Celebrating The Caribbean Soul Of Angostura
This summer we hit the heady heights in terms of weather, which has been the stand out feature for the last few months – that was until The House of Angostura swept into London and other parts of the UK with a series of ‘tastings’ from their selection of rums and bitters.
Cocktails in the City was the showcase event and was a collaboration between The House of Angostura and Cottons Restaurants and Rum Shacks. The London venue we visited was the original Cotton House, located in Chalk Farm, Camden, and was the perfect opportunity to sample the delights of both food and inspirational drinks of the Caribbean. Open for thirty years, the Cotton House was a true reflection of Caribbean life – vibrant, fun and atmospheric. Our charismatic host was impeccable, with so much information delivered to help us understand both the drink and the history of the House of Angostura. This venue was a little piece of the Caribbean transplanted to the hustle and bustle of London.
Not many people are aware that The House of Angostura dates back to 1824. Whilst the original aromatic bitters were produced in Venezuela by their
creator, Dr Johann Siegert, they are now firmly implanted in the islands of Trinidad and Tobago and express the true warmth of the Caribbean. The bitters had an interesting start in life as a medicinal aid for troops when Johann Siegert was a medic in the Prussian army, who experimented with herbs and plants to find a unique but bitter medicine to improve their health.
Having never tried bitters, it was somewhat intriguing to find out what makes this product so popular and the same for other guests. As wine drinkers, it was somewhat of a shock to the system, as the alcoholic content is pretty high. Even more of the ‘wow’ factor, no layman actually knows the real
ingredients, so you could never try to replicate this mystical recipe, thought to contain around 40 ingredients – but who really knows, other than the creators! Who would have thought that the innocuous little bottle, omnipresent in even the smallest bar or pub, would pack such a punch. The bottle may have changed a little over the years, but the recipe has remained the same.
As one of the producers of a range of international rums and bitters, the complex recipes are closely guarded secrets and remain true to their tradition. The tasting in London was a real opportunity to experience a wide range of cocktails and understand why all these blends are pure cocktail magic. Some would say that bitters are an acquired taste, but when blended by an experienced mixologist, the true depth of flavour in a rum-based cocktail really shines and can be appreciated.
As a guest at the event, the experience was enjoyable and conversation was rife regarding the different blends of the rums on showcase, and how those few droplets of bitters change the perspective of a cocktail. An acquired taste – yes – but undoubtedly the famous orange bitters were the most popular amongst the crowd of devotees. Paired with delicious Caribbean food, we were certainly transported to the white sandy beaches, swaying palms and the sound of steel drums.
