Stay ConnectedWant to know more about the artistry of drinks? Join us in our fun, informative and we hope, entertaining cocktail (almost) hour where we sample the best new bottles, highlight our pick of books to add to your drinks library, shine a light on the bars to have on your radar and check in with some of the biggest names in the drinks business for their top tips for making quality cocktails
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What do we do when there's a nip in the air? We warm up with some gorgeous drinks.
First out of the drinks cabinet is Stauning Smoke Whisky – our pick for Bonfire Night, or any autumn/winter night for that matter. We follow that with an indulgent but dairy-free treat, Black Lines Oatnog.
Sterling in Manchester ticks all of the boxes that we look for in a bar that we want to hunker down in all winter: sexy lighting, plush leather seats, great service, good vibes, and onehelluva drinks and food list.
Our book choice is just the ticket for staving off the cold, it's The Cocktail Edit – Everything you need to know about how to make all the drinks that matter by Alice Lascelles.
Then ahead of the Athens Bar Show next week we talk to Thanos Prunarus, owner of Baba au Rum and In Love Again to talk about the bar scene and warming hospitality in one of our favourite capitals in the world.
Benny & Hot
50ml Bénédictine D.O.M. liqueur
50ml hot water
Squeeze of lemon juice
Method:
Stir ingredients together in a heat proof glass and serve.
For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com
For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:
Athens Bar Show 8 & 9 November 2022
Athens Rum & Whiskey Festival 9 & 10 December 2022
The Cocktail Edit – Everything you need to know about how to make all the drinks that matterby Alice Lascelles
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As born and bred Londoners, we're always chuffed when we have any opportunity to shine a light on all that's great about our beloved capital.
We start with our two products: East London Liquor Company Kew Gin made in, you guessed it, East London, then take our tastebuds West to Chiswick to sample Sipsmith Cacao & Orange Gin.
Our book is 'The Cocktail Cabinet – The art, science and pleasure of mixing the perfect drink' by London-based flavour expert Zoe Burgess and as London Cocktail Week is in full swing, we highlight a few of the many events taking place in every corner of the capital.
Our guest this week is one of the OGs of the Cool Britannia bar scene, Nick Strangeway, who reflects on the London bar scene, past and present.
What we're mixing:
Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew
Created by Pete Jeary
Ingredients
50ml homemade ginger syrup*
50ml freshly-squeezed lemon juice
35ml London Dry Gin (we used Beefeater)
100ml London Pride ale
Method:
In a blender, blitz the ginger syrup, lemon juice, gin and half a cup of cubed ice for 10 seconds so ro. Strain through a coarse sieve into a frozen beer mug, so you still have a few ice chips in with the drink. Top with the London Pride and drink straight from the glass, as you would a beer.
*Ginger syrup
150g fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
350g caster sugar
250ml water
Over a low heat, bring all the ingredients to the boil. Cool, strain, bottle, refrigerate.
Recipe from Hawksmoor at Home
The Cocktail Cabinet – the art, science and pleasure of mixing the perfect drink by Zoe Burgess
For the full London Cocktail Week programme and to sign up for your £15 wristband to entitle you to £7 cocktails, masterclasses and events across London, visit londoncocktailweek.com
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Want to know which bar has been voted the best in the world? Of course you so but you'll have to wait until the end of this episode…
Before that we have our two product reviews: Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico which takes us to the cornfields of sunny Mexico, followed by The Fords Gin Co Sloe gin which blends sloes from the UK and France.
We're in Venice for this week's chosen venue – the Art's Bar at the stunning St. Regis hotel. Our book choice is 60-Second Cocktail – Amazing drinks to make at home in a minute' by Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley.
This week's guest is Mark Sansom, Director of Content at The World's 50 Best Bars, 50 Best Restaurants and 50 Best Discovery. Here we speak to him about the nuts and bolts of The World's 50 Best Bars awards ceremony which he hosted in Barcelona earlier this week and share details of who made that much-coveted top spot, and other highlights from the list.
X Muse Fresh-piration by Denis Broci, Bras Manager, Claridges Hotel
50ml X Muse Vodka
10ml Italicus
75ml soda water
Fresh mint sprig and pink grapefruit wedge to garnish
Method:
Pour the first two ingredients over ice in Rocks glass. Top up with soda water and stir gently to combine. 'Clap' mint sprig in your hands to release the oils and aromas before placing on the inside of the glass with the pink grapefruit wedge.
