LUXURIOUS ACCOMMODATION WITH A TWIST
The Kenilworth voted one of the top 50 destinations in the UK 2011 by THE INDEPENDENT
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: The Hotel Rooms | Bathroom Special | Wedding & Party Packages Cocktail Masterclass | Cocktail Packages | The Cocktail Lounge Fine, Rare & Vintage | Featured Cocktails | K Events..... and lots more!
Opening Times: Monday - Thursday 5pm until midnight and Friday - Sunday 1pm until midnight For all the latest news 'follow us on @thekenilworth or the 'kenilworth cocktail lounge' page on
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The Kenilworth Hotel rooms... We have 11 beautifully appointed bedrooms at the Kenilworth. In 2009 we added 5 new rooms to the hotel. Below is a description of the new rooms to give you a feel for what amazing rooms they are. walls beautifully lit with soft down lighting. We also love our gadgets and due to the sheer size of the suite it was our excuse to purchase a Bang & Olufsen television with DVD player and rotating stand to enable it to swivel the television to suit your viewing requirements. Room 7 has an English oak bathroom with a 12ft walk in slate shower with a luxury deluge shower head. Molton Brown toiletries are standard in all of our bathrooms which ensures a revitalising and relaxing experience. Room 7 also features original artwork from a local Kenilworth artist Chenaye Du Plessis. If your stay is for business reasons then we offer free broadband and Wi-Fi in all our rooms. As well as Bang & Olufsen telephones.
Room 7 is a huge suite. As you walk into the suite you will see the American walnut king-size bed and furniture by British designer Charles Gilmore. We are very fussy sleepers so we made sure every bed has luxury mattresses and sensor foam pillows. Room 7 has its own lounge area with a beautiful Le Corbusier designer sofa and desk. On one side of room 7 you will see American walnut
Room 8 Is on the ground floor and has an American walnut king-size bed and furniture by British designer Charles Gilmore. Luxury mattresses and sensor foam pillows. A third of the walls are covered with American walnut. OK, so a little over the top, but you can’t help but respect the beauty of the 50” Plasma TV!
“A third of the walls are covered with American walnut” BOUTIQUE HOTEL & COCKTAIL LOUNGE 7269 The Kenilworth Spring 2012 Newsletter_AW_2.indd 2
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Room 9 Is our other huge suite.
Room 10 Has an American walnut
As you walk into the suite you will see the stunning Bang & Olufsen Avant television on its rotating stand. To your left you will see the American walnut king-size bed and furniture by British designer Charles Gilmore. Again, we have made sure every single bed has luxury mattresses and sensor foam pillows for added comfort. Room 9 has its own lounge area with a beautiful Le Corbusier designer sofa and desk. Over half of room 9 is stunningly covered in an American walnut wall beautifully lit with soft down lighting. Room 9 has an English oak bathroom with a 12ft walk in slate shower with a luxury deluge shower head. Molton Brown toiletries are standard.
king-size bed and furniture by British designer Charles Gilmore. Luxury mattresses and sensor foam pillows. American walnut walls, Bang & Olufsen television Beo3 television. Room 10 has a huge English oak bathroom with walk in slate shower with a deluge shower head.
“Room 9 has an English oak bathroom with a 12ft walk in slate shower with a luxury deluge shower head”
Room 11 Is our loft room and is stunningly designed and as the name would suggest is on the top floor and the only one. It has an American walnut kingsize bed and furniture by British designer Charles Gilmore. Luxury mattresses and sensor foam pillows. Seating area with Le Corbusier sofa and desk. American walnut walls, 50” Plasma TV. English oak bathroom with walk in slate shower with a deluge shower head. Molton Brown toiletries and original artwork. Free broadband and Wi-Fi B&O telephone.
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The Kenilworth Bathrooms... When we first came up with the concept of ‘the Kenilworth’ we wanted to ensure that all of our hotel rooms were immaculately clean at all times, modern yet practical, spacious and comfortable, huge beds with luxury pillows. Have great plasma and Bang and Olufsen televisions and amazing bathrooms where you could really indulge your senses!
