London Cocktail Week: Desert Island Cocktails by Bibendum Spirits

 by Juel Mahoney

The clash of cocktail cultures in London is making it a very vibrant scene right now. It is possible to divide your night up between the historical hotels for the classics or hit the experimental and cutting-edge bars for the incredible experimentation and creativity going on. In between these two extremes, there’s a lot of fun along the way with small, focused bars and chic dives. 

With London Cocktail week starting on Monday 8 October, I asked our Spirits guys what their turn-to cocktail is when they are off-duty. If there ever was a group of people who have perfected the art of a good night out, it is our Spirits Team (speaking from experience after a few big nights out). *Snap the fingers!* Let’s do it! Let’s have a cocktail…

Try this… Daiquiri

“I don’t drink cocktails,” said Paul McFadyen (Spirits Manager) dryly. Joking aside, it is not surprising he chose one of the classic rum cocktails. So serious is he about rum and the daiquiri he even developed with Cognac house Pierre Ferrand a white rum designed to create the perfect the daiquiri. The result is Plantation White Rum 3 Stars, a white rum marrying the best rums from three Caribbean islands of Trinidad, Jamaica and Barbados. It is buttery and sweet up-front then dry and elegant on the finish.

50ml Plantation White Rum 3 Stars 
20ml fresh pressed lime juice
20ml 1:1 sugar

Shaken hard  and served up in a cocktail glass

Try this… French 75 with a twist

Nick Rodgers, Head of Spirits, made a few tweaks to this classic cocktail. Replace the traditional gomme with Dry Curacao for a deeper taste and a more modern take.

25ml Citadelle French Gin
10ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao
5ml fresh lemon juice to taste

Shake and strain the above into a flute and top with champagne.

Try this… Negroni

“For me it’s got to be the Negroni,” says Simon Warneford, Spirit Sales, “It’s my desert island cocktail – bittersweet and nice and strong. The perfect aperitif.”

25ml Citadelle Reserve 2010
25ml Campari
25ml Sweet vermouth – Antica Formula preferably.

Stir over cubed ice in a rocks glass and garnish with a snap of orange zest.

London Cocktail Week (8 October 2012 to 14 October 2012)

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