Like the very wise proverbial saying goes: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Except for, in this case, it’s cocktails. While we spend the coming days under lockdown – with no end date in sight – we asked a few of London’s best bars to share some of their favourite cocktail recipes to recreate at home and help make the most of our evenings at home. Better yet, invite friends and relatives and savor over a live Zoom session or FaceTime.

Scarfes Bar, Rosewood London

An oldie but a goodie, Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London shares their classic Dry Martini recipe.

Ingredients:

60ml Gin or Vodka

15ml Dry Vermouth

2 dashes Orange Bitters

Method:

Stir all ingredients together

Pour into coupette glass (or next best thing in your house)

Garnish with an olive, twist of lemon or a small pickled onion

Show it off and tag @Scarfesbar #ScarfesBar

St James Bar at Sofitel London

When-not-in-Rome, the 5 to 7 celebrates the sacred Italian concept of Aperitivo. With Campari-infused coffee, Amaro Montenegro and pink grapefruit soda, this cocktail will give you a delicious taste of La Dolce Vita from your kitchen.

Ingredients:

10ml Amaro Montenegro

20ml Campari infused with coffee

45ml Antica Formula

Top up with pink grapefruit soda and add twist lemon and twist orange as garnish

Method:

Stir all ingredients and strain them into a chilled glass

For the Campari coffee, infuse 1 campari bottle with 20 coffee beans for 24 hours and strain it

Coupette

London bar Coupette has teamed up with Whiskey Exchange to create a bespoke cocktail bundle so Londoners can enjoy making a world clas cocktail at home. Designed by head bartender Andrei Marcu, the cocktail entitled Harvard Drop Out can be created at home and will tantalise taste buds with three simple ingredients. The bundle includes a bottle of Courvoisier VS Cognac, Croft Triple Crown Port and Tio Pepe Palomino Fino sherry.

Ingredients:

30ml of Courvoisier VS Cognac

50ml of Croft Triple Crown Port

10ml of Tio Pepe Palomino Fino sherry

Method:

Pour into mixing glass, add ice and stir

Strain into a small coupette and garnish with orange peel to serve

The Basil Smash by Amplify

The Basil Smash, by non-alcoholic spirit brand Amplify, combines sweet and savoury for a quenching and simple drink, ideal for this spring-time sunshine.

Ingredients:

50ml Amplify

50ml Lemongrass Syrup

10ml Lemon Juice

Soda Water

Handful of basil leaves to garnish

Method:

Shake the Amplify, lemongrass syrup and lemon juice together and strain into a highball glass

Top up with soda and garnish with fresh basil leaves

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