Part of the Pan Pacific London hotel, but housed next door at Devonshire House, Silverleaf is a true destination cocktail bar for the luxe-minded. Complementing the Pan Pacific London’s own luxurious feel, the bar is inspired by “naturalism and the elements” and gives guests a full sensory experience. But if you’re heading here expecting gold and glitz and all things ornate, you’ve got the wrong idea. The Silverleaf is understated and minimal, whilst still absolutely oozing opulence.
It’s easy to get side-tracked with aesthetics, and every Londoner has a story (or seven) of a gorgeous venue, with beautiful dishes and drinks, that just wasn’t good. But given that Silverleaf comes from the minds behind two of London’s most lauded venues, Callooh Callay and Milroy’s, you can rest assured that they haven’t just made everything pretty. They’ve deeply considered their cocktails and spirits offering.
Cocktails are kept simple, championing two or three core ingredients with modern cocktail techniques being utilized to enhance flavours. Many ingredients are made in-house, so they have complete control of the resultant drinks – which are just as gorgeous as they are delicious. The cocktail menu, meanwhile, presents each cocktail with an accompanying artwork and a code to be unravelled that explains the drink’s flavour profile. These codes reveal descriptions such as ‘dry’, ‘floral’, ‘mineral’, ‘rich’, ‘wood’, and more through a series of symbols.
Alba: A Hidden Whisky Bar
Within the bar itself is a whole other bar, hidden away for the utmost privacy for up to 12 guests. Here, guests can enjoy a more intimate drinking experience. And it’s there, in Alba, that many of Silverleaf’s events take place, such as tastings and experiences. It’s a proper hidden gem for those looking for the ultimate night out.
Whisky Tastings At Silverleaf
It’s in Alba that Silverleaf is offering up their limited run of sensory tasting experiences centred around incredible, rare whiskies. Every Tuesday and Thursday, for just over a month, the bar is hosting two sets of separate whisky tastings. Tuesdays find guests at the Exploration tasting, where they can try five whiskies that were chosen for elegance and distinctive flavour profiles. On Thursdays guests can sample the bar’s most premium selection from their scotch collection, at the Epicure tastings.
The tastings aim to be equally approachable and educational. It doesn’t matter if you’re a whisky rookie or a spirits scholar, you’re welcome and sure to learn something new. The whisky experts guide guests through the whisky-making process and the science of aging and cask selection, all the while treating them to a unique drinking experience.
They’re not short-changing you with the amount of whisky either! Each tasting offers up five whiskies with full 25ml pours. The selection ranges across whiskies with fruity, tropical, and even savoury tones. They may have a considerable smokiness and richness, or a delicate subtlety.
The tastings kicked off back on January 17, so your last chance to taste your way through some incredible whisky is February 28. Book your place on the Exploration whisky tasting here, and the Epicure whisky tasting here.