A fab new bar for Deano Moncrieffe and Emma Murphy’s Hacha, a very cool menu at Viajante87, a new must-have soundtrack for drinking negronis to, plus a whole heap of dates for your diary, it’s a busy old week for cocktail lovers…
New bars
***Good news, bad news. We’ll get the bad news out of the way first… Like many fans of Deano Moncrieffe and Emma Murphy’s Hacha bars, we were gutted to hear that their Brixton outpost is closing after they’d decided not to renew the lease. Au revoir Hacha Brixton, last orders February 15th. Now for the good news: they’re coming with a super cool new spot in Bermonds Locke hotel, opening rather cleverly on National Margarita Day (February 22nd).
With seating for 100 or so inside and much in demand terrace seating for 40 outside, it’s destined to be quite the hotspot in Bermondsey, particularly as they’re coming with a new list of super cool tequila or mezcal based signature cocktails, what they’re calling quarterly fusion partnerships with some of the most exciting restaurants on the UK food scene, a fascinating curated virtual back bar, featuring a rotating spirit of the week, aperitivo – agave style and weekend brunches.
New menus
***One thing we know about the team at Viajante87 is that they take both cocktails and culture extremely seriously. So we weren’t particularly surprised to hear that their latest menu is called, well, Cocktail x Culture.
Following the format of the previous collection, the menu focuses on the flavours of Latin America. But here’s what we particularly love: it’s cleverly divided into five sections: Be Comfortable (‘where guests are eased in with approachable yet subtly innovative serves’), Be Curious (‘this section invites guests to explore cocktails that highlight unique Latin American ingredients while retaining a familiar structure’), Be Courageous (where guests ‘will find themselves in uncharted yet thrilling territory’, Be Present (‘a celebration of communal drinking, where cocktails are designed to be shared, evoking the warmth of Latin American hospitality’) and Be Involved (‘an interactive bespoke journey where guests collaborate with bartenders to create a personalised drink’). We can’t wait to try the entire menu but we’re particularly drawn to the two pictured here and also Domingo El Cali, blending soursop, sotol and a hint of corn husk ash, a crystal-clear cocktail that we’re told is bursting with layers of bright, tropical complexity.
And don’t miss the return of the brilliant Cultural Exchange Series on 22nd February. The first in the new series sees the teams from Tres Monos on drinks and Niño Gordo on food, bringing the flavours from Buenos Aires in their exclusive menus, specially devised for the evening.
New bottles
***New bottle, same quality. Hepple Gin gets a refresh because…? Well, even supermodels need the odd tweakment…
****Admittedly, this one is definitely for those with more disposable cash than your average cocktail lover but it’s always good to know what’s out there if you’re in the market for something fancy, non? Launched earlier this week Andrés Brugal Edition 02 is the latest expression in the Brugal portfolio. And as it’s a tribute to founder Andrés Brugal Montaner, it celebrates craftsmanship, history and the brand’s proud Dominican heritage. Only 416 bottles are available globally at a recommended price of £2,420.
New focus
***Is it just us, or have you noticed that saké seems to be having a(nother) moment? The latest brands vying for attention here in Blighty are Hyaku Moku launching in London on Monday, KAY Saké and Saké ONO, both of which have been around for a minute but have been popping up in our inbox of late. Then of course, there’s Cate Blanchett, who loves the category so much that she’s taken on the role of Creative Director of Toku Saké…
Where to try before committing to a whole bottle? We like Kioku Sake Bar at the OWO. With its dedicated Sake Samurai who has curated a world class sake programme of over 100 brands – you can try by the glass, bottle and in a selection of cocktails.
New sounds
Music loving Negroni fans, rejoice! Simon Ford, co-founder and the very bright mind behind Fords Gin has curated the perfect playlist for your drinking pleasure. Following his epic Music To Drink Martinis To in collaboration with Dan The Automator, The Negroni Sessions sees him bringing together nine specially selected tracks from the infamous Jazz Dispensary archives. And its a corker – not just the choice of tunes (which are totally fab) but the fact that each track has been paired with a Negroni recipe from one of the best bartenders in the world. Love, love, love!
The soundtrack is available to listen to on Spotify but we say, do it properly and buy the vinyl, the artwork is gorge and the bundle includes a bottle of Fords Gin.
