Mister Cocktail

When asked about their favourite cocktailbar, most people will name their preferred hang-out or perhaps the bar that is best known in their area. Most people don’t travel to visit special bars in other countries. Very unlike the good people in the drinks-industry: bartenders, big companies, journalists all visit cities around the world, not so much for the great architecture and culture, but for visiting other bars. And of course, as in any industry, things need to be put in perspective and be compared to eachother in order to say which is truly The Best.

Each year, the world’s largest event that fully revolves around spirits and cocktails is held in New Orleans. It’s called Tales of the Cocktail and is like the who-is-who in the world of creating spirits and mixing drinks.

One of the highlights of this booze-filled week are the Spirited Awards, the amazing awardshow that could be called the Oscar’s of the drinks-industry. Winning such an award is a great honour and competition is fierce in each category. Most awards are deserved by working very hard for years on end, although I believe no-one aims to win this award: the people in this industry do this for the love for spirits and of course for the hospitality industry. After all, the final outcome must be a satisfied customer, so without any you will never pick up one of these very much sought-after cristal plates.

The outcome of the 10th Spirited Awards, that were held yesterday at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Orleans reveal once again that travelling to London is a very good idea! I mean fish, chips, cup o’ tea, bad food, worst weather, Mary f*ckin’ Poppins London! Cocktails now must be added to this list.

World’s Best Cocktailbar: The Connaught

World’s Best Hotelbar: Artesian

World’s Best Cocktailmenu: Callooh Callay

World’s Best New Cocktailbar: The Zetter Townhouse

World’s Best Drinksselection: Salvatore at Playboy Club

World’s Best International Bartender: Alex Kratena (Artesian Bar)

Other awards that were handed out (watch the links below, you’ll like them!)
Best American Bartender: Joaquin Simo
Best American Cocktailbar: The Varnish in LA
Best restaurant/bar: Slanted Door, in San Fransisco
Best New Product: Cognac Pierre Ferrand 1840 Formula
Best Cocktailwriting: David Wondrich
Best Non-book Publication: Liquor.com
Best New Cocktailbook: PDT Cocktail Book – Jim Meehan
Best American Brand Ambassador: Jim Ryan
best International Brand Ambassador: Angus Winchester
Best Barmentor: Steve Olson
Best High Volume Cocktailbar: Eastern Standard, Boston

One special award was given to Gaz Regan, for he received the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award. Gaz (formerly known as Gary) is an absolute legend in this industry and author of numerous book, including the book that all bartenders should have read: The Joy of Mixology. A post on twitter quoted him upon receiving the award: “I’m 60 years old, I have 40 more years to go, mother f*ckers.” Rockstar!

Congratulations to all winners, and to my readers: I hope you can visit one of these bars soon!

Almost 3 years ago, London saw the birth of a new distillery, the first one to be given a distillers’ license in almost 200 years. The founders, Sam Galsworthy and Fairfax Hall, and their master distiller, Jared Brown, wanted to distill London Dry Gin like it used to be done: in small batches, one shot and by pot-still. This already sets them apart from other new-comers, which were more focused on finding new ingredients to be used in a gin. To make sure they could achieve their mission, they sourced the best classical gin-ingredients from around the globe and they designed a still that they named Prudence, a word they derived off of a quote by Gordon Brown.

The gin is very smooth, almost buttery with the fresh pine taste of juniper coming through in the beginning. There are some very pleasant sweet notes like liquorice, cinnamon and orange in it, together with subtle floral notes from orris root. The finish has great citric notes in it from coriander and lemon-peel.

Schweppes: This combination is pretty smooth, but with a bite. It leaves a dry bitterness at the end, while the overall taste is sweet. It definitely needs lime in this mix, but even with fresh lime the Schweppes is the stronger agent of the 2.
7.5/10

1724: Soft and sweet is the first mouthfeel I get: the gentle bubble in the 1724 plays really nice with the Sipsmith, that releases a slight bitterness and at the same timegives room for the pleasant sweet notes. It leans a bit to the boring side however as they play along nicely but in the aftertaste it regains a bit of those pine flavours.
8.5/10

Fever Tree: Every aspect of the Sipsmith Gin gets room to move around in this mix. All the botanicals in it have just the space it needs, while it gets the right counterbalance by Fever Tree. Combined with some fresh lime it gets a very smooth and long finish with just a little bit of bitterness in it, the freshness of this mix is just great.
9.5/10

Thomas Henry: Again, a very soft nose and I get a lot of flavours right at the beginning: lots of lemon, pine and orange. Strangely, most of these flavours disappear in the middle, are overtaken by the sweeter notes after which the lemon returns full force. The aftertase is mainly lemon with some bitterness. It’s interesting how it developes: it’s a very fresh mix but it loses some points due to ‘middle part’.
8/10

Fentiman’s: The combined citric tones in the tonic and gin make this a very refreshing mix. Fresh lime is still needed though, to prevent it from becoming perfumed. There’s a long bitterness in the aftertaste, although there’s an all-over pleasant sweet taste to this mix.
9/10

Conclusion: Sipsmith Gin is an amazing product and the creators have rally achieved thier goals. It mixes wonderfully with Fentiman’s and Fever Tree and it comes down to personal taste which of the two one prefers. For me, the mix with Fever Tree had a more complete taste so in my opionion the best mixer with Sipsmith Gin!

