London Cocktail Week 2015

London Cocktail week has been and gone once again, sweeping through our fine city like a tipsy miasma. But what were the pros and cons on this prestigious events sixth year?

On the plus side this is now a truly London wide affair, with a guide book containing bars on every compass point of the London map.

On the downside the days of free tastings and informative talks seem to be well and truly over. The small events and talks are now charged on top your £10 wristband purchase. 

The old days of the Seven Dials street vendors and merchandise givers also seems to be no more, I saw none throughout Soho (which was supposedly the main hub) nor in Spitalfields.

Talking of Spitalfields, many of the cocktails within the pop-up cocktail village were over £5, which to me seems to make paying £10 for a wristband somewhat redundant. All in all the cocktails in the village were decidedly average.

Feelin' Chipper

That being said some individual bars did make a great effort, I must give a particular shout out to the Cocktail Trading Co for their suitably wacky creation  of "Feelin' Chipper", which was a winning combination of Ford's Gin, roast potato syrup, peach and thyme shrub and fat trimmings - all topped off with old school chip sticks. Hawksmoor produced the Chargrilled Buck, which consisted  of Chivas Whiskey, pineapple syrup, lime, cardamom bitters and topped with ginger ale.

The whole occasion this year has the heavy scent of commercialism and advertising which wasn’t present in the early days of those who came together to enjoy the clink of the shaker, really now it seems aimed at the casual cocktailer rather than the connoisseur.

To sum up, my excitement is somewhat diminished for next year as the event seems to have lost a little of the heart that made it great. Perhaps the organisers should think back to what made the occasion so enjoyable and popular in the first place.