We wanted a true organic feel to our rooms which is why we chose to use English Oak and Cornish slate mined from Delabole. Delabole slate has been mined in the area since the Medieval Times and has probably been in existence for some 1000 years.
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indulge.... Many of our rooms have huge wet rooms (up-to 15ft long) and some are covered from top to bottom with Travertine Italian Marble. We have also used Bizazas style tiles in room 11. All of our shower heads are ‘deluge’ shower heads that are a minimum of 10inches, these provide the ultimate shower experience. We loved every minute designing our en-suites, wet rooms and the baths so we thought you might be interested in a peek into our world of bathroom design. Amongst the many features we included were: Cornish Delabole slate and Bizazas style tiles.
“Many of our rooms have huge wet rooms (up-to 15ft long)”
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Wedding & Party Packages When we opened ‘the kenilworth’ it was always our intention to provide our guests with the ultimate When we opened ‘the kenilworth’ it was always our intention to provide our guests with the ultimate in both venue and service for any occasion. From weddings to birthday parties, we can create the ultimate celebration that will be remembered for a lifetime. We pride ourselves on the creative nature of what we do and work to push the boundaries of what is possible whilst maintaining exceptional value for money.
We have some of the best bartenders in the UK if not the world, amazing Hotel rooms and a beautiful garden area that can be fully covered and heated in the winter. Our Wedding and party packages have been designed to suit most budgets and start from as little as £4900 all in! We have many years experience in hosting and catering for events. Hosting is what we live for!
If you’re going to do it, do it in style! Please email stuart@thekenilworth.co.uk or call 01926 779473 for more information BOUTIQUE HOTEL & COCKTAIL LOUNGE 7269 The Kenilworth Spring 2012 Newsletter_AW_2.indd 6
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new opening hours! The Kenilworth is now open from:
new
Mon – Thurs 5pm until midnight Fri – Sun 1pm until midnight
Celebrate the Great British Afternoon with specialist creations from the including special Bloody Marys, Tom Collins, Bucks Fizz and G&T’s to name but a few. Available Saturday & Sunday from 1pm.
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Here at The Kenilworth, we love everything about cocktails… if you would like to share in our passion, bring your friends to The Kenilworth and experience the thrill of cocktails at their finest. Whether it’s a bachelor or bachelorette party, company team building exercise or celebration of any kind, we can tailor our cocktail journey to your needs. Menus are designed for you and your friends and work colleagues to make your experience more memorable. Our cocktail masterclasses submerge you in the delicious world of cocktails; past, present and even the future. Allow us to create cocktails toward your own event and even craft your own cocktails with our DIY section, allowing you to test your mantle with a shaker or stirring spoon with the expert guidance
of our passionate, award winning bartenders. Alternatively, choose from one of our tried and tested masterclass menus such as Caribbean Cruise, Classics of Cuba, Orient Express: Tour of Europe, From Sea to Shining Sea or our Far Eastern Adventure. From small groups of friends to much larger parties, our bartenders will astonish you with facts about cocktails from all over the drinks world whilst keeping you entertained with delectable libations designed to leave your taste buds wanting more and more. Call 01926 779 473 or email info@thekenilworth regarding our Cocktail Masterclass or alternatively speak to one of our bartenders who can guide you to cocktail bliss for as little as £25 per person!
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The Kenilworth Cocktail Package If you are looking for something a little special, something original, classy and stylish then this package is for you. The now famous Kenilworth Cocktail package is your chance to enjoy one of our beautiful rooms at the Kenilworth and sample as many cocktails you wish from our classic list. An amazing chance to sample as many of our award winning cocktails as you like for only £199. The Cocktail Package is available 7 days a week and is a unique offer at £199 for rooms 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 and £225 for our suites. Includes one of our beautiful rooms and ALL DRINKS FOR two people!
