COCKTAILS AT THE HUTCH

The latest addition to London’s cocktail circuit is a pop-up bar within the famous old Quaglino’s of Mayfair, which pays homage to one of the great stars of the 1920/30s cocktail scene in its name – The Hutch Club.

Serving up all manner of exotic concoctions between now and the end of August, this new venue aims to ape the glamour of Hutch’s era, when ladies were exquisitely gorgeous and gentleman immaculate in tails.

Hutch himself was the epitome of elegant style, a top cabaret star from Grenada who was said to have bedded many of the aristocratic ladies who were his fans.  He had an affair with Lord Mountbatten’s wife Edwina, was accepted into high society, and became a friend and lover of song writer Cole Porter. But one affair too many in 1930 lead to scandal and a court case, and to his being barred from ever being on a Royal Command Performance bill.

There’s a wonderfully salacious report online, which shows how Hutch put the activities of most of today’s bad boys in the shade. A book about his life was published in 2001, a blue plaque was mounted last year on the house where he lived in Camden, and a musical based upon the book was staged at the Riverside Studios early in June. Now, a cocktail bar and next, the film?

Hutch or to give him his full name, Lesley Hutchinson, seen above in his pomp, in trademark white tie. At top, cocktails for everyone at The Hutch.

Hutch played at Quaglino’s – arriving with a white piano strapped to his chauffeur-driven car, it is said – and the summer pop-up bar aims to recreate the ambience of his time. It kicked off with a roaring 1920s style evening at the end of May, with swing music and a glittering array of cocktails. Courvoisier cognac, Macallan malt whisky and Stolichnaya vodka helped the party go with a swing.

Divided into a Martini Bar, with Art Deco inspired look, a private Drinking Den, and what is claimed to be London’s first boutique alcoholic Popcorn bar, The Hutch Club should prove to be a summer hotspot. Go to www.quaglinos-restaurant.co.uk/the-hutch-club for more information.

NINETY YEARS YOUNG

Something of a spring chicken, compared with the longevity of many Scotch whiskies, the Japanese distiller Suntory is celebrating its 90th birthday this year.

To mark such an auspicious occasion, and as an excuse to sample some very nice whisky, a privileged few gathered at the Connaught Hotel one June evening to savour the delights of Suntory’s Hibiki.

As any fan of whisky will know, the Japanese have long since joined the ranks of fine whisky distillers,witnessed by rising global sales that include quite a lot to Scotland. Suntory , which has won a raft of international awards, thought it would be good to mark the company’ anniversary with a special Hibiki gift pack to mark Father’s Day in June, and also as a tribute to the father of the distillery, Shinjiro Torii, who founded it in 1923.

Hibiki, which means harmony in Japanese, is a fine blended whisky that comes in 12, 21 and 30 year old ages. It was informative as well as enjoyable to taste them all, noting the subtle changes, including the very rare 30 year old, .

The gift-pack contains the 12 year old, in a 50cl sized bottle specially crafted in Usuhari, a very thin Japanese glass, with matching whisky glass.  The decanter features 24 facets, representing the 24 seasons of the Japanese calender, and will look very nice when it is empty but even better when it is full.

It isn’t likely to stay full for long though, as this is a smooth, more-ish whisky that has been awarded a Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Fair and Golds at the International Wine & Spirits Competition and the International Wine Challenge. The addition of just a little water brings out its full flavour.

Don’t worry if you missed out on Father’s Day. The Whisky Exchange www.thewhiskyexchange.com and The Whisky Shop www.whiskyshop.com will continue to sell it while stocks last, the gift pack at £50 or  just the bottle at £35. The gift pack has the addition of being tied with a Japanese Furoshiki, seen above – a traditional cloth, patterned with the Hibiki bottle. It’s the sort of final detail for which the Japanese are rightly famed.