NIGHTLIFE
Originally published on Monday, 29 September 2008
Bar Fly: The Bitter Truth
Who is this mysterious, debonair professional alcoholic they call the Bar Fly? Who is this hero of the libation revolution? This undercover gin-lover, drinking his way from bar to bar, club to club, gutter to gutter, just to keep you UJ readers in the know? He is a shadow, a secret, an unknown champion of the bar-rumour. That or a raging alcoholic. Let's see what gossip he's dug up this week.
Own Brand
Following hot (or lukewarm at least) on the heels of Papa Jules’ and his eponymous Mahiki rum, the Albannach on Trafalgar Square is now producing (or rather, labelling) its own range of Scotch whiskies. There’s now an Islay (a 9 year old Bowmore), a Speyside (a 14 year old Mortlach), and a ten year old regional Blended Malt all available under the Albannach label. Given their longstanding specialization in the Scotch field, this is all good news to us. That they’re also producing their own range of beers (including an intriguing whisky-tinged ale) sounds perfectly reasonable too. They’re own brand of water, meanwhile, less so. What’s next? Wetherspoon’s own-brand boxed-wine? Laugh ye not, you heard it here first.
Unit 7
Home of many a corking later-than-late night through the so-called Summer, the closure of Unit 7 on Cable Street back in July came as a bit of a downer to all the heavy-hitters out East. ‘About a month,’ the Unit-ists assured us was all they’d need. Now usually I reckon online petitions are an utter waste of time, but if it means getting our favourite last-stop, then start rolling out those fake identities people!
Bitter Truth
Bitters – those mysterious little bottles of alchemical magic that sit humbly on most bar tops – have been gaining momentum for a while now. Indeed, at a recent cocktail competition that I stopped in on (more ‘research’ – never too much, don’t you know), I was treated to a barrage of homemade creations that included infusions of grapefruit, lemon and black pepper, and mace, and all were gorgeous. So it was with great joy that I heard that the Bitter Truth’s Celery Bitters has been nominated for Spirit of the Year at the German Bar Awards. Hop on their website to buy some, and add a few drops to your next G&T. Sounds weird, but Plymouth gin, Fevertree tonic, and 2-3 drops of this, and your palate will be throwing gentle summersaults. In a good way.
Yours, bitter as ever.
The Bar Fly
