Your guide to the 2021 London Cocktail Month
No longer content with a mere week, this year’s celebration of mixology has been rebranded London Cocktail Month. Featuring a packed schedule of events, from food pairings to hands-on masterclasses, the next four weeks are the perfect time for booze enthusiasts to indulge.
With dozens of bartenders creating hundreds of special drinks for the occasion, picking the right event can be tough. We’ve tried to make that task a little more digestible by picking out some of our favourites. Bottoms up!
SOMA takes a minimalistic approach to cocktail-making, with familiar classics served with a twist, inspired by the diverse flavours of the Indian Subcontinent and beyond. Drinks available throughout LCM include a Martini-style Mooli made with Haku vodka; homemade curry leaf vermouth and garnished with a slice of pickled mooli; and Jaggery, a mix of knob creek bourbon, toasted coconut, mace and jaggery cane.
12-14 Denman Street, Soho, W1D 7HL
The Sun Tavern and its sister bar Discount Suit Company are hosting a month long cocktail collaboration with Aberfeldy 12yr Whisky and Four Pillars Gin, combining cocktails, DJ sets, late night parties and whisky tasting events throughout October. On 27 October, The Sun Tavern and Aberfeldy will host a whisky tasting, with space available on a first-come-first-served basis. A day later The Sun Tavern will host a LCM closing party at which guests can sample a special cocktail menu courtesy of Aberfeldy, along with a DJ set until the early hours.
441 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 0A
Kensington’s Publiq will be hosting a series of six cocktail-paired supperclubs in partnership with Belvedere Vodka, Eminente Rum and Volcan Tequila. Throughout the month the team will hold two events per week pairing ingredients including squash, suckling pig and fish with a variety of cocktails. Guests will be served five courses, paired with five different cocktails, each adhering to Publiq’s sustainable ethos, with head chef Emilian Caricun promising to push the boat out with some unexpected inclusions. Guests will also be able to take part in an intimate tasting of each spirit with a guest ambassador.
1 Palace Gate, South Kensington, W8 5LS
Adam Handling’s Eve Bar will be serving four LCM cocktails – two alcoholic and two non-alcoholic – each featuring ingredients that would otherwise go to waste. On 16 October, Eve Bar will collaborate with World 50 Best, Artesian Bar and Discarded Spirit’s Co transforming ‘waste’ from the restaurant into a luxury cocktail experience, with all proceeds going to anti-waste charity The Felix Project. Guests will muck in and help make five cocktails whilst experimenting with a variety of Discarded Spirits Co pours, including Discarded Grape Skin Vodka, Discarded Banana Peel Rum, and Discarded Sweet Cascara Vermouth.
Whether you’re a cocktail-lover who values sustainability, or just an admirer of Handling who would like to see how his zero-waste ethos translates into cocktail-making, this one’s for you.
34 Southampton St, WC2E 7HF
Fords Gin Martini & Oysters at Bar Liber
Fords Gin will be popping up throughout the month in some of London’s best bars. Join them at Bar Liber on 1 October for a relaxed evening of ice-cold Martinis and freshly shucked oysters on the house. The perfect end to the working day – or the ideal beginning to a night out.
Bar Liber, 274B St Paul’s Rd, N1 2LJ
Espresso Martini and Margarita cocktail class
On 8 October from 6:30pm-7:30pm (£15), cocktail lovers can learn to master their favourite cocktails with help from industry experts, and learn about their provenance from specialist cocktail historians. Learn to blend and shake an Espresso Martini and a Margarita with the skill of a professional bartender, and discover more about the spirits and ingredients that make up the cocktails, including multi-award winning spirits Wheatley Vodka and Corazón Tequila. Tickets include two cocktails, spirit tasting samples and a gift bag..
Milroy’s of Spitalfields, 76 Commercial Street, E1 6LY
Caribbean Getaway at Callooh Callay
In collaboration with Bacardi and Santa Teresa rums, the atmospheric Shoreditch bar Callooh Callah has developed a limited edition cocktail menu for you to enjoy in tandem with a Santa Teresa Rum masterclass. Only 25 seats for the event on 12 October are available.
65 Rivington Street, EC2A 3AY
On the first three Wednesdays of October, Herradura Tequila invites you to try a curated menu of all-pink tequila cocktails. This will include beloved “classics like Palomas, Margaritas, and perhaps even a Pink Chihuahua – as an homage to the lively basement bar itself”. Every cocktail will be accompanied by a free Mexican snack.
El Camion , 25-27 Brewer Street , W1F 0RR
Barley & Beats: Whisky Pub Quiz
Black Rock Tavern presents Barley & Beats, a pub quiz and music night hosted by “whisky legend” Colin Dunn. Each week questions will be themed on a flavour of whisky as well as popular music genres.
Prizes will also be up for grabs, including drams, cocktails and a Black Rock bar tab for each week’s partner whisky. The £10 ticket includes four drinks throughout the night (£3 tickets available without drinks included).
Black Rock Tavern, 9 Christopher Street, EC2A 2BS
Intune CBD drinks founder Hannah Glasson will be running a workshop exploring the intricacies of CBD on 1 October. The event will also see participants mixing their own cocktails using premium spirits, paired with CBD mixers. Non-alcoholic options are available for each drink. There are two sessions to choose from (3pm and 6pm). Both include a welcome drink and goodie bags.
Intune Drinks, 8 Cleeve Workshops, Boundary Street, E2 7JD
Cocktail & Cactus Grafting Workshop
A unique event for cactus and cocktail lovers will take place from 6-10 October at 6.30pm and 8pm: join Prick founder Gynelle Leon, and the Horse with No Name bourbon team for a workshop on cactus grafting, and to learn to make your favourite cocktails, from the classic Bourbon to the Mint Julep. The workshop includes two cocktails and a potted cactus to take home. The £25 workshops are limited to 12 people.
Shallow Roots, Unit 14 Palmers Road, E2 0SY