Ice Dream Drams @ The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Clerkenwell

SUMMER.

If the heatwave on the Central Line hasn’t cost you your faith in intelligent design, a short walk from Chancery Lane brings you to the out-of-the-way doorstep of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

And what better way to deal with the summer but with ice cream?

Or better yet, whisky ice creams!

Paired with more whisky.

….

Whisky.

Can you tell I’m enjoying this

The usually Member’s Only venue will be open to the public to sample 4 of the Ice Dream Drams and pairings during 4 Scoop Sessions on the 1^st, 8^th, 16^th and 22^nd of July 2015 at 15 quid a person!

SMWS buys casks of whisky that they place under a numbering system to keep the customers blind to distillery preferences, and for Ice Dream Drams, the whiskies are paired with ice creams by S. Luca, made with the same whiskies, as well as flavoured to either complement or contrast the dram.

The 64.61 ‘The Angel and the Devil’, alongside the Snowball Seduction icecream

At our Scoop Session, we began with the Cask No. 64.61, titled ‘The Angel and the Devil’. The nose is bold with coconut and vanilla, the first sip being powerfully oaky and intense on the vanilla. Hints of stewed fruits, autumnal with brown sugar and nutmeg, butterscotch – but contrasted by brighter flavours of citrus and light herbs.

A young ex-bourbon barrel, paired with a Snowball Seduction ice cream – vanilla and coconut, with 64.61 whisky. Complementing the flavours of the young whisky, it also happens to be the most subtle of the ice creams of the evening.

The second whisky, the 41.65 is called ‘Sweet Couscous and Argan Oil’ – a beautiful dry, spice whisky, 30 years old in an ex-bourbon hogshead cask – the Hoodooist fell in love with this one, and enjoyed it neat (and is very similar to a mezcal by Bruxo!). The nose is complex, on one hand, somewhat reminiscent of polish, on the other, the sweet fragrance surrounding beehives. The palate is powerfully spicy, and are much deeper than first expected: powerfully Moroccan with raisins, Argan oil, as well as roasted figs in honey, intense cloves, star anise. Beautiful. Paired with the Ginger Rasta ice cream with its ginger bite and chunks of ginger cake.

Whisky Ice Cream Summer SMWS

The third whisky, 117.5, is utterly beautiful, coming in from Ireland, it’s described as ‘Smouldering, Brooding and Alluring’. 22 years in an ex-sherry hogshead cask, the drier, deeper flavours of the sherry cask are notably passed into the whisky.

For the Hoodooist, the nose was powerfully warm, cocoa, cinnamon, manuka honey, sandalwood, like smouldering woods and incense, like settling into a four-poster bed. Can you tell I love this nose? Alongside sweeter flavours of toffee and vanilla, treacle and Kirsch, some lighter herbs flowered alongside the spices.

A beautiful, dry whisky. Served with the Cherry Popper, a rich fruit ice cream with cherry and dark chocolate. An absolutely wonderful pairing. Probably my favourite of the evening.

The heavily peated 53.223, ‘Angels & Demons’

Finally, ending with the 53.223, the ‘Angels & Demons’, 23 years, ex-bourbon barrel. You smell this one coming from a mile away. It screams Islay, a nose powerfully tarry, smoky, medicinal and iodine, with final traces of aniseed. The palate was a fascinating mix of honey and tropical fruit, as well as powerfully peated smoke and white pepper, with that similar medicinal flavour. If drunk through water, the whisky presents strong dried fruit notes, particularly apricot, and bit of honey.

Served alongside the Smoky Lavender Kiss ice cream, the lavender and Parma violets sheds the more medicinal flavours to contrast powerfully the peat, and present the fruits. An excellent combo.

Led through the course with the wonderful Sam MacDonald, exploring the whiskies and their ice cream pairings was easily accessible, and an informal, enjoyable experience – followed by relaxed conversation. Highly recommended – and 4 well aged whiskies and whisky ice creams at 15 quid seems like a pretty good deal to me!

Highly recommended to take advantage of this July! Grab a space while you can!

The Ice Dream Drams Scoop Sessions take place on 1^st, 8^th, 16^th and 22^nd of July.

