and the vermouth. Wonderful.

Co-founder Bradley Lomas is a delight, as well as his carpaccio, and head-bartender Jerome Slesinski knocks out the Shorties with polite conversation and confidence. Server Andrea is wonderful to work with, and a spectacular host to chat about Sardegnian cheeses with. Their passion for their new venue and take on cocktails is admirable, and so is their risk-taking.

When a Shorty goes right, it goes very right. It’s a difficult one to gauge, when the results of reliable/good : risk/all over the place are 5:4. Did we have fun? Majorly. A great space to experiment with little shorts if you’re in the mood for it. A beautiful space to boot, with wonderful service.

Drinks: ***
Atmosphere: ****
Service: ****

The Ten Bells

84 Commercial Street, Spitalfields,
London E1 6LY.

http://tenbells.com/

Highball Hoodoo

London, Cocktails, you know the drill

Tag Archives: Date