New Sunday Cocktail Package This brand new cocktail deal start at £155.00 for one of our standard rooms and £175.00 for our lager suites, includes cocktails. This includes overnight accommodation, cocktails for 2 all evening between 6pm-12am, continental breakfast and vat at 20%. Book one today and experience The Kenilworth in all its glory. Remember this amazing offer includes your chosen Hotel room and ALL DRINKS FOR two people between 6pm and 12am!!
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Cocktail Lounge
The
The cocktail lounge is our passion, our baby if you will; we are proud to present nationally recognised bartenders serving classic cocktails with style in our award winning bar and lounge. Looking toward American style service, our tableside preparations look back at a time when the customer was king and theatricality was important. As you can probably tell, we are very passionate about our lounge and we try to envelop every sense in your Kenilworth experience. Our tin ceiling was imported from Austin, Texas where the last of the prohibition era pressed tin manipulators live and the art deco wall sconces were sourced from an old cinema in Australia. So relax into our bespoke furniture, sit back and enjoy…
Our bartenders live, sleep, eat and breathe cocktail culture; when they are not crafting beautiful cocktails behind our small but well stocked bar they are travelling the country sourcing new ingredients, visiting producers and competing in cocktail competitions. Cocktails for The Kenilworth bartenders isn’t a vocation, it’s a way of life…
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BOUTIQUE HOTEL & COCKTAIL LOUNGE Here at The Kenilworth we strive for perfection in everything we do; whether that be sourcing furniture from around Europe to make our venue the most comfortable place for you to relax in, wor scouring the music world for the latest and greatest in new wave jazz to sooth you as you drink. It is this quest for perfection that drives us, that takes us all over the world. In the last few years, we have travelled all over the world to ensure that The Kenilworth is setting trends, not following them. Our quest to deliver indulgent cocktails has taken us to some very interesting places from Paris to New York, Berlin, Barcelona, Dresden, Munich, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Helsinki, Valencia, Monaco, Belfast, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Las Vegas… we clock up the air miles to bring you the best cocktails from around the world.
Pilgrimages to Barcelona to research the perfect Martini came up with great results followed up by a day in Valencia to learn about lemons, because of course lemons and olives make the difference between a great Martini and a perfect Martini. Similar trips to New York and New Orleans to attend Tales of the Cocktail, a worldwide gathering of cocktail minded people, will have us showcasing The Kenilworth to bartenders from across the globe. Travelling across Europe visiting distilleries, whether they be Vodka, Gin or Cognac is a favourite pastime of our team, even visiting orange groves and researching different methods bartenders use in different cultures and customs. Our team also very much enjoy eating well, visiting Michelin Star restaurants up and down the UK taking inspiration from the country’s finest chefs.
Seasonal Cocktails Our Seasonal Cocktails menu is our creative tool to show you what we are thinking about and developing, around 30% of our current cocktail menu was developed or saw action on our Seasonal Cocktails menu as a testing ground.
Please feel free to give us your feedback on these drinks, we really do appreciate it (even if its constructive critasism) and hopefully we will continue to show you why we are one of the best hotels bars in the country. Ask for our newest selection today…
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COCKTAIL GARDEN NOW OPEN ALL DAY SATURDAY & SUNDAY FROM 1PM
Bacardi proud sponsors of the Cocktail Garden
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The Kenilworth launches its Fine, Rare & Vintage online store We are really proud to announce the launch of our online Fine, Rare & Vintage collection featuring some of the world’s most exclusive wines and spirits. Born of a zealotry toward fine spirits, equipment, glassware and general geekiness about what we do, we have developed our Fine, Rare & Vintage offering with a huge amount of man hours and
intensive research. From flagons of ancient Navy Rum to preprohibition American Whiskies our concise selection is always worth a peek. Being 'Fine & Rare' there is very limited stock and in many cases the only ones in existance. If you are looking for something truly unique then please browse through our collection.
