Just to clear something up, when we’re talking Winter Warmers, we’re talking drinks that don’t just warm your hands, they warm you right down to the pit of your stomach. That may or may not have something to do with the alcohol content. ‘Tis the season to be jolly, after all.
1. Cheeky Monkey Choctail @ Cabin Bar, Selfridges
The rooftop on Selfridges has been turned into an autumnal woodland for the Christmas season, complete with individual cosy snow lodges and fur throws for extra snuggle-factor. A perfect spot for a winter date, the Forest Restaurant & Cabin Bar will be serving up delicious alcoholic drinks that will help to enhance that warm fuzzy feeling. Our top pick is the ‘Cheeky Monkey Choctail‘ – a mixture of banana liqueur, cinnamon liqueur, hot chocolate and whipped cream – it’s basically a dessert in a glass, with a nice boozy kick and it’s sure to spark a bit of magic!
Selfridges Roof Top, 400 Oxford St, W1A 1AB
2. ‘Hot and Cold’ cocktail @ The Vault, Milroy’s of Soho
The Vault is a hidden underground gem in the heart of Soho. Enter the bar through a sneaky bookshelf at the back of Milroy’s whisky shop and sip on cocktails made with house-infused spirits and syrups. A fresh concept for the winter months is their “Hot and Cold” cocktail. According to the team, the cold cocktail constricts your taste buds whilst bringing out the sweetness of the vermouth, whilst the hot rye opens them up creating an interesting sensorial experience in your mouth, introducing a new way of drinking cocktails. With Bryhh, Dolin Dry, Maraschino, Angostura & Orange Bitters combining in the cold drink and Michters Rye with Orange Zest in the hot, we’re not sure about our throat constriction but we’re pretty sure one will be enough to loosen us up…
3 Greek St, W1D 4NX
3. Narnia themed cocktails @ The Churchill Bar
Now we’re talking. One for the chocolate lovers, the Churchill Bar have teamed up with Green & Blacks Taste Specialist, Brandt Maybury, to create a truly indulgent list of winter cocktails, inspired by the tales of Narnia. With cosy fur-lined seats, signature cashmere throws and hot water bottles on the winter terrace, there couldn’t be a better setting for sipping on cocktails such as, ‘Aslan’s Roar’ and ‘Edmund’s Temptation’. We like the sound of ‘The White Witch‘: the deep flavours of Woodford Reserve Bourbon added to the snow-white milk and double cream, are sweetened with brown sugar with a mouth-watering touch of fresh chilli and ginger to give that wicked twist. Served topped with Green & Black’s Organic White Chocolate homemade foam and a luxurious chocolate swirl. Christmas just came early.
30 Portman Square, W1H 7BH
4. Ginger Hot Chocolate @ The Providores
A naughty little kick of ginger liqueur turns a classic hot choccie into something a little more special at The Providores. With cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg adding an extra blanket of warmth, this adult hot chocolate is the perfect festive treat for a dark winter night. The food is also to die for.
109 Marylebone High St, W1U 4RX
5. ‘Jamaican Winter’ @ The Angler Terrace
Very few people know about the secret winter terrace at the top of South Place Hotel and we’re hoping it’s going to stay like that for a while… Located right in the heart of the City, just a stone’s throw away from Liverpool St Station, the Angler restaurant’s adjoining terrace bar offers a great opportunity to rise above the hustle and bustle and enjoy a few drinks after work. Their new winter menu incorporates spices and sweet syrups for a festive kick. The ‘Jamaican Winter‘ will certainly put a bit of fire in your belly: Appleton rum, cinnamon, lemon, fresh apple and Jerry Thomas bitters are topped off with a cider float. That may sound a bit off but boy-oh-boy does it work.
3 South Place, EC2M 2AF