Food

Review: Reverend JW Simpson Cocktail Bar – A Bourne and Hollingsworth Brainchild

Rev J Simpson

Upon arrival at Reverend JW Simpson we were ushered into an intimate room, that was subtly lit.

Hosting the Aperitif night were two gentlemen (Deano and Steve) who would over the course of the night give insight into the drinks we would sample.

Aperitif is a French word derived from the Latin verb aperire, which means to open; in this context, open ones appetite.

Before each cocktail Deano introduced the Aperitif and gave us a little history as Steve prepared the cocktails.

Similar to a wine tasting experience we were asked what flavours we could smell or taste, which really encouraged an interactive group atmosphere.

Each cocktail is a draw on classics and built on to create their own signatures.

To sample we had:

The suze which was light but full of spicy flavour

Devlin’s advocate which seemed like an obvious play on words was devilish but delightful, a real citrus flavour offset buy the mint in the glass.

The Adonis created in 1884 named after a play on Broadway, had an unexpected sour aftertaste

Jann earling-cooper has a real aniseed taste on it’s own but in a cocktail it was sweet yet sharp and tangy

The most recognisable aperitif is a Campari which is initially sweet but then has a bitter lingering taste. Used in the wild strawberry negroni.

Not your traditional cocktail class (trust me I’m an expert), instead what you get from the guys at Reverend JW Simpson is a wealth of knowledge and a passion for a tradition that is making a revival in London.

Fancy trying a night of cocktail fun and great vibes why not get yourself down to Rev J’s? Here is the link to their website: http://www.revjwsimpson.com/

By Denise Eke