Entry: £15.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

19 Greville Street,
London EC1N 8SQ

http://www.smws.co.uk/icedreamdramslondon

The Macallan Residence, Temple

Jun8

Macallan whisky took over the gorgeous Two Temple Place 2^nd and 3^rd June – dubbed The Macallan Residence, visitors received a walk through the Macallan 1824 line, along with cocktails and a whisky/chocolate pairing hosted by Artisan du Chocolat.

Between sessions on being taught to make Macallan twists on Old Fashioned, and chats over carefully selected chocolates, Esquire provided tailoring, monogramming, shoeshining – that is, when you’re not busy at the photobooth.

And why wouldn’t you be? Two Temple Place is a spectacular venue, between the library, lounge, study and VIP room, it’s difficult to choose where to spend most of your time.

The Gold Rush and keys to the Residence

The evening begins with a Gold Rush cocktail – Macallan Gold, Galliano and ginger beer – a simple, but very effective, refresher for the summer, paired with a Scotch Egg, as one walks down an exhibition on the preparation of Macallan whisky.

Wayne Collins’ Old Gold masterclass

While sipping a Macallan Rare, with its richer and thicker palate of raisins, orange and ginger, Wayne Collins runs us through preparing the Old Gold.

The Old Gold twists an Old Fashioned into using Macallan Gold, ginger syrup, and chocolate bitters. The palest of the 1824 range, the Macallan Gold’s toffee and cinnamon follows the initial ginger kick, with the chocolate bitters bringing out the whisky’s natural cocoa notes.

More of the Old Golds

We taste more of the Macallan Gold when it is paired with Artisan du Chocolat’s Basil and Lime Dark Chocolate. The beautifully herbaceous chocolate first brings out the Gold’s savoury flavours, and the lime lifts it up after, for a wonderfully summery pairing.

Next, the Macallan Amber, the oilier whisky, buttery with notes of winter fruits and lemon, rich, with a somewhat earthy and cinnamon finish – is paired with Dark Chocolate Sea-Salted Caramel. The Amber’s more forceful notes are heightened, and the heat in the whisky is brought out strongly by the salty-sweet caramel.

The next of the 1824 range, the Sienna instantly hits the nose with Demerara sugar, orange and something floral. The palate is similarly warming and sweet, very autumnal. Paired with Dark Chocolate Ganache infused with Tazmanian Honey, the floral sweetness of the honey immediately brings out all those floral notes in the Sienna, a very uplifting combination.

Finally, the spectacularly coloured Macallan Ruby struts onto the stage with major spice and glacé cherry nose, a palate that is deep and warm like an evening at the fireplace – oaky, raisin, leather, char, dates and winter sweetness, a candied orange peel finish. Paired with Tobacco infused Dark Chocolate Ganache, caramel, coffee and vanilla hit you and take you to that leather Chesterfield armchair at the fireplace.

This Speyside whisky knows how to throw a party. And will be back on the 8^th and 9^th of June, participating in The Telegraph Whisky Experience, alongside many popular whiskies. Information on the Telegraph Whisky Experience can be found here: CLICK!

http://www.themacallan.com/

Jackson + Rye, Soho

Mar19

Type of Bar: Bar/Restaurant, American
Damage: £ (for cocktails)
Ideal for: Rye/Whiskey, Food, Date, Small Groups

Jackson + Rye has been a Soho staple for a while now, and seems to be almost constantly full – with good reason! The American South meets a Wild West saloon meets a glance of Corbin and King styled suaveness results in J+R’s dimly lit, two-floor hardwood den and take on a zinc bar.

Something about the décor is still very European – even the menu is set out very brasserie-style, though the dishes themselves are from the hearty South. Chilli and garlic grilled shrimp on a bed of grits and sweetcorn and showered with shallots accompanied by and easy and citrusy Rittenhouse Rye to cut through the grits without over powering it. A main of buttermilk fried chicken and sweet potato fries with the warm spiciness of High West Double Rye, and finally, pecan pie with a spectacular rye whiskey ice cream alongside a thick, sugary sweet Smooth Ambler Old Scout Rye.

Background: Rittenhouse Rye Manhattan; Foregorund: Woodford Reserve Rye Old Fashioned

For cocktails, the evening begins and ends with a Rittenhouse Rye Manhattan (classic Gangster recipe) of whiskey, Martini Rosso and Luxardo Maraschino to provide a smooth, sweet, but bold take on the Manhattan that isn’t served in London that often lest asked for.