Image by The Connaught

When The Connaught re-opened in december 2007 after a year-long restauration of the entire hotel, the bar immediately set a new standard for hotelbars. It combined the old style of the hotels with the new style of mixology. The cost for this “contemporary interpretation” totalled a nice £ 70 million and the result is impressive, to say the least. While re-design of the hotel was done by Guy Oliver, the bar of The Connaught was handed over into the capable hands of David Collins, who you might remember from Artesian Bar.

The area in which The Connaught lies, is one of grandeur and style, Mayfair, with the American Ambassy trying to make it all ugly again. The most expensive shoppingarea in all of London is just a few blocks away on New Bond Street, so you may expect a clientele of a certain level. The small square in front of the hotel is most elegantly re-designed as well, giving a good indication of what you may find on the inside that lies behind the wonderful facade. The initial name of the hotel was The Coburg, but in 1917  it was renamed the “Connaught”, after the 3rd son of Queen Victoria: Prince Arther, Duke of Connaught.

The main hall of the hotel is quite small, giving a surprisingly warm and familiar feeling: here the entrances of The Coburg Bar, The Connaught Bar, Espelette and the famous restaurant of Hélène Darroze all come together. And of course the entrance to the hotel itself. In between you can find the very helpful and skilled staff of The Connaught, navigating everyone to his or her destination within the hotel, all with the attitude to make them feel at home. Which already starts outside, with the doormen wishing you welcome.

The eye catcher in the main entrance are the stairs: large and majestic, leading all the way to the top floor of the main building. I was told that Ralph Lauren is a big fan of The Connaught and he even rebuilt the stairs in his flagship-store in New York. My destination for this evening is of course The Connaught Bar. As for almost every bar in London, it is highly recommended to reserve ahead, to avoid disappointment and missing out on one great evening.

At The Connaught Bar you’re welcomed by a most friendly hostess, guiding you to your table to make sure you are well installed and hands you the drinksmenu. This is divided in several sections and are almost invariably own creations, a fair deal firmly based on the classics. Their Signature-section boasts some lavish creations by the barteam, which includes Agostino Perrone who was named International Bartender of the Year in 2010. He received this award during The Tales Of The Cocktail-event in New Orleans and The Connaught Bar picked up the award for World’s Best Hotelbar that same night. The night I visited The Connaught Bar, we were served by Rusty Cerven, a young rising star in the world of bartending.

The drinksmenu will keep you busy for a while and you may want to start with a glass of champagne. Feel free to call for help, the hostess will guide you through the different flavours with a steady hand.  One recommendation I’d like to make is their house-special the Dry Martini, which is prepared exactly how you’d like to drink it at your table, with your choice of vodka or gin, vermouth, bitters, garnish and way of course the choice between shaken or stirred. More house specials we tried were the Bloody Mary with a spectacular ‘air’ of celery on top and the Mulata Daisy, one of Agostino’s award-winning creations. I try to stay away from saying “drink this cocktail” because as it fits my taste, it might not be your choice in the end.

Every cocktail you order is served in a beautiful, handcrafted and hand-painted glass, which are also for sale in the bar. Especially the coupettes are great. Another nice feature is the small card that you receive upon leaving, of every cocktail you drank that evening, to re-create at home.

Should you feel a bit hungry after a long day of shopping in London, or just need a quick bite to stay focused when tasting all these wonderful cocktails, there’s always the possibility to order from their tapas-menu. All items on the menu are developed by Hélène Darroze, so Michelin-star level food. I have to admit that I could not resist the urge to have some nibblers so I tried the Grilled Scallops and the Lobster Spring Rolls. They were both just fabulous and I can imagine the same goes for the rest of the menu.

Having a drink at The Connaught Bar is not something you should do “in-between” – take your time and indulge yourself in this oasis of hospitality, where a highly skilled team works very hard to make sure you have an amazing experience.

The Connaught Bar – Carlos Place, Mayfair, London - +44 (0)20 7314 3419

Picture by 69 Colebrook Row

SpeakEasy-style bars come in all different shapes and sizes. Unnoticeable doors, secret cellars, password-only, members-only etc etc. And although the strong arm of the law will not hunt these premises down, it feels special to be in a place that’s not accessible for everyone. On 69 Colebrook Row you can find The Bar With No Name, and conveniently called 69 Colebrook Row. Some things in life can be just that simple. To find this bar, you just have to turn on the navigation on your smartphone and you’re most certain to find this place, although it’s very easy to miss. The speakeasy part with this bar is that it’s just very small and tucked away and that they ask you to be nice to the neighbours after you leave, a kind gesture.

