Whiskies galore!
Fancy boosting your knowledge of whisky? Well, the best way to do this is to taste it, and one of the best places to taste is Milroys. The whisky shop in London's Soho has just opened a tasting room in its cellar, with 35 seats and whisky flights galore.
For £15 a head, you get a "picnic" of breads, cheeses, terrines and salamis from nearby specialist suppliers, plus a choice of 200 whiskies, which managers Marc Wise and Matt Harris have helpfully organised into various flights, ranging in price from £7 to £25.
With names such as The Mission, Deliverance and Top of the Morning, the whisky flights, both single and double, have been going down a storm since the Cellar opened last month, they report. Double flights are proving particularly popular with City boys, Harris says. "But everybody comes - young and old, male and female, and we get our fair share of tourists," he adds.
The most popular flight to date, served in single shots, is Salty Dog, a collection of six coastal malts from producers such as Ledaig, Clynelish, Springbank, Glen Scotia and Brora, at £13 a flight.
"Customers can make up their own flights too, if they want," Harris says.
Sales up all round
Healthy sales of the "Managers' Selection", though, have taken Harris and Wise by surprise. "I mean, we put a 1973 Ardbeg on there," says Harris. "Now we've sold out - and it's £100 a bottle! So we've moved on to the 1974." Indeed, whisky sales are up all round, he reports.
Wine company La R‚serve owns Milroys and the addition of the Cellar is part of an overall refurbishment programme. "But we've been careful not to change the character too much," says La Réserve's Isabel Coughlin. "Our aim is to make Milroys a Mecca for whisky."
Shorts
Vanilla ice, ice baby Absolut Vanilia is the latest star addition to the Absolut vodka stable, and the maker reckons that 397 tons of the stuff has been sent over to the USA on specially chartered jumbo jets to meet demand.
Bars up and down the country will be able to have their way with Vanilia from next month. Expect notes of butterscotch and even dark chocolate in addition to vanilla. "The pure vanilla of the vanilla beans gives a natural sweetness," promises Absolut's Linn Sandberg.
One to try is White Orchid: shake 1½ shots of Absolut Vanilia with ½ shot Cointreau, ¼ shot Bols white crème de cacao, ½ shot fresh lemon juice, a squeezed lemon wedge, a teaspoon of sugar syrup and ice, before straining into a chilled martini glass and garnishing with an edible flower.
Worth its Salt
London may soon rival Scotland for great places to drink whisky, with the opening of the Salt Whisky Bar and Dining Room scheduled for October. Boasting more than 200 whiskies and bourbons, Salt is promising to transform whisky's "old codger" image with its bespoke whisky cocktails. A range of snacks to match will also be available from chef Timothy Marchetti, formerly of Al Duca.
Life is sweet Zeta's new cocktail list is making waves. Situated in the London Hilton on Park Lane, the bar, presided over by mixologist Justin Smyth, is offering 60 new concoctions, from new martinis to Champagne cocktails. Taking inspiration from the British love of jam, Smyth has sweetened the menu with new drinks such as the Flying Scotsman (ice-cold Hendricks gin shaken with orange marmalade and splashed with Campari), as well as Lemon Cherry Fizz (Plymouth Gin, cherry jam, and lemon juice topped up with Champagne). My favourite is the Basil-Berry Martini, a twist on the classic strawberry martini with muddled fresh basil.
If you'd like to learn how to make these at home, Smyth and his team are offering cocktail master classes on Saturday afternoons and Tuesday evenings, from £30 per person. For a reservation, call 020 7208 4067.
What's all the Fass? The self-styled "new generation of off-licence", Vom Fass, has announced that its range is now available wholesale. With five branches across the UK, including sites in Stratford-upon-Avon and Manchester as well as London (the flagship store is in Notting Hill), and five more promised for the end of the year, Vom Fass offer oils, vinegars, spirits and liqueurs alongside its range of wines.
Israeli Sangiovese Israel's Golan Heights Winery proudly announces the launch of its first Sangiovese - which is also a first for the country. Under the Gamla brand, it's made from grapes grown in its El-Rom vineyard, north of the Golan Heights, and is 85% Sangiovese with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon. "The grape has achieved a surprisingly high quality," the winery boasts.
Incidentally, the maker has recently appointed legendary Californian winemaker Zelma Long as wine consultant. Availability is through Hallgarten Wines on 01582 722538.