Finally, a classic Woodford Reserve Rye Old Fashioned is heady and not kidding around with the citrus – classic in every sense of the word.

Besides the (incredibly) filling meal, a rye whiskey tasting that will soon be a regular attraction at Jackson + Rye!

A preview got us a history of rye, and the relationship between the UK and the USA regarding rye imports – and a tasting of four ryes;

Tasting of four Ryes

Beginning with an everyday Jim Beam Rye, it comes off a bit more like a bourbon than a rye, a bit thin and flat. The nose is a myriad of spices, the palate begins with a vanilla sweetness, then a collection of spices and distinct warmth and a peppery finish.

The High West Double Rye is a lot more fun – with an immense rye content, you can smell the spiciness from a mile away, as well as a caramel. The mixture of old and young whiskeys that make HWDR result in a contradictory mix of powerful pepper and cinnamon, as well as a thick honey and nutty caramel. A fun ride, this one!

Bulleit makes an appearance – more famous for their bourbon, their new rye is popping up everywhere in London these days. (Personal note? I feel I’m a bigger fan of their bourbon.) Initially, you get kicked in the face with the spice and…tobacco? Followed by a light sweetness of fruits, strongly orange zest. All smoky.

Finally, the Smooth Angler Old Scout 7yr arrives to the table. Probably the most unique in the tasting, this was also the sweetest. It comes off in the nose too, chocolatey. The palate is as well, along with Demerara sugar, but still warming and spicy. A fantastic digestif.

Fun, conversational, and informative, the quality service at the tasting extends to the bartenders upstairs. No complaints here.

Jackson + Rye provides a beautiful environment (if not a bit noisy, it’s crowded enough, the Imelda May soundtrack doesn’t have to be as loud), with excellent service – substantial meals with quality cocktails and an excellent selection of ryes. And the tasting – excellent for introductions to rye – have a confident, conversational environment to both learn, *and* get drunk in. What’s not to love?

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

Jackson + Rye

56 Wardour Street, Soho,
London W1D 4JF

http://www.jacksonrye.com/

The Whisky Lounge @ Hilton London Metropole, Edgware Road

Feb22

Type of Bar: Hotel, Whisky, Lounge
Damage: ££ – ££££ (per dram)
Ideal for: Education, Date, Small Groups, After Work

Who can turn down a good ol’ whisky tasting?

The Hilton London Metropole’s Whisky Lounge hosts a stunning 80 whiskies visitors can order by the dram, or can come as a group to try out their whisky tasting sessions (hosting 3 to 5 whiskies at a time).

A calm blue-grey colour scheme with the most gorgeous lighting constructed out of laser-cut whisky decanters make the Hilton’s Whisky Lounge the perfect venue for the event, and though opens directly to the hotel main EDG Lounge and Bar, is not as loud as one might expect. Surrounded with an excellent selection of malts watching over the guests, many an hour can be whittled away here.

Seated at a table (brought in for the tasting events) the group is presented with four of the day’s choice whiskies: A Singleton of Dufftown 12yr, a Lagavulin 16yr, Suntory Yamazaki 12 yr, and finally a Kavalan (one the Hoodooist was keen to become acquainted with).

Guided by our whisky sommelier, the gang is first introduced to a healthy dram of the 12yr Singleton of Dufftown. A classic Speyside, the nose is nutty, with sweet fruits (dates?), wintery; with large tears.

Flavour is malty, intensely hazelnut, a rich Arabica coffee – with the Arabica’s hints of currant and toffee. Followed by a dry medium length of oak and the trademark Singleton fruit.

Milk chocolate was selected to pair with the whisky, intensifying the hazelnut even further, adding a liqueur quality to the whisky and greatly shortening the finish – a fantastic way to end a meal.

The Tasting Selection

The second whisky brought to the table, the Lagavulin 16yr – an Islay classic. The small, slow moving tears indicate a thick, rich whisky, and is renowned for having the smokiest nose of the Islay whiskies – reminiscent of smoky teas and sherries.

