Between our first and second “flights”, we were served a plate of vegetable crudités with guacamole (£8) and some tempura of sprouting broccoli (also £8). The bar snacks have been designed in collaboration with Anthony Demetre of Wild Honey St James to match the flavours of the cocktails, and to keep hunger at bay whilst we were “globetrotting”.
They certainly did the trick, and we then proceeded to travel to our next locations, which were namely the USA for me, and France for my wife.
1st Step from America was full of fanfare and theatre, and is themed around the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. Served in a chilled metal silver rocket, Cipriani removed the nose cone and swirled it around to allow the hickory smoke to escape.
As you then “lift-off” what looks like a cocktail shaker from the base of the rocket, you catch a smoky whiff when taking the first couple of sips, before you indulge in a strong bourbon-flavoured beverage. However, as you make your way down, and you arrive at the second half, this is where the bitter taste of Campari was much more intense, so it really is a full-bodied and intense cocktail of two halves.
At the same time that I was enjoying my creation, my other half was waxing lyrical about her ice-cold goblet of Apothecary from France, made with a William pear brandy from Gilbert Miclo, grape leaf cordial, pine, honey and lime. However, what made it much more of an interesting experience, is that Cipriani also served some of the ingredients neat, such as some vodka, plus the non-alcoholic Rocktails spritz, to really understand the taste of some of the contents.
What’s more, as a surprise to end our fantastic journey around the world, we headed back to England to sample the very final tipple in the form of the elegant and classy Victory Martini, not our most liked one of the night, but worth a go nonetheless. After a memorable evening in the company of Cipriani and the St James Bar, it was time to call it a night and venture back to our final destination…home.
Summary: In the lead up to this year’s festive season, a busy period for travel, this new line-up of cocktails is a clever, innovative and perfectly executed concept. It’s a great way to explore diverse spirits from different corners of the globe, and to try something “a little more out there” that may just take you out of your comfort zone. I must say that I’m all the more worldly for it…
St James Bar – Where and How?
The St James Bar is located at Sofitel London St James, 6 Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 4AN, United Kingdom. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit www.wildhoneystjames.co.uk/st-james-bar.
See a video and pictures of our evening at St James Bar on the Luxurious Magazine Instagram page.
Read more articles similar to this in our dedicated section here.
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