Inside the exclusive whiskey tasting dubbed London’s ‘Disneyland for adults’

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Behind each table I was greeted by a friendly face eager to introduce me to what lay before them, the finer details of its creation and the histories of their respective distilleries.

At one point I confess I found myself more conscious of gravity than usual as I did my utmost to avoid stumbling across the room, which was bustling and jovial, filled with powerful aromas and cheerful conversation.

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I sampled last year’s winner of the World Whiskey Award’s best single malt, which was from Norfolk, then immediately followed it with the 2023 winner: a syrupy-vanilla concoction from the Milk & Honey distillery in Israel – which for me was one of the best of the night.

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It was around this time that I sought refuge at the lavish buffet downstairs, where I ran into the red-faced man who giggled as he filled his plate with freshly made sushi and told me about his favourite samplings of the night so far.

The food on offer – all kosher – was delicious, and I paired it with a passion fruit martini and, what else, but a whiskey sour. Every detail of the event had very evidently been thought through, including the appetisers being given out to those people waiting for the buffet when the queue got a little long.

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Following the recommendations of the newly befriended man (the impression the drinks had on me and the night itself were memorable, but peoples’ names less so), I found myself back upstairs and tasting a remarkable sample from Blackadder’s ‘Statement’ range, distilled in the year I was born – 1992 – and a major highlight of the night.

Eventually (I forget how many tastings later) I decided I’d had quite enough and stepped out of the hotel into the evening air for a reflective stroll through Hyde Park, feeling warm and fuzzy and harbouring a great deal more admiration for both purveyors and connoisseurs of that special brown liquor.