What’s hot and happening on the cocktail front
Putting on the glitz at Cointreau Prive, until 17 DecemberThroughout the month: Caketails
Mychelle’s Baketique joins J.J. Goodman for a tasty two-hour session teaching you how to make cocktails and cupcakes. Learn how to make boozy frostings such as strawberry daiquiri and pina colada buttercream, enjoy three cocktails then decorate your six cupcakes which will be packaged up for you to take home. £179 per person. Bookings on request.
London Cocktail Club, 61 Goodge Street, W1T 1TL. T: 020 7580 1960. londoncocktailclub.co.uk.
Throughout the month: Martini Masterclass
Learn the history behind Dukes’ Hotel legendary martini and other classic cocktails and pick up invaluable tips on how to make them at home. Then relax with your martini and carefully matched canapes in the bar before picking up your voucher to enjoy at a later date. Maximum six per class, £85 per person.
Dukes Hotel, St James’s Place, SW1A 1NY. T: 020 7491 4848. dukeshotel.com
Throughout the month: Back To Cocktail School
Perfect as a teambuilding exercise or simply for a group of like-minded friends, these bespoke classes take in a tutored tasting of The Four Cocktail Golden Ages with bar manager Andrea Montague. The group is then divided up and the nominated rep has to make a cocktail worthy of the £50 bar tab* awarded as the prize. Bookings for 10-25 people; £40-£50 per head.
*To be used at a later date.
Callooh Callay, 65 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY. T: 020 7739 4781. calloohcallaybar.com
Throughout the month: Multi-sensory Cocktail Emporium at The Worship Street Whistling Shop
Two hours of cocktail drinking sensory overload focusing in the history of vodka. Includes six expressions matched with food and accompanied by imagery, sounds and scents. £95 per person, including drinks and food.
Worship Street Whistling Shop, 63 Worship Street, EC2A 2DU. T: 020 7247 0015. whistlingshop.com.
To 3 December: Courvoisier Dickens Punch Tour
Hour-long walking tour of Dickensian London taking in some of the major haunts of the great author including Bow Street Magistrates Court, the Charles Dickens Coffee Shop and St. Clement’s Dane Church with various characters from A Christmas Carol popping up to add some festive cheer along the way. Even old Scrooge will be in on the act, serving up a Courvoisier Smoking Bishop punch at Dickens’ personal book binders, the Old Curiosity Shop.
Wed-Sat 6pm & 7.30pm (1 hour duration). Meet at Bow Street Magistrates’ Court, Bow St, WC2. Tickets cost £12 (includes punch and guided tour) available from courvoisier.com
To 17 December: Cointreau Prive
Get a glimpse of Dita von Teese’ glamorous LA life at this pop-up Speakeasy running for three weeks until 17 December. The rooms are modelled on the star’s swish home and even feature personal decorations from her collection. There’s a 50-seater restaurant, bar and club with some of the best DJs and entertainment in town. Early booking advised.
Wed & Thurs 6pm to 2am; Fri & Sat 6pm to 4am. Invite only. Register at cointreauprive.co.uk. For bar tables, restaurant reservations and club bookings, T: 020 7629 8871.
Cointreau Prive, 215-217 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9HN.
1-31 December: Lady Beau Peep’s Extra Xmas
Vaudeville entertainment, fire shows, comedy, burlesque and a whole lotta cocktails in this adult Christmas spectacular.
The Brickhouse, 152c Brick Lane, E1 6RU. T: 020 7247 0005. thebrickhouse.co.uk
1, 5, 10, 12, 15, 19 December: Pin-Up Vintage Hair and Make-up
Girly fun with makeovers, cocktails and cake at Drink Shop Do, single-handedly brightening up an otherwise dreary Caledonian Road. Pay what you think it’s worth.
Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9XX. T: 020 3343 9138. drinkshopdo.com.
2 December: Putting on the Glamour – Cocktails and Canapes
Be the host/ess with the most/est after mastering how to make the ultimate party cocktails and canapes with the folk at Waitrose Cookery School. You’ll master three small canapes such as duck with cashews and soy or prawns with sherry, then move to the bar for a hands-on class learning to make winter faves including a Snowflake, German market cocktail and something spicy with fizz. 5.45pm-9.45pm. £85 per person.
Waitrose Cookery School, Goldhurst Terrace, 199 Finchley Road, NW3 6NN. T: 020 7372 6108. waitrose.com
2-4 December: Taste of Christmas
Appleton Estate Aged Rum, Bloom Gin, CASK Liquid Marketing, Distillnation, Limbrey’s Gin Shop, Russian Standard Vodka, Sipsmith and Vestal Vodka are just a few of the spirit brands taking part in this year’s Taste of Christmas. Buy bottles for pressies or simply to add more joosh to your festive table.
2nd & 4th December 10am-6pm; 3 December 10.30am-6pm. Tickets £17.50 in advance, £22.50 on door.
