Hard to get cocktail ingredients in London.

[gethin]

Any London based cocktilians may be interested to know of a new source of some hard to track down cocktail ingredients.

The recently opened Whisky Shop at Vinopolis has a great range of top end booze.

I went in today as part of my search for minatures of interestng bourbons (they had a better choice than anywhere else I've found) but left with a bottle of Velvet Falernum, a bottle of Peychauds bitters, a bot of Junipero Gin and a bot of Vya vermouth (all of which I've searched high and low for before).

I also picked up a bottle of Angostura Rum Punch , which I think was recently discussed on the Ministry of Rum sub forum.

The range of Scotch and Bourbon is amazing, a few interesting Irish whiskey's too. They also have the Indian whisky that I've been planning to try.

Forgot to ask about the Breton whisky made from buckwheat that i'm also hunting for .

Anyone looking for Gin there needs to know that its all hidden under the counter. Vinopolis is sponsored by Bombay Saphire so that's the only Gin on display, (filed away with the flavoured vodkas where it deserves to be).

They have a better range of obscure and high quality stuff than Gerry's, though I think the pricing on stuff where they overlap is slightly higher. (Not as wicked as the Cadenheads shop in Covent Garden though).

The shop is apparently run by the people who operate the Whisky Exchange website and mail order company (though I've never seen things like Peychauds, Falernum, Herbsaint etc on the website , admittedly its not the easiest site to find stuff on).

Well worth a visit. Theres also a big Majestic branch right next to it.

Gethin

[curlywurlyfi]

Gethin that's good news. Does Vinopolis sell Tanqueray 10 and Citadelle gins, by any chance?

[gethin]

Gethin that's good news.  Does Vinopolis sell Tanqueray 10 and Citadelle gins, by any chance?

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They have Tanqueray 10 (hidden under the counter) , also Hendricks, Millers and Old Raj . I didn't look to see which proof the Old Raj was as i'm still boycotting Cadenheads gin because of a rude remark, several years ago, about Penderyn whisky by the manager of their shop. I have to admit that it's having about as much effect as my boycott of Heaven, because of an incident during the 1984/85 miners strike , but never mind - holding a grudge can be quite satisfying as an activity in itself.

You can get Citadelle from a shop (called Soho Wines I think, though its not in Soho) , just off Tottenham Court Rd , south of Goodge St. It's at the TCR end of the street where the Craft Centre gallery is (and a shop that sells architectural ironmongeryand door furniture - it connects TCR to the south end of Charlotte St).

Gethin