And there is that loud sherry flavour on the palate, dry and spicy, and unashamedly peaty. A large mouth on this one, confident, with its own sweetness, too. A long peppery finish with hints of vanilla.

Going fantastically well with smoky and spiced nuts, the Lagavulin 16yr is recommended for salty dinners or as a digestif for red meats.

Dram and pairings

We venture away from the isles to Japan, and the ludicrously popular Suntory Yamazaki 12yr. Utterly miniscule and slow tears hint at a thick and intricate experience ahead, and on the nose an almost candied orange scent, tropical fruit, but also cloves. An incredible nose on this one.

The entry is slow, but the flavours develop and become increasingly complex, first a winter spice and floral sweetness, followed by more of the tropical fruit and almost buttery. A long woody and spicy finish. A favourite across the table for its complexity.

Finally, the most eagerly awaited whisky of the evening, the Taiwanese Kavalan, is young, but said to mature quickly with the sub-tropical climes of the island – focusing on tropical fruit flavours.

Small but quick tears, the nose is woody, and very fragrant and floral. The opening is harsh, coarse. Once that trial is over, though, a wonderful mango and spicy oak develops, with a long refreshing finish.

Nonetheless, the table didn’t think that the delightful finish was worth the harsh opening. The Kavalan quickly fell to the bottom of most’s lists, leaving the Suntory Yamazaki 12yr, the most popular – and with all the awards it has collected over the years, it’s hardly a surprise!

The Kavalan

Service was excellent and our wonderful sommelier did a fantastic job leading the group through the whiskies, providing wonderful conversation along with an educational 2 hours. A highly recommended evening out for whisky novices looking to learn! Especially with this great collection.
This was a custom tasting and would have been priced at £42.00. The Hilton London Metropole have two types of tastings: Scottish and International. Guests can choose to have a tasting of 3-5 whiskies. An outline of prices are outlined below:

Scottish 3 : £26.00
Scottish 4 : £34.50
Scottish 5 : £42.00

International 3 : £38.00
International 4 : £50.00
International 5 : £61.00

All Inc VAT, but Excl Service Charge 10% (optional).

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

The Whisky Lounge @ Hilton London Metropole

225 Edgware Road,
London W2 1JU

http://www3.hilton.com/en/hotels/united-kingdom/hilton-london-metropole-LONMETW/dining/whisky-lounge.html

Smokes and Tipples @ Hotel Xenia, South Kensington

Feb2

The Hotel Xenia is back with their Smokes and Tipples tasting sessions! Sessions that bring together cigars paired with whiskies from their excellent humidor collection to their heated outdoor Living Wall Bar and Herb Garden.

Hosted by Hunters and Frankau, the UK’s official Cuban cigar importers, visitors will be presented with the cigar of choice along with a selection of whiskies to pair.

Escorted down the stairway with a glass of Prosecco, the living wall is a comfy, if small and cosy space. With music soft in the distance (thankfully, cigars and whiskey are for conversations), each visitor receives their own non-sulphur wooden matches and guillotine. If necessary, do ask staff to turn up the heating, it can get unseasonably cold in London this winter!

For a preview of what is to come at the Smokes and Tipples sessions at the Xenia, the Hoodooist was presented with a Petit Edmundo from the Casa de Montecristo. A short Robusto, the Edmundo is a 52 ring gauge (*whistle*) that would normally be recommended to more seasoned smokers, due to thickness and complexity.

Initially spicy, and rather vague in flavour (primarily tobacco, occasionally a red fruit), midway, flavours of bitter chocolate (which initially seemed like espresso) and something peppery. Excellent burn and self-correction, a great cigar to introduce.

Paired was the Glenfiddich 12yr, a typically Speyside whisky with its spicy-floral flavour to complement the Petit Edmundo. The sweet-ish finish goes fantastically with the after-taste of the Edmundo.

All in all, a pleasant experience to bring a friend or two along and relax with, with excellent service and masterclass by speakers and representatives of Hunters and Frankau to walk you through the entire session.

