225 Edgware Road, London W2 1JU www3.hilton.com
On a cold winter’s evening, our hero braves the long journey West to Edgware Road, discovering an Aladdin’s Cave of curated whisky wonders from around the world at the Hilton London Metropole.
I’ve not been here often, but each time I emerge from whichever tube entrance is next to M&S – rather than the one a dangerous jog across a busy road – I feel like I’ve been here a thousand times before.
Over 1,000 rooms in a single hotel on Edgware Road. I’m shocked and surprised that so many people want to stay in this part of town, but then again, with its busy road and multiple tube entrances, it’s easy to escape from and no doubt far cheaper than anywhere closer to the river.
It wasn’t the best start.
The hotel perked me up though. Wow. That unassuming entrance opens on to a very impressive central / bar / atrium / thing. It’s clean, bright, modern: the sort of space you might find in science fiction, where everyone wears latex and drinks luminous cocktails.
The whisky lounge did likewise. Tucked away to one side, it’s a small square room lined with whisky-filled glass cabinets, enclosed behind a velvet rope and set-out beautifully for our private tasting.
A light yet sharp 12 year old Singleton was followed by the extremely heavy peat flavours of the 16 year old Lagavulin. Bouncing from one side of Scotland to the other really demonstrates whisky’s incredible spectrum of tastes. These are both whiskies, of course, but the lightness of the first on the tongue was blown away by the heavy burnt flavours of the second.
Finally, the plane touched down in Taiwan. Taiwan? Yes, Taiwan. Kavalan single malt looks like something you’d find in a newsagents, priced at £9.95 a bottle. It doesn’t sing quality, it doesn’t sing refinement, it doesn’t sing anything other than a poor taste and a bad hangover. And yet, this was one of the best whiskies I’ve tasted. Smooth, yet with a rich oaky flavour, I can see a bottle being sipped away very quickly, with a cheeky dram handed out after every meal.
Tastings start at £26 and finish at £61 (for 5 world whiskies), excluding optional service charge. Get in touch with the Hilton London Metropole to book.
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