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The Kenilworth presents:
‘The Single FlagonCollection’ British Royal Navy Imperial Reserve The story starts in 1783 when a Mr James Man founded a sugar cooperage and brokerage just back from the busy Thames River at 23 Harp Lane in the Sugar Quay region of the City of London. In the next year, James Man won the exclusive contract to supply rum to the Royal Navy, (a contract the company E.D. & F. Man would retain right up until 1970) granted by The Admiralty Office of the Navy at Seething Lane; only a two minute stroll down, what is now Lower Thames Street. The rights to supply the Navy with Rum also created what we now know as blending, as the Navy demanded not only a quality product but a consistent product too. James and his team would source and import the rums from around the Caribbean and have them blended in the huge Solera style vats at the Royal Navy Victualing Yard in Deptford. James Man’s company may very well have created spirit’s blending as we know it today; blending Guyanese, Jamaican, Bajan and Trinidadian rums to a create a consistent Navy Rum for thousands of officers and ratings who were to drink it.
From these victualing warehouses, the vatted rum would be dispensed into 4.54 litre stoneware flagons to be distributed and transported aboard Royal Navy Ships, where they would await to be drunk in amounts, varying over time. Back in 1655 Admiral Penn of the British Fleet captured Jamaica from the Spanish and authorised the replacement of the official Beer Ration with the local made Sugarcane spirit. On his return to England, he found this Sugarcane spirit not only stayed fresh for the journey, but also grew sweeter as it was stored in casks. It wasn’t however until 1731 that the Navy Board actual authorised the official daily ration to be changed from beer to a half pint of rum, twice a day, issued neat at 80%abv! Nine years passed until the infamous Admiral Edward Vernon, known as ‘Old Grog’ ordered a reduction in strength claiming ‘the vice of drunkenness is but too visibly increasing in our mariners’. The order was passed ‘the new twice daily rum ration be augmented with fresh lime and sugar to make it more palatable to the crews’, an order that would cement the words ‘Limey’ in worldwide usage and ‘Grog’, although I prefer the term ‘Daiquiri’. This tradition stuck for over a hundred years until 1850 when the ration was reduced again, this time to a more sensible eighth of a pint, or half gill, or 71 millilitres. Then on July 31st 1970, a momentous event took place in Naval history that would later affect the rum world as we know it; an event that wouldn’t be considered momentous by bartenders, for around another 40 years. On that day, an order was served from the Royal Navy admiralty to suspend the maritime privilege of one half gill
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the Sailor’s Fund, although only a few sold to collectors. That was until Mark Andrews, a Texan oil investor acquired 650 wicker clad demijohns and created the ‘brand’ British Royal Navy Imperial Rum, although this was not actually a brand, more of a description of the product.
of Navy rum every day. The withdrawal of the Rum Ration in the Royal Navy, (known by most as Black Tot Day) was a 300 year-old traditional and was served for the very last time at 11am on that solemn day. An order that was justified by First Sea Lord, Peter Hill Norton thusly ‘a large tot in the middle of the day was not the best medicine for those who had to handle the Navy’s electronic mysteries’. Interestingly enough, through naval records I uncovered that First Sea Lord Peter Hill Norton only took office after July 3rd 1970, meaning the order to cease the daily ration and its implementation took under 27 days! In December 1970, it is believed that excess stocks, no longer needed, of Royal Navy reserves were drawn from their barrels and placed into wicker clad stone flagons (pictured). These stocks of Rum however remained, and these lay silently aging in bonded underground warehouses around the world, remaining property of the admiralty. Until now, only guests at state banquets and royal weddings had the privilege of tasting these rums, brought from archive warehouses and decanted into ceremonial flagons. The last time the rum was served to my knowledge was the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, as he served in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Invincible, seeing operation duty during the Falklands War. In 1980 however the Royal Navy did permit sales of these stocks, as a way to accrue money for
Now, as the government clears out its bonded warehouses, stocks are becoming available from various sites around Europe, military stores in Munster, Antwerp and Bellefield all apparently had stores of Royal Navy Rum, most of which have been snapped up, blended and bottled under the brand Black Tot: Last Consignment. However, The Kenilworth has incredibly managed to track down three flagons and will begin bottling our own British Royal Navy Imperial Rum from each individual flagon.Each flagon will produce nine 500ml bottles of this incredibly rare rum and each flagon will have its own unique taste. The following tasting notes are from Bottle 1 of 9, an incredible example of history creating pure heaven in a glass. Heavy aromas of treacle, tar and tobacco come rushing out of the glass followed swiftly by butterscotch, new oak and black pepper caramel. Hints of fresh sawdust and bursts of cooked fruit like tarte tatin, caramelised pineapple and bitter marmalade dance around nuances of cinnamon smoke, toffee popcorn and outstanding Demerara sugar notes. An aroma that lasts and lasts! The palate is remarkably direct; starting initially sweet with a good viscosity featuring rich fruit cake and soft spice notes, elements of toffee apple, rum & raisin fudge, fresh Tahitian vanilla pod all fade to reveal slightly bitter notes of espresso and dark chocolate allowing the finish to develop into a light and oaky mixture of tobacco, white peppercorn and cooked bananas.
