Whisky Nosing At The Chesterfield

When my companion for the evening enquired about the dress code and whether it was “fancy”, I knew it was a sign of a classy affair to follow. Not only because of the fabulous location we were headed to, but because our abode for the evening was The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel. Settled nicely in a quiet street in London’s exclusive Mayfair, just around the corner from Berkeley Square, The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel is part of the Red Carnation Hotel Collection – an award winning family run boutique hotel group.

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection boasts a rich portfolio of hotels around the world, including the famous Ashford Castle in Ireland (on Conde Nast’s 2016 Traveler Gold List and a TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Awards winner of two ‘Top 25’ Awards) as well as the iconic Oyster Box in South Africa and The Chesterfield Palm Beach in Florida.

In London alone, as well as The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel, the five star Milestone Hotel and The Old Government House Hotel & Spa are just a few to mention forming the impressive collection.

Mayfair is one of those areas that I rarely visit and when I do, it’s usually for a special occasion – be it a gallery opening, a celebratory trip to Nobu or an Afternoon Tea at Claridge’s. And this time wasn’t going to be any different.

We arrived at the Regency style townhouse and entered the ornate lobby, oozing with elegance and style. We were then showed to the Terrace Bar by a very courteous concierge. On entering the bar, a comforting sound of a piano filled the room, beautifully orchestrated by the resident pianist John Hudson, who has been entertaining the hotel guests for the last 16 years.

The Terrace Bar, cosy and intimate in every sense, was adjacent to the Conservatory, where the hotel was launching two exciting additions to the bar menu – ‘Whisky Nosing and Tasting Experience’ and ‘Molecular Cocktails’ collection.

My friend and I indulged in the ‘Macallan & Chocolate Pairing” Whisky experience, where we tasted Macallan’s Whiskies perfectly matched with specially selected chocolates from ‘Iain Burnett Highland Chocolatier’. Three Whisky tasting packages were available to satisfy even the biggest Whisky connoisseur.

For those seeking something different – the impressive ‘Molecular Cocktails’ selection will not disappoint. Combining science with technology, shaken and stirred, true classic cocktails were given a revamp to add new levels of sophistication. Using techniques of “molecular gastronomy”, the talented team of resident mixologists whipped up creations such as ‘Old and New Era Mojito’, ‘Eton Mess’ or ‘Sea Salt Air Margarita’. If you feel like sharing, then the ‘Tipsy Tea’ and the ‘Healthy Pina Colada’ for two would be the perfect choice.

We also tried a Gin and Tonic served with an added twist, which can be found on the popular ‘Chesterfield Gin and Tonic Experience’ menu. It was a perfectly refreshing blend of Martin Miller Gin served with Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic, strawberries and crushed black pepper. Simple, refreshing and impressive, I am sure to be serving it to my friends at the next available opportunity.

• The Chesterfield Mayfair Hotel is located on 35 Charles Street, London W1J 5EB. Nearest tube station: Green Park www.chesterfieldmayfair.com The ‘Whisky Nosing and Tasting’ experience starts at £25 per person and the ‘Molecular Cocktails’ range starts at £16.