It’s the last week of Ginuary (or #ginuary, if you’re all up on your social media) so for those of you not drying out, here’s how to see the last week out in style.
"Welcome to Kentucky, have a nice day"
Available at: The Cocktail Trading Company
Created by: Elliot Ball, Andy Mil & Olly Brading
Costs: £9
This new bar, nestled below Central & Co. in Soho, opened earlier this month and it’s already made quite the impression — headed up by an award-winning trio of bartenders, the tipples here are playful, experimental and reasonably-priced for this part of town. The new menu is full of delights and one of the most exciting is this blend of American bourbon, green tea (matcha) asian citrus (yuzu), ginger and plum. You may be asking, 'is that heaped garnish of noodles edible'? Yes, yes it is.
Peanut Butter Old Fashioned
Available at: Worship Street Whistling shop
Created by: Thomas Aske
Costs: £9.50
It’s an Old Fashioned. With peanut butter. And raspberry jam. We’ll just let that sink in for a moment. Still with us? Good. It’s every bit as delicious as it sounds, created by taking Bullet Bourbon, jam, PB, cooking all that 'sous-vide' and then redistilling so the flavours are truly infused. It's softer and sweeter than the classic and extremely easy to drink.
Bakewell Something
Available at: Basement State
Created by: Cocktails are created by Byly Tran- Bar Manager & Desserts by resident Pastry Chef Dorian Picard.
Costs: £11
This dessert bar concept is still going strong, catering to the wide-eyed treat-seekers of Soho in the cold dead of night looking for a fix of the sweet stuff. If you're still hanging on to the Christmas vibes, this bakewell tart inspired mixture of homemade orgeat (almond syrup), rum, cherry liquor, port wine and cognac, will evoke Wintery fireside nights, even if you still have to wait another 12 months for the real thing.
The Casita Club
Available at: Casita
Costs: £5
Abandon sobriety all ye who enter here — Castia is a bar for the hardcore and an obvious contender for leading the ginuary counter-charge. This week, the Casita Club is on offer for a bargainous five pounds — a gin sour made from Beefeater, fresh blackberries, egg white and lemon, served in a dainty coupe.
The 'build your own'
Available at: Raw bar at M restaurant
Costs: £5
OK, so this is one for all of you who are on the wagon (see, we’re nice like that), where you can not only get a delicious mocktail/fauxtail (or whatever the kids are calling them these days) but you can have it freshly made to order — exactly as you want it, choosing from a range of traditional staples like pink grapefruit, apple, carrot, and more Eastern flavours such as ginger, chilli and lemongrass. And yes, you can throw booze in if you change your mind at the last minute.