PUBS, PATIOS & BARS: ‘Illicit whisky’ and dream drams at London’s Síbín
“Hidden in plain sight behind a secret door,” and situated in one of London’s most historic and cherished buildings, the Síbín whisky bar has launched a global “Whisky Passport” designed to take patrons on a flavour journey beyond the British capital with some of the world’s best vintages.
Síbín is a term coined in Ireland meaning “illicit whisky” and was used to refer to an illicit club where excisable alcoholic drinks were sold without a licence.
Located in the five-start Great Scotland Yard Hotel (off Whitehall near Trafalgar Square), the namesake (now perfectly legal) bar offers high-quality whiskies with wood and smoke flavour profiles alongside classic and creative cocktails, food pairings and snacks. Featuring artwork from the likes of Alastair Mackie, Belinda Frikh and Cornelia Parker RA, each piece adorning the walls has been chosen to reflect the bar’s glamorous and sultry atmosphere.
The elegantly designed and printed Whisky Passport features 10 whiskies from around the world and a dream dram of a very rare and limited SKU.
Carefully and specially curated, the passport features cocktails using whiskies from the following regions:
• England – Masthouse: Column Malt
• Scotland – Elements of Islay: Sherry Cask
• Ireland – Waterford: ArgotFinland – Kyrö Whisk
• US – Michters: American Whisky
• Canada– Signal Hill
• Australia – Starward: Leftfield
• Taiwan – Kavalan: Single Malt
• Japan – Nikka: Yoichi
• Dream Dram – Japan: Mars: Komagatake Shinshu 2021
The latter Komagatake malt is made at the Shinshu distillery, Japan’s highest, sitting at 800 m. above sea level, surrounded by pure spring water, and impacted by a particularly harsh climate. A superb single malt, the Mars Komagatake 2021 edition boasts a core of bourbon cask matured single malt, supported by portions matured in sherry and Port casks and displays plenty of sweet stone fruit, oaken vanilla, and honeyed nuts alongside the rich, oily malt at its core.
The first whisky cocktail and stamp are included with the purchase of the passport at £50. The subsequent nine cocktails (redeemable in any order) are offered at a 50% discount (£18 reduced to £9). Upon completion, customers will receive the complimentary dream dram. Passports can be purchased from Síbín, the hotel’s front desk, or online HERE.
Síbín touts the passport as ideal for both whisky connoisseurs and those curious about the world of whisky, with each offering featuring the brand history and unique cocktail, ultimately revealing “a new destination for your palate.”
Great Scotland Yard Hotel
Situated in an 1820’s Grade II listed building, the five-star Great Scotland Yard Hotel is a member of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection and offers 151 rooms and suites combining both tradition and modern luxury. Home to ‘old Nordic’ restaurant Ekstedt at the Yard – headed up by Michelin starred chef Niklas Eksted – the five-star hotel also features The 40 Elephants; Síbín (open Tues.-Sat. 7 p.m.-1 p.m.); an afternoon tea lounge, and more.
With glass purposefully in hand, we at Travel Industry Today continue our series on some of the planet’s best bars, patios and rooftop venues. For more articles in the series, click HERE:
First published at Travel Industry Today