ExCel London, One Western Gateway, Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1XL. T: 0871 230 7132. tasteofchristmas.com
3 December: Drink Shop Dance
Billed as a ‘dirty secret’, this late night venture from the lovely folk at Drink Shop Do is set in a former strip joint in King’s Cross. Expect DJs and dancing plus speciality cocktails made up from 30 boutique gins and infusions. We’re intrigued by the Big Black Disco Balls and Peep Holes but knowing these guys, it’s going to be a little bit cheeky and a whole lot of fun.
Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9XX. T: 020 3343 9138. drinkshopdo.com.
3, 11 & 17 December: Afternoon Tease
Add a little sauce to your Sunday at this weekend tea-time treat served with a generous helping of burlesque on the side. Ticket price includes show, finger sandwiches, homemade scones and patisserie, plus a glass of bubbly. Seating 2.30pm, show starts 3pm. Tickets £42.
Volupte, 9 Norwich Street, EC4A 1EJ. T: 020 7831 1622. volupte-lounge.com.
3, 10, 17 December: Sunday Funday
Who says Sundays have to be dull? Kick back with the coolest cocktails and your favourite boardgames in sunny Shoreditch.
Callooh Callay, 65 Rivington Street, EC2A 3Ay. T: 020 7739 4781. calloohcallaybar.com
3, 10, 17, 31 December: Cocktail Masterclasses
Spend two hours tasting and picking up tips on how to make the perfect cocktails, then getting behind the circular bar to make your own. Stani Visciano makes sure the classes are informative, friendly and fun. 10am-12pm. £60 per person including coffee and pastries, class, cocktails and certificate, plus one-course lunch in the adjoining restaurant.
Fifth Floor Bar, Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ. T: 020 7235 5250. harveynichols.com
3, 10, 17 December: Classics in the Courtyard
Order your Winter Warmer cocktails, wrap up in the provided blankets and munch on gourmet popcorn or an a la carte meal before sitting back and enjoying the quality films on offer at our favourite cinema this winter. Highly recommended. 3 December: Edward Scissorhands; 10 November: Love, Actually; 17 December: It’s A Wonderful Life. From 7.30pm. No entry fee but £1.50 cover charge.
Hush, 8 Lancashire Court, W1S 1EY. T: 020 7659 1500. hush.co.uk.
3 & 17 December: Holiday Cocktails Masterclass
Learn how to make eggnog, punch, the perfect Martini and Champagne cocktails for the party season from the maestros at 69 Colebrooke Row. The two-hour sessions are fun but informative and include recipes to take home. From 2pm-4pm. £40 per person including cocktails.
69 Colebrooke Row, N1 8AA. T: 07540 528593. 69colebrookerow.com.
4, 11, 18 December: Sunday Roasts & D.I.Y Bloody Marys
Says what it does on the tin. Chill out, check the papers, mix up your own Bloody Mary and enjoy alongside the excellent Sunday roast.
The Book Club, 100-106 Leonard Street, EC2A 4RH. wearetbc.com.
7 December: Festive Tales with Debs Newbold
Pack your pyjamas for this slightly bonkers but brilliant Bedtime Storytelling session at this achingly trendy boutique hotel. From 7.30pm. £25 including gin cocktails and nibbles.
40 Winks, 109 Mile End Road, E1 4UJ. T: 020 7790 0259. 40winks.org.
7, 14 December: Inappropriate Christmas Card Making
Enjoy hot, spicy cider whilst you get your Christmas cards sorted D.I.Y stylee.
Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, N1 9XX. T: 020 3343 9138. drinkshopdo.com.
7, 21 December: Sipsmith Distillery Tours
A welcome drink gets you in the mood before you tour the distillery and enjoy a tutored tasting of the spirits in the the portfolio.
9-11 December: Chocolate Festival at the Southbank Centre
Chocoholics will think they’ve died and gone to cocoa heaven at this specialist event featuring all of the movers and shakers in the chocolate world. As well as tastings of the hard stuff, sample a selection of chocolate cocktails.
9th & 10th: December 11am-8pm; 11th December: 11am-6pm Sun. Free entry.
Southbank Centre Square, (behind Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX.)
11 December: Alternative Bar Awards
Forget the rest – this is the one that gets our vote. Join Notting Hill’s finest as they hand out the awards to the best in the biz.
Portobello Star, 171 Portobello Road, W11 2DY. T: 020 7229 8016. portobellostarbar.co.uk.
15 December: Champagne Tasting
One of the most popular events on the bi-monthly themed Tuesday Tastings calendar – Champagne tasting from Bollinger. 7pm-9pm. £10 including drinks and nibbles. Booking and deposit essential.
The Hide Bar, 39-45 Bermondsey Street, SE1 3XF. T: 020 7403 6655.thehidebar.com.
17 December: Cocktail Masterclass
Five hours of mixing, shaking and drinking with the team at Shaker Bar School. Every person gets to show off their skills behind the bar trying their own variations of a Collins, Margarita, Daiquiri, Caipirinha, Sour and Martini. Great fun and hugely informative. 11am-4pm. £125 per person.
Shaker & Company, 119 Hampstead Road, NW1 3EE. T: 0870 720 2877. shaker-uk.com.