The bar opened mid 2009 and the man responsible for this  is Tony Conigliaro. No not this one, this one! Mr Conigliaro is a veteran when it comes to bartending and working with spirits. He not only opened this bar, but also a laboratory, where new flavours are added to existing brands, which opens an endless array of possibilities for creating drinks. Most of the base-spirits, syrups and bitters are created in the Drinks Factory, establishing 69 Colebrook Row as one of the most progressive bars in the industry.

The place itself is not of the fancy kind: no expensive designs, no marble bar or gold-plated ornaments: at 69 Colebrook Row it is all about hospitality and great cocktails. It is highly recommended to make a reservation, just in case a few other people before have decided to have a drink in the same place: it fills up pretty easylee. You’re welcomed by the staff - the hostess and the bartenders,  and the space is small enough to make no one enter unnoticed. All the (award-winning) staff-members are very capable of navigating you through their menu to find the perfect cocktail for you.

Drinking cocktails in The Bar With No Name is something special. As I’ve mentioned before, almost every ingredient that is used behind the bar comes out of their own lab, so you have to be open to try new flavours and put your taste buds to the test at times. And you will be rewarded for going here, for the drinks are all of extremely high quality. And yet pleasantly priced at £ 9. One example of all these great flavours is the Barbershop Fizz, in which you can find pine-infused gin (!) and a birch-vanilla syrup…talking about experimental!

The team has recently decided to revive the Gibson Martini , it’s not on their menu yet, but don’t hesitate to ask the staff. Just like you can ask for any classic cocktail – you are in safe hands when it comes down to these as well.

69 Colebrook Row is very well worth the visit, comes with a little journey to reach your destination, and has reset the standard for developing new flavours. You find yourself amongst a pleasant crowd and on week-end days a pianist will play tunes to enrichen the experience. Highly recommended!

The Bar With No Name – 69 Colebrook Row, London - +447540528593 or drinks@96colebrookrow.com

Visiting a cocktailbar is one thing. Visiting cocktailbars in London is also one other thing, but visiting hotelbars in London is a whole different ballgame. At least a good few of them. One of these bars is Artesian, the bar that is located in the prestigious hotel The Langham, the oldest 5* hotel in London conveniently located just a few minutes away from Oxford Circus. For entering the bar you can use the side-entrance, but I’d suggest you should go through the main-entrance of the hotel, getting you in the right mood instantaneously.

The entrance of the hotel radiates style and luxury and you may notice the pleasant scent that you smell upon entry, which is the signature smell of all Langham Hotels worldwide. The pillared marble entrance and the view of the Palm Court restaurant all add to the Grand Entree and as you follow your way to the left you may find Artesian Bar.

The bar itself is a design by David Collins and he did just one excellent job. Enormous Victorian chandeliers hang down from the ceiling and comfortable chairs and sofas make sure you can enjoy the great atmosphere as relaxed as possible. Purple leather and snakeskin-chairs all add to the luxurious space, which is lushly decorated with flowers. But a greatly designed bar would be nothing without great bartenders to prepare you drinks. As you’ve probably guessed, my first advise is to aim for the bar: there’s only 4 seats there, but still there’s a good chance that you find yourself lucky enough to get one of them. At fair part of the clientele is there on business or are well-known people from the entertainment industry, who prefer the comfortable sofas over a seat at the bar. There are a few indicators that the guys on the other end of the bar really know what it’s all about, including the award for World’s Best Cocktailmenu at The Tales of the Cocktail, the Oscar’s for the cocktail-scene.

All cocktails are prepared with great care, displaying a different technique for each cocktail. And don’t expect ordinary glassware here: each drink is served in a different vessel, each beautifully decorated. They are famous for their enormous collection of rums and I can highly recommend you to go for a rum-based drink. They created a drink called the BBC, to celebrate their strong relationship with their famous neighbours. Another specialty is their collection of Jenevers, the Dutch specialty with which they’ve created some very special drinks, like the Club Netherlands. Make sure to pay attention to the ice, which they treat with great attention, sometimes carving it by hand. The bartenders, Alex Kratena , Simone Caporale and Roman Foltán are very well capable of guiding you through the menu and show you their excellent skills in hospitality. Or rather experience their hospitality, because each member of the staff will give you the feeling that you are most welcome and they will treat all guests the same.

Cocktails here are a bit pricier than in high-end cocktailbars, but the setting in which all is served more than makes up for this. This truly is an experience for all senses and well worth every penny and of the hotelbars that you must visit in London.

Artesian Bar – The Langham, 1c Portland Place, Regent Street, 020 – 7636 1000