Cahoots: Speakeasy style cocktails from “the Scoundrels”

It’s 1940s Soho, descending underground into a disused train station, you are transported into a raucous world of swing, high spirits, and speakeasy-style cocktails, expertly crafted by the establishments very own scoundrels.

Through the bricked platform space, dotted with post-war 1940s memorabilia, we are shown to our seat on the vintage train carriage. With a smile and a wink, we are presented with our newspaper clipping which lists the various tipples on offer.

The menu is jaunty, including Cahoots classics such as the Winston Churchill, Bombay Sapphire gin, Evangelista Ratafia cherry liqueur, guava, tropical fassionola syrup. Then there’s the Vera Lynn, Tanqueray No. TEN gin, cloudy apple juice, pear purée, ginger, elderflower, lime. Both are punchy, popular to the regular scoundrels and are served in vessels crafted around their namesake’s heads.

Amongst the classic negronis, manhattans and martini’s you will find interesting twists such as Rob’s Joy, a spin on a scotch manhattan with Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, Southern Comfort Black liqueur, Mancino Chinato vermouth, chocolate and Angostura Cocoa bitters. The real scoundrels can raid the Captain’s Larder for boozy treats such as The Biscuit Tin, featuring Hennessy V.S. cognac, Disaronno liqueur, custard cream, tonka bean syrup and egg yolk.

We sit back in our carriage sip our tipples and chew the fat. Listen out for the live band playing 1940s jazz and swing, you’ll be in for a real treat!

The other spaces

Cahoots isn’t just located in the station but spread over three areas. The Ticket Hall, located at street level is a place to sample black market liquors in an old ticket hall, and for some breathing room, you can spill out into the outdoor seating area.

Here you can sip on a refreshing St-Germain Blitz Spritz with St-Germain elderflower liqueur, sparkling wine, topped with Franklin & Sons 1886 soda water or a Liberation Lane with Grey Goose vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, fassionala tropical syrup, lemon, orange, topped with Kentish Pip Forager hedgerow berry cider.

For late-night shenanigans and high jinks, the Control Room will be returning soon for roaring underground parties and live music, alongside the usual crafty cocktails of course.

So shrug off your inhibitions, put on your swagger and skip and a hop down to Cahoots, it won’t disappoint.

Cahoots is located at Kingly Court, Carnaby, London W1B 5PW, with the Underground at number 13, and the Ticket Hall and Control Room Opposite at number 5.

Website: www.cahoots-london.com

Written by Rick Hartley

Photography courtesy of Cahoots and Bacardi.

#cahoots #carnabystreet