Next week is London Cocktail Week! There’s so much going on, we thought we’d distil the options into our top 10 (in no particular order) to help you choose how best to spend your time. For just £10, you get your wrist band, which gives you discounts and cocktail treats for the week at all the venues, including a huge cocktail village in Spitalfields Market! Click on the pictures to find out how you can get involved with each of our top choices below…
1. Pisco Masterclass (Senor Ceviche 11th October)
A very special pisco cocktail event in the beautiful new Ceviche Old St Pisco Bar.
With this masterclass you’ll find out all about Peru’s national spirit and learn how to make classic sour, Martini and cooler cocktails. Then you’ll get creative, making your very own perfect pisco cocktail.
The class includes plenty of tasters, two cocktails plus cancha crunchy Peruvian corn to munch on.
If you can’t make it down to Senor Ceviche, grab one of our Pisco kits and we’ll deliver it to your door to make your own at home!
2. Vestal Voyage (5th-11th October)
We can highly recommend Vestal Vodka and it sounds like they are putting on a spectacular show on London’s canals, so get involved!
A cosy cocktail voyage featuring luxurious beverages from Mr Vestal Vodka’s vintage collection. Or try their brand new distillery tour where you’ll be invited to create your very own unique gin using their on-board distillery as you make the 2 hour cruise up the Regents Canal from Kings Cross.
3. On board with Chambord (8th October)
Chambord Black Raspberry Liqueur are taking over Brixton’s finest Sovereign Loss for one night only.
Brand Ambassador Frank McGivern will behind the stick making French Martinis under the watchful eye of Chris Dennis and the Sovereign Loss boys.
Expect live music and unusual takes on the speciality Prohibition-style cocktails of Sovereign Loss, along with a few new additions… Chamos Gin Fizz anyone?
4. Buffalo Trace Bourbon Empire (8th and 9th October)
This London Cocktail Week sees the Buffalo Bourbon Empire return for yet another time to dispel some of your post-summer blues.
From the moment you step through the door, immerse yourself in all that is Buffalo Trace. Taste some of the world’s great whisky whilst they transport you to the Buffalo Trace Distillery.
Whether you’re learning how to make your favourite cocktails, watching the hilarious comedy duo ‘The Thinking Drinkers’ or just sitting back and relaxing with some sublime drinks, there is a little bit of something for everyone. And as if that’s not enough, you could be among the first to sample this year’s highly anticipated Antique Collection – a Collection that has been bestowed with some of the highest accolades the spirits world has to offer.
5. Gin journey (7th October)
Shake Rattle and Stir have taken their flagship event the ‘Gin Journey’ and made it High and Mighty.
During their High and Mighty Gin Journey you will be chauffeur driven around 5 venues, in each venue you’ll be tasting a small batch gin and quaffing a well crafted cocktail using the same gin that’s been tasted. The venues visited will be a mixture of some of the highest and mightiest spots in London including a working gin distillery.
Throughout the night you will be hosted by Shake Rattle and Sir’s head honcho of gin, Leon Dalloway. With lots of lovely gin chat and a sample of gin and one bespoke gin cocktail in each bar, this will be an evening like no other. Featuring…the chance to taste an exclusive gin which has only had 30 bottles bottled.
Strap in guys this journey is like nothing you’ve tasted before, it’s fuelled with GIN!
6. The Art of the Old Fashioned (6th-9th October)
Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Woodford Reserve proudly presents The Art of the Old Fashioned, a one-of-a-kind bar celebrating the classic American cocktail. Set in the heart of Shoreditch, the bar will offer an exclusive opportunity to sample a menu collaborated upon internationally.
The curated menu sees the collaboration of some of the world’s most skilled bartenders. From Jack McGarry at The Dead Rabbit in New York, to Marian Beke at Nightjar here in London, each friend of Woodford Reserve has crafted a unique Old Fashioned recipe that showcases the depth and character of the bourbon. An exclusive opportunity to discover the versatility of this classic cocktail and taste the best from some of the world’s most loved bars.
7. Happiness sessions (5th-10th October)
Happiness Forgets in Hoxton Square is excited to announce a London Cocktail Week partnership with Fords Gin.
Twice daily one of our talented bartenders will guide a small, intimate group of drink enthusiasts through the wonderful world of cocktails, both classic and modern.
The session will provide the opportunity to sample The 86 Company family of spirits (Fords Gin, Tequila Cabeza, Aylesbury Duck Vodka & Caña Brava Rum) as well as enjoying cocktails created specially for that session by bartenders from one of London’s finest bars.
8. The world class bar (5th-11th October)
The World Class bar is a place to enjoy the best drinking in the city. This is a place of playful discovery, a place that welcomes the curious newcomer and the luxury spirit lover alike.
Discover a wide selection of delicious £5 World Class cocktails crafted by expert World Class Bartenders.
Their exciting menu will be centred around some fantastic luxury brands. At the World Class Bar you’ll get to choose from a vast luxury portfolio; Ketel One, Tanqueray Ten, Ron Zacapa, Don Julio, Johnnie Walker, Ciroc, Haig Club and Bulleit Bourbon.
9. How to Make Gin (9th October 2015)
A Gin Workshop at the Bermondsey Distillery with Dr. Anne Brock and David T Smith. Held last year to great acclaim this one-day workshop explores designing and distilling your own gin. As well as instruction on the practical aspects of gin, the workshop will allow attendees to discuss the more nuanced aspects of bringing a spirit to market. Topics covered include: production methods, “making the cuts”, working with botanicals, and filtration.
10. Cocktails ’round yours! (anytime)
And finally, since it’s our mission to help you make bar-quality cocktails at home, wherever you are, our 10th and final choice is to have a cocktail night in! Check out more articles in our magazine pages right here for tips on technique, awesome recipes and at-home cocktail inspiration.
If you can’t make it to London or simply can’t face the crowds of cocktail week then let us deliver you the all the ingredients to make up to six perfect cocktails to share with friends and family at home. We can even send you the equipment. With our cocktail kits on hand, cocktail week doesn’t have to end this weekend!
Wherever you find your new favourite drinks, comment below on how you get on, and where you enjoyed the most, and tag @tastecocktails on Twitter or Instagram to tell us which places we need to check out! Have a great week.