On a hot July afternoon, #teamcoco set out on their very own expedition with Whitley Neill gin to seek out all things safari… without ever leaving Charing Cross.

The destination in question:Mr. Fogg’s Society of Exploration. Their Summer Safari experience has been running throughout summer and its not one to miss if you’re looking for something more unique from your night out.

Set in the Victorian era and themed on Around the World in 80 days, staff were kitted out in safari khakis and helmets from the get-go. Wanting to be in-theme, I also donned a pair of beige trousers and a white flannel shirt, already excited for what lay ahead of us (and also partly because it was a sweltering hot day- very fitting for a summer safari themed evening!).

Our adventure started as soon as we approached the entrance. The jungle decor, plants and traps spilled out from the stairway, and safari sounds of birds chirping and atmospheric drums lured us in. Both doormen greeted us in character ahead of our trip, and set the ball rolling (quite literally) down a long slide which announced our arrival to the staff downstairs.

First up: Vaccination Libations

Now happily seated in an old Victorian train carriage, decorated with suitcases and pith helmets galore, our ‘tour guide’ was on-hand to offer us all our safety measures in the form of our first taste experience of the evening. The Summer Safari Survival Kit is made up of ‘Electric vaccinations’ with whiskey and flower powder (that made our mouths tingly and numb!), ‘Emergency Rations’ and our favourite frothy ‘Edible Sunscreen’ coconut flavoured mousse. To finish off our safety checks, our ‘Anti Mosquito Measure’ was a cool Whitley Neill Original Handcrafted Dry Gin & Tonic, featuring a quinine-rich tonic, which we were informed was a natural mosquito deterrent! As if we needed any more reason to kick back with a cool glass of gin in the summer!

Our Mission: Finding The Big Five

We were all geared up for our next mission which involved donning a very special pair of binoculars in search of our next beverage. Through these binoculars, we were able to spot many animal-themed drinks from their Big Five menu, such as ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ and ‘Grabbed by the Horn’. After some careful wildlife watching, we settled on two very different but delicious drinks: Feline Fine* a short, strong and sweet cocktail served alongside edible insects and pollen, and Elephant in the Room* which was a long, crisp and refreshing drink thanks to Whitley Neill Blood Orange vodka and fresh lime juice. At first we really didn’t know what to expect from these choices, but safe to say they went down a treat! We started to feel peckish after this, so we decided to end our exciting evening with a charcuterie board of meats, pickles and bread.

Venue Inspo: The Space

We absolutely couldn’t leave without exploring more of the gorgeous Victorian-inspired venue we were in. I couldn’t get enough of the bar with the mechanical mixologist! Luckily, one of the friendly staff were equally if not more passionate about the venue, and offered to show us into Mr. Fogg’s map room, too. The walls were covered with antique maps, clocks and travel books, with plush cosy chairs and the familiar old-world travel aesthetic continuing from the rest of the venue.

Good news: There’s still time

There’s still time to experience it all for yourself. The Summer Safari will be running until 1st of September and you can go through to the website: www.mr-foggs.com to book the full immersive experience.

Explore Whitley Neil Gin: https://www.whitleyneill.com

*Feline Fine a mix of Whitley Neill Original Handcrafted Dry Gin, Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato vermouth and maple & physalis syrup served in a wooden cup alongside edible insects and pollen.

*Elephant in the Room with with Whitley Neill Blood Orange vodka, juniper berry & maize tincture and fresh lime juice.

Author

Northern girl Laura is the epitome of a true entrepreneur. Laura’s spirit for adventure and passion for people blaze through House of Coco. She founded House of Coco in 2014 and has grown it in to an internationally recognised brand whilst having a lot of fun along the way. Travel is in her DNA and she is a true visionary and a global citizen.

Comments are closed.