New Top 50 Cocktail Bars list
The Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2025 list was announced earlier this week. Not to be confused with the World’s 50 Best Bars list (but confusingly in the same publishing stable), this one is a UK only affair, so great for giving bars outside of the capital some recognition. Give it up for:
1. Satan’s Whiskers, London
2. Panda & Sons, Edinburgh
3. Schofield’s Bar, Manchester
4. Couch, Birmingham
5. Tayer + Elementary, London
6. Swift, Soho, London
7. Passing Fancies, Birmingham
8. Dram, Soho, London
9. The Hideout, Bath
10. Lyaness, South Bank, London
11. Speak in Code, Manchester
12. Nauticus, Edinburgh
13. Three Sheets, Dalston, London
14. Amaro Bar, Kensington, London
15. Below Stairs, Leeds
16. Hey Palu, Edinburgh
17. Viajante87, Notting Hill, London
18. Daddy Marmalades, Glasgow
19. Silverleaf, Spitafields, London
20. The Connaught Bar, Mayfair, London
21. Bar Termini, Soho, London
22. Blinker, Manchester
23. Filthy XIII. Bristol
24. Murder Inc, Soho, London
25. Stray, Manchester
26. Lab 22, Cardiff
27. Tabula Rasa, Leeds
28. Soma, Soho, London
29. Little Mercies, Crouch End, London
30. Nipperkin, Mayfair, London
31. Kwãnt, Mayfair, London
32. Scarfes Bar, Holborn, London
33. The Absent Ear, Glasgow
34. Side Hustle, Covent Garden, London
35. A Bar With Shapes For A Name, Hackney, London
36. Bramble Bar & Lounge, Edinburgh
37. The American Bar at Gleneagles, Auchterarder
38. Bar Glue, Liverpool
39. Public, Sheffield
40. Red Light, Manchester
41. Twice Shy, Kensington, London
42. Mother Mercy, Newcastle
43. The Gate, Glasgow
44. Pearl at Park Hill, Sheffield
45. Sister Ray, Liverpool
46. Archive & Myth, Leicester Square, London
47. Happiness Forgets, Hoxton, London
48. Callooh Callay, Shoreditch, London
49. Kiki Lounge, Douglas, Isle of Man
50. 69 Colebrook Row, Islington, London
And also…
Dates for the diary
***19th: The Coral Room in London kicks off its new worldwide bar takeover series with a guest appearance from II Mercante Venezia. Expect Venetian flair, live music and immersive celebrations as well as colourful cocktails inspired by carnival masks
***22nd: Stanislav Harcinick from Mirror Bar in Bratislava brings his flair, fabulousness and inventive flavour combos to the Spy Bar for the second in its Covert Operations series, just in time for World Bartender Day.
***until 23rd: To be in with a chance of owning some super special bottles whilst raising vital funds for the California wildfire relief efforts, get your bids in at the Sazerac Wildfire Relief Fundraiser. Up for grabs, the first ever barrel of Pappy Van Winkle ever available to purchase; a very rare, limited-edition Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Collection featuring six unique bourbons, and a bottle of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s ultra-rare Eagle Rare 25. Bids close on 23rd February and all proceeds will go to World Central Kitchen and Another Round Another Rally, two non-profit organisations committed to ongoing relief efforts in the state.
***24th: Four Seasons Hong Kong is in full party mood, with good reason, it’s celebrating its 20th anniversary. On February 24th, its award-winning bar ARGO will host ARGO MegaFriends, which will see Zest from Seoul, Vesper from Bangkok and Penrose from Kuala Lumpur joining forces with the home team.
Industry news
***17th: Raising the Back Bar Hospitality Masterclasses from The Whisky Exchange. The programme takes in three sessions, So You Think You Can Taste? with Dawn Davies MW, A Pinch of Magic: Indie Brands For Brilliant Back Bars with Georgie Bell and Peter Allison and From Shaker To Still with Giuseppe Gallo and Rebecca Almquist. Run by the fabulous folk at The Whisky Exchange, sessions are free to attend but registration closes today.
***20th: If you’re reading this, here’s one we should all be checking out, Is AI changing the way we drink? Register here for the webinar at 1-2.30pm on February 20
***26th: Brand pop ups, tastings and some excellent masterclasses from the likes of Jesse Estes and Jake Burger, as well as Claire Warner and Zoe Burgess, all on offer at the annual CASK Showcase in London. Register to secure your place.
***Competition alert: The Art of Italicus Aperitivo Challenge is back for its seventh edition and it’s a goodie… In return for creating an original, inventive spritz using a minimum of 40ml of Italicus Rosolio Bergamot, the ultimate winner of the global competition will secure themselves a highly coveted mentorship programme with ITALICUS and Lorenzo Antinori from Bar Leone, plus access to the most exclusive bar industry events around the world. What’s not to love about that? Entries close April 28th.
Reasons to be cheerful
February 22nd is… National Margarita Day
Get the drinks in at Side Hustle at the NoMad London, Café Pacifico and Viajante87 (above) in London. For more tequila goodness throughout the month, look out for the upcoming Patron x Handshake Roadshow coming to London, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh in March. Find out more by following Gianluca Canella, Agave Portfolio Ambassador Bacardí Martini and keeping an eye out for our interviews next week.
February 23rd is… World Bartender Day
Bartenders around the world, we salute you!