The next Smokes and Tipples event will run on the 12th of March 2015, with tickets going at £30.00.
To book, contact stephanie.pender@hotelxenia.co.uk or call 0207 442 42 42.
Hotel Xenia

160 Cromwell Road, South Kensington,
London SW5 0TL

http://www.hotelxenia.co.uk/

SCOTCH Pop up 2015 @ Brown’s Hotel, Mayfair

Jan25

Happy Burns Night all! To celebrate, we thought of the perfect place to celebrate this Sunday, and hey, if you’d rather have a cosy night in, we’ve thrown in a couple of whiskey 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

Running till the 8^th of February 2015, 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.

For reference: Glenmorangie stills are as tall as giraffes.

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 Tùsail. Attempting to keep the same mash and method of the Original, the Tùsail differs from the Original by using Maris Otter barley – used only by a select few considering the difficulty and cost of production compared to commercial barley. But boy, is it worth it. A spectacular amber harvest gold; the nose is much sweeter, almost toffee, maltier and earthier. A deeper flavour, the toffee and barley come through rather prominently, something spicy and nostalgic (I may have gotten some dark chocolate too), an intensely winter scotch. Absolutely beautiful, the Hoodooist is in awe of the Tùsail.

Featuring Oswald the Otter!

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 Spey Trip

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.

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.

The Haig Clubman

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!

The Apple Mint Julep

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!

The Malt Whisky Library; & Elgin Lounge Bar, Bloomsbury

Dec27

Yeah, that’s two hotel bars, in two hotels at once.

And though this isn’t strange really, the reason for it is so… So. Bizarre.

Alright, this was supposed to be one single review of the Malt Whisky Library bar of the Grange Blooms Hotel which has gathered a bit of attention after winning one of the “Top 10 London Library Bars” in Unnamed Popular Online Magazine (I had not heard of this bar before, which was strange, but probably explains my experience there). But circumstances which will be explained have made it a double review situation.

With the intention of getting some research done, the Hoodooist gathered his books to get to a library bar – regular libraries are too tedious, and a bit of whisky never hurt to study with, so the Malt Whisky Library sounded like a good idea to check out. Once I got there though, an employee ‘escorted’ (read: dragged) me out of the bar, out of the Grange Blooms Hotel, to the bar in their sister hotel next door, the Elgin Lounge at the Grange White Hall Hotel.

Though it was literally next door, I hadn’t shown up to review the Elgin. The response I received was “Well, you were the only person there, no one really comes there, so we thought we’d move you here.”

Well, that’s interesting, for a winning library bar.

Overhearing our conversation, a Fellow Who Seemed In Charge said he would check to see what happened and would get back to me in a moment.

In that time I grabbed a single Hennessy VS (they didn’t have Courvoisier. THEY DIDN’T HAVE COURVOISIER.), and had a quick look at the Grange White Hall’s Elgin Lounge Bar:

Type of Bar: Hotel, Tiny
Damage: £
Ideal for: Feeling awkward

Save the tidy hardwood bar and the sketches of ancient Greek wine krater, the furniture of the Elgin is rather repulsive. The choice of spirits is minimal, and entirely from an off-license – not saying it’s impossible to get a decent spirit at one, but the limited spirit count was disappointing. And other than Fellow In Charge, employees were not fluent in English, which made conversation a bit complicated. Not to mention, people seemed adamant to not allow me into the Malt Whisky Library like some kind of unfinished Kafka novella.

Drinks: *
Atmosphere: *
Service: *

Fellow In Charge returns, after a bit of protest, and introduces himself as Jacek, the only person who seems to care at all about the customer. He still attempted to dissuade me from going to Malt Whisky Library by explaining the choice of spirits wasn’t much better. Either way, politeness and a slightly unsettling smile can get you far in life and I found myself at the Malt Whisky Library at the Grange Blooms Hotel again.

Type of Bar: Hotel, Tiny, Library
Damage: £
Ideal for: Neat spirits, Whisky, feeling kinda vindicated.

Okay, this isn’t a library. It’s a room with a single bookshelf. As for the Whisky Library, there wasn’t much. Most are over the off-license counter, with only a few that stood out.

I was told that the place ‘had not been used in a while’. That it was ‘under renovation some time back’ (there was no sign of renovation). And that ‘it is only used for events’. Amounting to about 6 or 7 reasons nobody wanted visitors to this strange little space.

Said shelf.

