A night of secretive drinking with Woodford Reserve and Nightjar

Everyone loves a speakeasy bar. There’s something heart-thuddingly exciting about seeking out that inconspicuous door, knocking (or perhaps uttering a password), and convincing the stern bouncer that you’re actually supposed to be there… after which you’ll more than likely descend some stairs and find yourself in a resplendent cavern complete with sparkling glassware, plush leather booths, perhaps some taxidermy animals and the general razzle-dazzle of the Roaring 30s.

Nightjar is one of these bars – situated behind a jet black door near Old Street Station, with just the silhouette of a little bird to guide you. Downstairs is the epitome of jazz age glory, and what better way to complement this prohibition era surrounding than with a night dedicated to good bourbon? Enter the perfect match for Nightjar’s splendour – Woodford Reserve.

Now, it’s no secret we love a bit of Woodford at Social and Cocktail – the richness, hints of toffee and caramel, and silky smoothness make it ideal for sipping, as well as producing a banging good cocktail (just check out our Woodford Old Fashioned for something really special). So when we heard that Nightjar was hosting a special evening that not only saw a special menu of Woodford Cocktails appear (all at ridiculously decent prices), but also a string band to really get us in the mood, then we were all over it.

First a little about Nightjar for the uninitiated. Those who have not yet visited will soon be clamouring to explore this stunning bar that has been named 3rd best place to drink on the planet in 2014’s World’s Best Bar competition, and those who have been will be nodding their heads knowingly. It’s a little pocket of old-school glamour, oozing style and, dare we say it, not a small amount of pizzaz. Art deco touches will leave you feeling like you ought to be smoking a cigarette from a long jade holder, dressed to the nines; there’s a gorgeous tiled ceiling and glowing candles on each little table… but we don’t want to give too much away. Part of the allure of the bar is surely its mystique.

On to the Woodford then – that Kentucky Bourbon that is beloved by many a bartender and cocktail drinker alike. We arrive at 8pm in the evening – January has thankfully unfolded into February and we’re here for the Ben Somers String Band – they are warming up as we take our seat on plush red stools, and so we decide to warm up too with one of the specially created cocktails. For lovers of the amber spirit like us it’s a veritable dream menu, with five varieties to choose from. We decide to start with the Toronto and the Brooklyn.

Now, as if we weren’t already excited by the prospect of Woodford cocktails, then the presentation makes us even more so. The Toronto first  – a mixture of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, coffee & roasted pecan maple syrup and Fernet-Branca, it arrives with a puff of candy floss sticking out of the top! This makes for perfect snacking in between sips, the orange blossom smoke of the candy floss complementing the sweet elements of the drink. As for the cocktail itself – the slight roasted taste of the coffee works brilliantly with the caramel tones of the Bourbon and the maple syrup, while the Fernet-Branca adds its slight bitter, herbal qualities to ensure the drink isn’t overwhelming sweet.

The Brooklyn is of course another success – Woodford, toasted rye infusion, Brooklyn winter ale cordial, Amer Picon, aged kirsch, clementine bitters and maple syrup. Phew! The combination is a comforting libation that reminded of warm winter nights spent by a fireside as the snow is falling outside. Each sip makes us sink further into the booths as the strings of the band lull us into a haze – the kirsch adds depth, while kitsch comes in the form of a little American flag next to some thick maple syrup at the base of the glass. A scented piece of what looks like heather rests atop the coupette.

The band starts up and we continue to hurtle our way through the menu (well, they are the limited price of £7 after all!). The East Smash incorporates Woodford with lemon, bee pollen, orange liqueur and maraschino bitters – a delightful zingy combination of citrus and sweetness, with a dusting of green matcha powder to give it an interesting twist. The Acylpyrin is a frothy delight of Woodford bourbon with galangal for that gingery heat, some honey, fresh lemon and egg – a great twist for any Whiskey Sour lovers. And then there is the Red Hook – Bourbon, fresh blood orange, dry sherry and ratafia – a fortified delight that has just enough edge.

By this time the band has struck up and are in full swing, delivering jaunty numbers to get the feet tapping. We go off-piste menu-wise and started to peruse the Nightjar regular menu, where we find a plethora of other cocktails to pique our interest. One must-try concoction is the Champagne Julep, which comes with a truly novel serving suggestion. There are also a couple of other whiskey based cocktails that we give the Woodford treatment – notably the Nightjar Milk Punch. This rather bonkers sounding combination of black turtle bean milk, Prekese bean syrup, mustard seed and honeycomb ice-cream comes served in a darling teacup with a garnish of chocolate-covered crispy bacon and a scoop of ice cream floating merrily in the cocktail. Sounds like a heart attack waiting to happen and okay, your arteries might not thank you for having one every day, but boy was it good.

The band finishes their final number, a rousing cheer erupts from the audience, and we are filled with that lovely warm glow that Woodford offers. The soft haze of candlelight reflecting onto glimmering surfaces gives Nightjar a dream-like quality, and as we head out into the chill night air we are already planning our next visit to this secret gem, as another Woodford Night is scheduled in the near future. Any excuse, hey?

For more information of Nightjar visit here

For more information on Woodford Reserve see here