5 Cocktails You Need to Drink in London This WeekendBy Alicia Grimshaw

We’re parched – time for a cocktail. Here’s the best tipples you should be drinking in the city this weekend. Happy sipping, London:

1. For a Botanical Cocktail: Dandelyan

The Drink: BC3 Negroni – Beefeater London Garden Gin, Dandelyan Pollen Vermouth, Propolis, Ceylon Arrack, Campari and Aged Honey

The Story: Since launching in October 2014 Dandelyan at Mondrian London has been the subject of much critical acclaim; last year winning ‘Best New International Cocktail Bar’ at Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards 2015. This month they’ve launched their latest cocktail list which will look closely at the relationship between botany, civilisations and history.  The menu includes interesting ingredients like pandan, plant haemoglobin and zedoary root – which was historically used as an antidote to cobra venom.

Price: £13.50

Where: 20 Upper Ground, London SE1 9PD

2. For a Savoury Cocktail: Sexy Fish 

The Drink: Jaipur Julep – Havana Club 7yo, Masala, Red Pepper, Coriander and Lime

The Story: Sexy Fish is the Asian fish and seafood restaurant that opened in October 2015 in Mayfair. The restaurant pairs contemporary cuisine with cutting-edge art and design, creating a dynamic dining and drinking experience. Clever and adventurous, the team have created cocktails with enticing names, which are subtly spiced and incorporate exotic ingredients from across Asia.  The drinks menu combines classic style cocktails and unusual libations using innovative techniques.

 Price: £15

Where: Berkeley Square House, Berkeley Square W1J 6BR

3. For a Whisky Cocktail: B&H Buildings 

The Drink: Ma-jito – Borders, Lemon Juice, Creme de Peche, Acacia Honey, Orange Bitters and Mint Leaves

The Story: Whisky is too frequently shrouded in tartan and the assumption that it is a man’s drink to be sipped by the fireside of antiquated gentlemen’s clubs. 2016 is the year for whisky to shed the baggage of tradition; R&B’s Borders Single Grain whisky is dry and complex but with a lightness that works well in a cocktails.  Thus, B&H’s sweet and fruity ‘Ma–jito‘  is set to convert even the most sceptical whisky drinker.

Where: 42 Northampton Rd, London EC1R 0HU

The Story: Taking their much talked-about organic, vegetarian, zero waste concept to another level, Notting Hill hotspot Tiny Leaf launch The Dark Room – a candlelit top floor cocktail bar overlooking the rooftops of West London.  The Dark Room’s menu uses cutting edge techniques to infuse, macerate and flavour drinks with surplus supplies and organic dried goods. Providing that all important boozy hit, are a range of ethically sourced Fair trade organic spirits and botanical aperitifs.

Price: £10

Where: 209 Westbourne Park Rd, London W11 1EA

5. For a Foodie Cocktail: Sager + Wilde

The Drink: Olive Oil Old Fashioned – Olive Oil Bourbon, Sandalwood Syrup, Olive Leaf Bitters and Orange Oil 

The Story: Brains behind Hackney Wine bar Sager + Wilde, Michael and Charlotte Sager-Wilde are the duo at the helm of Sager + Wilde Restaurant. Cocktail guru Marcis Dzelzainis formerly of Dandelyan, has brought his experience to a place where simplicity and the use of old methods are at the heart of his cocktail menu. For example, the use of sherry, a pre-war base for cocktails as opposed to spirits. The old fashion cocktail uses olive oil to fat-wash Woodford Reserve bourbon, infusing the spirit with the flavours of the oil without clinging to the grease.

Price: £10

Where: 250 Paradise Row, London, E2 9LE