60-Second Cocktails – Amazing drinks to make at home in a minute
For the full World's 50 Best Bars 2022 list, see here
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Boy, do we have some good stuff for you. In this episode we bring you two delicious products: an Eau de Vie from Capreolus Distillery in the Cotswolds and Old Duff Genever, from an Irishman based in New York.
Our library pick is a must-read for hosts at every level – André Darlington's fabulous 'Bar Menu – 100+ drinking food recipes for cocktail hours at home', a brand new book which does exactly what it says on the tin.
From New Orleans, it's all about the delights of the stunning Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons hotel, and for a hotel closer to home, we speak to this week's guest, Anna Sebastian. Tune in to hear what she's done to breathe new life into the historic American Bar and its sassy younger sister, the Beaufort Bar and hear her thoughts on what you can do to bring some five-star hospitality into your own home.
White Negroni
30ml gin
30ml Lillet Blanc
30ml Suze
Lemon zest to garnish
Method:
Fill a Rocks glass with ice and stir ingredients over ice. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Bar Menu – 100+ drinking food recipes for cocktail hours at home
Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons hotel
The American and Beaufort Bars at The Savoy
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We're back and while we've been away, we're thrilled to say that The Cocktail Lovers podcast picked up Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in New Orleans – whoop-la!
So what are we coming back with? Only the good stuff… Our drinks reviews take in Beesou, a honey-based aperitif from Britain and Ki No Bi, a big-hitting gin from Japan. Our library pick also puts Japan in the spotlight with Julia Momose’s award-winning book The Way of The Cocktail.
Closer to home, we head over to Little Mercies in London’s Crouch End for good vibes, top-notch drinks and an array of simply delicious bar bites. Then it's over to Paris where we catch up with Alex Francis from Little Red Door to talk about what’s in season, the importance of local and why their fabulous menu embraces farm to glass drinking.
Millionaires Martini
40ml gin
40ml dry vermouth
20ml Champagne or sparkling wine
Method:
Stir the first two ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Pour into chilled Coupe glasses and top with Champagne or sparkling wine.
The Way of The Cocktail – Japanese Traditions, Techniques & Recipes
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In the last episode in this current season, it's all about the summery feels…
Our product reviews takes our tastebuds to sunny Mexico as we sample Nixta De Elote, an intriguing corn liqueur, and Vida De Muertos, a new expression from Del Maguey Mezcal. Bar-wise, we keep things a little closer to home as we head up to the terrace at The Nest at The Treehouse Hotel to soak up the sublime views and taste the delicious seasonal cocktails.
Then on to our book choice, which is all about the man who brought rays of light to the London bar scene: Mr Dick Bradsell, in the hot-off-the-press 'Dick Tales – Thank Yous and Sluggings' edited by Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown.
Lastly, we couldn't reference summer drinks without talking tiki, and we couldn't talk tiki without catching up with Sly Augustin, owner of Trailer Happiness. Tune in to find out how he brings the sunshine vibes to his basement bar in London's Notting Hill.
White Port & Tonic
50ml Graham's Blend No5 White Port
Tonic
Lemon wheel and mint sprig to garnish
Method:
Pour the Graham's Blend No5 into a Highball or wine glass with plenty of ice. Top up with tonic and garnish with fresh mint and a lemon slice.
For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com
For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:
Dick Tales – Thank Yous and Sluggings
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With World Martini Day on 18th June and World Music Day on 21st June, we have Martinis, we have music and a whole lot more…
We start with our two product reviews: Gin D'Azur from sunny Provence and Birch Botanical Spirit from bonny Scotland, before heading over to London's longest serving bar, the American Bar at the Savoy to check out its brand new menu.
Then it's music, first in our featured book, Booze and Vinyl – A spirited guide to great music and mixed drink by André and Tenaya Darlington, followed by our interview with Jon Nickoll, resident pianist at the American Bar. Listen in to hear to hear about his journey in music, duets with Amy Winehouse and Paul McCartney and special performances live from his piano.
