London's bars are doing VERY well in the awards business at the moment. The latest were the Sprited Awards held in New Orleans this week and a good many top London bars went home with a gong.
But if, like us, you get a bit bamboozled by all the amazing drinks on offer here's a solution. We got in touch with some of the winners to ask them for their recommendation for the must-have drinks from their lists at the moment.
Dandelyan - winner of "World’s Best Cocktail Menu".
They recommend the BC3 Negroni from the Explorer part of the menu - it's "a bittersweet and boozy sipper made with Beefeater London Garden Gin, Dandelyan pollen vermouth. propolis, Ceylon Arrack, Campari and aged honey." £13.50
The American Bar at the Savoy - winner of "Best International Bar Team"
Make sure you have The Pickering Place featuring two contrasting drinks inspired by its namesake, the last known London site for a duel - £50 for the two cocktails.
Cocktail 1 is "The Elegant": Bombay Sapphire Gin, Cocchi rosa, Campari, lemon juice, egg white, saffron syrup and Champagne. Cocktail 2 is "The Bold": Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Whiskey, Fernet Branca Menta, Byrrh, sugar syrup and coffee
Hawksmoor Spitalfields - winner of "Best International Restaurant Bar"
This is the Combined Arms - "Coal Ila18yr, Birch Tree Syrup, Cocchi Rosa & Del Maguey Minero" - it's £13.
Happiness Forgets - winner of "Best International Cocktail Bar"
These are two of the top sellers for £9 each - the Perfect Storm (Skippers dark rum, Vielle Prune plumb brandy, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup, fresh ginger juice) and Tokyo Collins(Beefeater gin, yuzu sake, lemon juice, sugar syrup, fresh grapefruit juice).
The Connaught Bar at the Connaught - winner of "Best International Hotel Bar"
You have to try the Connaught Bloody Mary here- Ketel One vodka, fresh tomato juice, homemade spicy mix, fresh lemon juice, celery air. £19
Callooh Callay - winner of "Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar"
Beets by Callay is one of our biggest selling drinks as well as being one of our most interesting. Made up from Bacardi, beetroot shrub, crème de cacao, lime, ginger cordial and walnut bitters. The drink was created by Nathan Shearer and is a great example of an accessible savoury cocktail. £9.50
