Despite being the shortest month it’s been a busy one, with plenty of events and booze news, so do – please – read on.

Booze News

More sad news this month I’m afraid as The Gin Kitchen was the latest to announce its closure after 8 years in business. Meanwhile London’s celeb hangout Chiltern Firehouse was destroyed by a devastating fire on Valentine’s Day. While this isn’t the sort of news I might normally feature, it really caught my eye as I had visited for the first time only a week earlier. Believed to have been caused by burning wood falling from a pizza oven, the fire spread through the rest of the grade II listed Victorian fire station destroying a large section of the third floor and roof. While the website simply states that the venue “will remain closed until further notice” there has been speculation that it will likely be years before it can reopen.

In happier news (and following the closure of The Distillery in March 2024), Portobello Road Gin has returned to 171 Portobello Road in Notting Hill where the brand began back in 2011.

New Gin Alerts

Three really interesting gins have caught my eye this month. Long time favourite of mine, Gower Gin has released GWYR Port Eynon Navy Strength Gin. Created to celebrate founder Andrew’s 60th birthday and his love of foraging, the key botanicals include rock samphire, rosemary, blackberry, nettle and sloe, and the ABV comes in at an appropriate (and hefty) 60%!

Yet to be officially announced in the UK, news of Hendrick’s latest release from their Cabinet of Curiosities has escaped. Although details are hard to come by, Oasium is said to be inspired by the aromatic herbs and bright fruits of a desert oasis. I’ve yet to get my mitts on a bottle but if you want to find out more check out this review from Aaron Knoll aka The Gin Is In.

The release I’m most excited about however is Four Pillars Croissant Gin. Created in collaboration with Melbourne’s Lune Croissanterie, and made using Lune’s caramel-smelling clarified butter alongside vanilla pods, macadamia nuts, roasted wattleseed, nutmeg, lemon myrtle and roasted almonds, it is described as having a buttery mouthfeel, a touch of warm spice and a hint of sweetness. It looks unlikely this release will make it to the UK so do as I’ve done and find someone in Oz to pick you up a bottle cos it sounds, and looks, absolutely banging!

My Month in Gin

One of the highlights of my month (and especially in light of the devastating fire) was attending the UK launch of Sake ONO at Chiltern Firehouse. The dream of its three American founding families for over 10 years, Sake ONO launched in the US in April 2024. Made in partnership with Yoshi No Gawa, the oldest sake brewery in Niigata, Sake ONO is a Junmai Daiginjo, meaning no alcohol is added during production and that the rice is polished down to at least 50%, resulting in a crisper taste. And while Sake ONO delivers the key profile expected of the style – including notes of fresh honeydew, lemon peel and green apple alongside an umami backbone – it also offers a drier finish without any residual sweetness.

What really impressed me, was not only the liquid itself – which is both exceptionally complex and also very clean – but also how versatile Sake ONO is. Served chilled it paired exceptionally well with everything from fried chicken and crab donuts to mushroom pasta, rib-eye steak, crème brûlée and tiramisu, and also worked wonderfully well in cocktails such as this yuzu and basil spritz and low-ABV take on a Vesper Martini. As for the venue, it was beautiful and the food was incredible. I didn’t spot any celebs myself but I’m told James Corden “scuttled in” shortly after us (!), and the table pictured below really caught my eye before I knew that Naomi Campbell once (in)famously climbed upon it to dance around the original fireman’s pole in its centre!

I was also delighted, and very excited, to attend the opening of London’s brand new Negroni Bar by Campari at The Alchemist Monument. The stunning bar is a tribute to both the iconic brand and the classic cocktail, and even features a cute Campari vending machine which dispenses bespoke mini prints by the very talented Eleanor Isobelle. Alongside the classic Negroni, the menu features four variations including a tropical Negroni Paradiso and a visually impressive Pressurised Negroni, as well as a Campari Spritz and a non-alcoholic No-groni. You obviously can’t beat a classic, but I did also love the red wine and port Barrel Aged Negroni and the sophisticated Sour, and the canapés were cracking too. Whether you’re a fan of the cocktail or the brand you will want to get down there ASAP, especially as only the first 1,000 guests to purchase a drink will receive a token for the vending machine. 

From somewhere new to somewhere old and where, in fact, my gin journey began. I first visited the Beefeater Distillery back in 2014 so it was wonderful to revisit it recently. I started by joining the three-part tour including a self-guided section which walks you through the history of gin from Hogarth’s Gin Lane to prohibition and beyond, a look behind the scenes at the original stills, a tasting of Beefeater’s key botanicals and core range and a tasty G&T.

After that we treated ourselves to a few more drinks at Beefeater’s fantastic speakeasy night. Hidden in the depths of the building next to the boardroom, the staff in the stunning Bar 24 served up a special menu taking us through the history of cocktails and Beefeater, from an 1820s traditional Pink Gin and Lookin’ Pine inspired by the development of Peychaud’s bitters in 1835, to the breakfast martini inspired Yeoman’s Breakfast honouring the launch of Crown Jewel in 1993, to Payne In The Neck in honour of Master Distiller Desmond Payne! And then, quite remarkably, I found myself sitting next to the Gin Journey‘s Cocktail Kate; the very person who took me to the distillery that very first time in 2014! The next Speakeasy Night is on 4th April and I highly recommend booking a spot at the bar.

Finally I was delighted to kick off this year’s judging season with a day of spirits at the Guild of Fine Food for the Great Taste 2025 awards. I can’t wait to return to do some food judging too!

Welcome to My Collection

In addition to a wonderful goody bag from the Negroni Bar event, I’ve been grateful to receive a selection of Three Cents sodas including their new Fig Leaf flavour, samples of Vault Aperitivo‘s new non-alc apertivo and Copper Lion Dry Gin and bottles of Reverend Hubert Summer Cup, Botivo and Sake ONO. I also couldn’t leave the Beefeater Distillery without buying a bottle each of their Monday’s and Crown Jewel Gins, and I was exceptionally lucky to be gifted a beautiful Burrough’s Reserve glass from their Speakeasy event too!

Catching Up and Looking Forward

March looks set to be just as busy as February with more events, lots of judging and my birthday as well! And be sure to keep your eyes peeled for my next Drinksbiz column too. 🍸🛎🛎