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Top 10 Cosmo’s of 2018…so far

Anyone who knows me knows that the Cosmopolitan is unashamedly my favourite cocktail. As we’re coming to the halfway point of the year, I’ve rounded up the best Cosmo’s from 2018 – so far. Conveniently, it makes a nice neat list of 10 – though these are in no particular order, they’re all great šŸ™‚

Forever linked with the 90’s and Sex and the City, the Cosmo dates back much further, with its roots in a 1930’s confection featuring gin, instead of vodka. There are mentions of it in the 1970’s in America, before it was popularised by SJP and the gang. The International Bartenders Association quotes the recipe as:

  • 4 clĀ Citron Vodka
  • 1.5 clĀ Cointreau
  • 3 cl Cranberry juice
  • 1.5 cl FreshĀ lime juice

Shake all ingredients in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Strain into a large cocktail glass, garnish with lime slice…and voila. They also very sensibly catagorise it as an ‘All Day Cocktail‘. I’m not arguing with that!

Hakkasan, London W1

The Cosmopolitan at Hakkasan was stop-you-in-your-tracks-knock-your-socks-off-good. More than good, it was the best Cosmo I’ve had in years. A stand-out cocktail and a lovely bar to drink it at. Followed by some Michelin Starred Chinese nibbles.

Trocadero Playa, Marbella

Cocktail on the beach at sunset, perfect. Nicely balanced and a good size. Usual routine is to drop the bags off and head out for one of these on arrival.

Artesian Bar, the Langham Hotel, London W1

Well earned cocktail after a busy days shopping in London. Lovely unusual glasses. Quite red in colour but perfectly balanced.

Purobeach, Marbella

Beach club perfection – and huge too! Perfect to sip while listening to some Balearic beats and chilling out. Look at that for a holiday cocktail šŸ™‚

Chilli Pickle, Brighton

Ordered off-menu and this wonderful restaurant made me my favourite cocktail. Lovely as a pre-curser to an Indian feast.

Charlotte St Hotel, London W1

One of London’s classic hotel bars, as expected they do an excellent Cosmo (and a great Old Fashioned too).

Mayfair Hotel, London W1

Again, excellent hotel cocktail bar – great place for meeting friends. In fact, I was having so much fun that I forgot to take a picture, so here’s one I obviously took from their website!

Nobu, London W1

These slip down incredibly well with a selection of Japanese food. Had a few more in the bar downstairs after too.

Malmaison, LondonEC1

Much better in the upstairs bar than the downstairs one, but still a good shout for a cocktail in EC1.

Iberica, London EC1

Cocktails and tapas…yum.

Any must-drink Cosmo recommendations for me?

 

 

Live

Crazy 3 days

Start of the week, start of June.

The week started sensibly, and on Tuesday evening we stopped off after a bad day at work for a cheeky cocktail and some tapas at Iberica in Farringdon. They do a nice Cosmopolitan, though the tapas is not the best I’ve ever had. However, it does slightly make up for it by being able to sit at the bar and eat, which is my favourite thing. After a few drinks and nibbles we headed off home and got in at a sensible time.

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Ā Photo from the Iberica website

By Wednesday there were client drinks to attend, and while I only intended to stay for one, the sun was shining and a couple turned into (quite) a few. Rather than being good and going home, we stayed out drinking with friends and booked into The Zetter Hotel in Farrindgon. I’ve eaten there and had a drink in the bar, as well as staying previously at The Townhouse, I’ve never actually stayed in the Zetter itself. The room was very nice, though it was a brief stay, as I was up and out for a breakfast meeting at Smiths. Amazingly I had no ill effects from the night before and the meeting went well.

Friday morning saw me back at Smiths for another breakfast – I could get used to a cooked breakfast every day!

On Friday evening we had planned to go home early, but with everyone going to the pub for leaving and birthday drinks, we thought we’d stop off for one. One became man, then cocktails at The Hospital Club and an after-show party at the extremely un-partylike venue of The Easy Hotel. It was an absolute riot, and great, great fun. But what a hectic week!

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