A Guide to London Cocktail Week (2nd-8th October 2017)
It’s that time of year again, London Cocktail Week! For those who may not have heard about it, London Cocktail Week (LCW) is a big celebration of the awesome cocktail culture in our capital. This is the eighth year running for the worlds biggest cocktail event (which is essentially a seven day cocktail party). If you love your booze, there are some amazing events to check out. Whilst most of these events are on all week, here is a handpicked guide to help you plan your diary!
MONDAY
The Gin Social
A night-long take over of Graphic Bar, Golden Square by Martin Miller's Gin. £10 (Graphic Bar, 4 Golden Square, London, W1F 9HT) From 6pm -10pm, the award-winning Martin Miller’s Gin will be taking residency and hosting a pop up at Graphic Bar. This incredible gin bar in Soho needs to be visited if you love your gin cocktails, but for one night only Martin Miller’s will be hosting a series of 45 minute masterclasses. They are on the hour every hour, and as well as learning about the gin, you will receive a G&T on arrival, can win prizes in a quiz, and eat some delicious Nordic canapés. Book via eventbrite.co.uk
TUESDAY
Secret Breakfast
Talisker whisky-based cocktails for breakfast? Sounds perfect for a Tuesday morning. Free entry. (Magpie, 10 Heddon Street, London, W1B 4BX) From 8am-10.30am, Magpie’s Ajax Kentish and Rikesh Patel, along with Diageo’s Ali Reynolds, will be re-imagining the Bloody Mary and the Morning Glory Fizz. There is also talk of smoky marmalade based creation. This is a must do! The special LCW menu will be available at Magpie from Monday to Friday. All Talisker cocktails £6 and there are 20% off all spirits. Only available for LCW Digital Pass holders. Book via magpie-london.com
WEDNESDAY
Discover the Art of Blending
The Art of Blending, a 45 minute whisky experience, with a 200 ml bottle of your own blended whisky to take home. Earlybird: 2 tickets for £30, General admission: 1 ticket for £20 (The Blend, an exclusive bar by Chivas Regal, 133 Bethnal Green Road, London, E2 7DG) Head to The Blend for an opportunity to conjure your own bespoke, blended whisky in an intimate setting. You can take part in a ‘Art of Blending’ session, hosted by Chivas Regal whisky experts. These sessions run until 10 pm every day during LCW. You will learn about the heritage, history and origins of single malt and grain whiskies, tasting examples from Speyside, Islay, the Highlands and Lowlands as well as delicate grain Scotch whisky. Book via chivas.com
THURSDAY
World Class Garden to Glass
Mixologist Eoin Kenny has created a special cocktail menu inspired by the array of produce grown in the kitchen garden. £10 - including a welcome cocktail (Ham Yard Hotel, 1 Ham Yard, London, W1D 7DT Ham Yard Hotel will host a series of pop-ups on its private Roof Terrace, in the heart of Soho. Each night there is something different! Spice up your Thursday evening with ‘Chillies and Spice with World of Zing’. Pritesh Mody will host a Ketel One Bloody Mary masterclass. Under the guidance of Pritesh, build your own Bloody Mary, just as you like it. Two sessions 5.00pm–7.00pm and 7.30pm–9.30pm with an additional session at 2.30pm on Saturday Book via designmynight.com
FRIDAY
Ableforth’s Underground
Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin & Rumbullion present a subterranean cocktail and games pop up, open day and night. Free Entry (82a Basement, Commercial Street, London, E1) To start your weekend, why not head underground and celebrate? Ableforth’s is bringing its award-winning range of craft spirits, including the one and only Bathtub Gin, to life with a day-to-night cocktail bar. The pop is really close to the main London Cocktail Week Hub too. Play Gin Rummy while sipping a signature serve made with Bathtub Gin or Rumbullion. Ableforth’s Underground is open 11am-11pm during LCW, with free entry every day.
THE WEEKEND
Hendrick’s Air Departure Lounge
Refresh and recoup before being whisked to the airport in style. Free Entry (The Golden Pineapple, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL)
Saturday 10am - 8pm and Sunday 10am - 6pm. There are so many amazing events on throughout LCW weekend, but this one is a highlight to try! Hendrick’s Gin always come up with something wonderfully quirky and their Hendrick’s Air Departure Lounge at The Golden Pineapple is just that! Hendrick’s promises a series of innovative therapies, treatments and polite diversions… Book via eventreference.com
Lastly, make sure you head to The Cocktail Village too, which is the epicentre of London Cocktail Week. This is located in Old Spitalfields Market. £5 advance tickets are available to London Cocktail Week digital pass holders (you can buy yours via their free Drinkup.London app). This means unlimited £6 cocktails in more than 250 venues across the week, exclusive discounts in bars, restaurants and to ticketed events.
Originally from Cornwall, Holly has two main passions in life: history and gin. With a degree in history and over 7 years of knowledge working in the gin industry, she now writes about both. Holly creates food recipes for artisan spirits companies and is always on the search to try and experiment with new flavours. You can follow her on Twitter @HollyHarwood and on Instagram @HollyHWood.