Dry Martini (of course)
Ingredients:
3 parts gin (we used Beefeater London Dry)
1 part dry vermouth (we used Martini Bianco)
Lemon twist
Method:
Stir ingredients over ice in a chilled mixing glass. Pour into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a lemon zest.
Booze and Vinyl – A spirited guide to great music and mixed drink
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Bunting at the ready people, this week's episode is a right royal celebration of Her Majesty The Queen.
We taste two drinks created specially for the Platinum Jubilee. For £20, we have Foxdenton Jubilee Summer Pudding Gin Liqueur; add a few more noughts and you can buy the second product that we're tasting, the exceedingly regal Royal Salute Platinum Jubilee Edition, a snip at $20,000.
Having created cocktails for Her Majesty The Queen during his tenure at the American Bar at the Savoy, we thought it was only fitting to highlight the drinks of Joe Gilmore in his book Joe Gilmore And His Cocktails, and lastly, we head over to The Goring, a firm Royal favourite since it opened in 1910 to talk to its General Manager Michael Voigt, Bar Manager Tiago Mira and sample its Platinum Jubilee cocktails.
Dubonnet Cocktail
1 part gin
2 parts Dubonnet
Lemon twist
Method:
Stir ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Pour into a chilled Nick & Nora garnish and garnish with a lemon zest.
Foxdenton Jubilee Summer Pudding Gin Liqueur
Royal Salute Platinum Jubilee Edition
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May 21st is World Whisky Day, so taking as our inspiration, we're keeping things suitably dark and tasty.
We kick things off with our two product reviews: the first, The Wiseman Bourbon – new to the UK; the other, one of our favourites, Takamaka Rum, bringing its St. André Series all the way from the Seychelles.
Shochu Lounge in Fitzrovia keeps the dark and sexy vibe going strong and as for (mostly) dark, contemplative – read 'classic' drinks to make at home, we're picking out 'Old Man Drinks' by Robert Schnakenberg.
Where does the whisky come in? That's down to this week's guest, Thomas Aske. co-founder of our favourite whisky bar Black Rock. Tune in to hear how he went from bar back to bar owner and, drum roll please, winning over the hard nuts in Dragons Den to amplify his monthly subscription service, Whisky Me.
What we're mixing:
Whisky Highball (serves one)
50ml blended whisky (we used Johnnie Walker Black Label)
100-150 ml soda water
Lemon peel to garnish
Method:
Fill a chilled Highball glass with ice. Add whisky (preferably from the freezer) and top up will chilled soda water. No need to stir. Garnish with lemon peel twist.
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There’s no particular theme to this week’s episode, just plenty of the good stuff we think you should have on your radar.
Starting with our two featured products: Acqua Bianca Liqueur from the Maestro Salvatore Calabrese and the nifty, very natty Crafty Little Rye from The Oxford Artisan Distillery – both great tipples to keep in mind for the warmer days ahead.
Rather than a standard bar review, we’ve gone large, talking about the cool experiences and fab drinks offering at Edinburgh’s latest visitor attraction, the state-of-the-art Johnnie Walker Princes Street in Edinburgh. As for our book, it’s an oldie but goodie packed with great recipes and ideas, it’s the excellent Good Things To Drink With Mr Lyan & Friends.
Then it’s over to Eric Van Beek from Handshake in Mexico City. With four bars in the World’s 50 Best Bars List, Mexico City and its bars are definitely on our must-visit list. Read more about them in the latest issue of The Cocktail Lovers magazine, available now.
And did we mention that we’re proud winners of the Best Food & Drink Podcast in the Publisher Podcast Awards? Time for a cocktail to celebrate:
The Dandy (serves 2)
25ml cognac
12.5ml Dom Benedictine Liqueur
12.5ml Luxardo Liqueur
12.5ml sugar syrup
Chilled Brut Champagne to top
Seasonal berries to garnish
Method:
Add first four ingredients to a mixing glass, stir to combine. Pour into chilled Coupes and top with Champagne. Garnish with seasonal berries. For a Punch, double the measures of the first four ingredients and add to a punch bowl. Pour the contents of a chilled bottle of Champagne into the bowl and garnish as above.
Good Things To Drink With Mr Lyan & Friends
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