Jacek, though the only individual here who seemed to want to satisfy a customer, makes an odd remark about his wife calling him since he ‘should’ve finished work an hour ago’. If that was a remark about me slowing him down, well, where are the other employees to take his place? The place is utterly vacant.

My first choice of 26 year whisky had pieces of cork in the spirit, so was kept aside. My second choice’s cork broke off when attempting to open it. So we settled for a single grain Highland Invergordon. Again, not a special whisky, but a decent one nonetheless, especially considering a double amounted to about 4 pounds.

Having gotten my whisky and armchair, and the quiet space, I grab my book and get to work. And then the screaming started. Employees in the kitchen (there is only a door between them and myself) launch into an argument. They must really be used to being alone down here. The swearing turns out to be a bit hilarious, but I actually do get some work done.

The argument ends as one of the participants stomps out and catches sight of me, and freezes in disbelief. It’s like no one in this building had seen humans before. Remember ‘The Others’? Yeah.

The Hoodooist pays. He leaves.
He asks no questions.

UPDATE: A quick Google shows that the Grange Blooms is supposedly haunted.

Whether or not this is associated with the above is beyond me.

Drinks: *
Atmosphere: ***
Service: Does funny background swearing count?

The Elgin Lounge

2-5 Montague Street,
London, WC1B 5BU

http://www.grangehotels.com/hotels-london/grange-white-hall/bars-restaurants/elgin-lounge-bar/
The Malt Whisky Library

7 Montague Street,
London, WC1B 5BP

http://www.grangehotels.com/hotels-london/grange-blooms/bars-restaurants/

Mizuwari, Soho – CLOSED

Oct12

Type of Bar: Japanese, Whisky, Dive
Damage: £££
Ideal for: Date, Whisky flights

NOTE: Unfortunately, as of Winter 2014, Mizuwari Soho has been shut down. We will miss it dearly.

Mizuwari is a gem. It has certain drawbacks, but it is unique in London as a bar specializing entirely in Japanese whisky – an ignored market here.

Old Compton Street’s Bincho is clouded in smoke and vapour from the open kitchen where diners feast as you move to the end of the restaurant and take the stairs down into the self-described ‘dive bar’. This is kind of where the only problem I find with Mizuwari lies. The room is far too dark to read the menu, the television is highly unnecessary, and the furniture incredibly uncomfortable. Considering how low the seats are, and the sense of wanting to lie back and relax with the strong drinks, the backlessness of the chairs is such a major pain.

Seated, the incredibly knowledgeable bartender will walk you through the major whiskies they provide, from the well-known Suntory: Yamazaki, to the various Nikka, Ichiro and Karuizawa on offer. ‘Mizuwari’ means ‘mixed with water’, the traditional way to serve whisky in Japan – so we began with the Yamazaki 12 single malt Mizuwari, and the Hakushu 12 single malt with soda, each with crystal-clear hand-cut ice blocks of binchotan charcoal filtered water. Being new to the Mizuwari serve, the charcoal filtered water provided us with a novel new way to explore the flavours of whisky as the water rounds out and dissects the layers of taste for inspection. Among the group, we did see that Japanese whisky may not be for everyone, but it is easy enough a taste to acquire if you already have one for Scotch.

We followed with the whisky cocktails. The Hoodooist went for the Risshun – the Hibiki 12 blend whisky, honey Umeshu plum liqueur and ginger. Sharp on the nose, and slightly intimidating; the Risshun is strong, and doesn’t kid around, but has an unmistakable air of sophistication and wit to it. The Umeshu helps soothe the sharpness of the Hibiki 12, and the ginger to bring back its tartness. Conversely, the Shosho (Hakushu 12, soda, rose water and fresh mint), is a fresh, crisp libation for the early evening.

Bar snacks include edamame beans on the house, and yakitori skewers to order.

Other than the flawed furniture choices and the perpetually sticky floor, the impeccable service of Mizuwari always makes it a perfect destination for the whisky-fan. Of course, the absence of cocktails with other spirits means that you don’t want to bring anyone without a palette for whisky, so do make sure before booking. Even though it’s not on the menu, I’m sure you can request plum wines and sake instead.

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

Mizuwari @ Bincho,
16 Old Compton St,
London W1D 4TH

www.bincho.co.uk/whisky-joint‎

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