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Cocktails
The Kenilworth Featured
Regnum Defende Regnum Defende meaning Defend the Realm; is the motto of the British Security Services: MI5 and MI6. The inventor of the Vesper, Ian Fleming created their most famous agent; like James Bond, with a license to kill our Regnum Defende is patriotic and holds Queen and country dear to its heart. Patriotic flavours of rich juniper from Beefeater Gin make way for subtle Marmalade flavours of Chase Vodka allowing brightness to develop from the stunning Aperitif Wine, that is Lillet Blanc. Shaken to James’ specification and served ‘strong, cold and very well made’ with a cup of tea (the smell at least).
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Samuel Johnson Cocktail Samuel Johnson; one of the greatest British authors of all time was credited with the maxim: ‘Claret is the liquor for boys; Port for Men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink Brandy.’ Johnson was also one of the most intellectual men of his time, so our ode to his work comes in the form of this mighty cocktail of gentlemanly evolution containing all three liquors.
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Whoopsy Daisy Another campaign in our quest in revive the Daisy cocktail... English summer time is a wonderful thing and before the Autumnal Equinox takes away the nice weather; we celebrate the summer seasons bounty all year round with beautiful pink rhubarb, sharp fruity raspberries and rich pomegranates in this refreshing, whimsical English fruit treat; created entirely by mistake! True serendipity...
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Flower Bomb Inspired by a certain designer fragrance, we have created the ultimate designer cocktail. Our Flower Bomb explodes flavour across your palate with subtle hints of delicate pink rose, rich deep red hibiscus and notes of sumptuous strawberry and their blossoms. A beautiful and charasmatic cocktail that would not look out of place on the catwalks of London, Paris or Milan.
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Cocktails
The Kenilworth Featured
BELVEDERE MINUS TEN MARTINI
Our ultimate martini requires the ultimate vodka, belvedere vodka, a glorious quadruple distilled rye vodka of extraordinary purity. Supercooled at your table with a dolin chambery vermouth fog and one of our house selection aromatic cocktail bitters. Our minus ten martini is guaranteed to be the coldest and one of the strongest martini’s you have ever drunk. Witness our expert bartenders stir your martini of choice with dry ice that will bring your drink down below minus ten degrees celcius followed by a vanilla and vermouth fog poured over your super chilled martini. This is our ultimate martini, perfect for the martini drinker who has everything else in life!
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Kenilworth Hotel Guest Reviews... ‘I just wanted to compliment you on a really wonderful hotel. We stayed in room 7 and it was gorgeous - it exceeded all of my expectations! I would especially like to thank you for being so accommodating. I forgot my purse and when I asked if the details I had booked with could be used to pay for the room that was no problem at all. Hopefully we’ll come back soon and take a little more time to sample your cocktails!’
J Marklew ‘Thank you so much for the wonderful attention you gave to Tricia’s Hen Party. The Kenilworth is just the most fabulous venue. The cocktails were absolutely divine and in particular the specially created Trish Dish which was just perfect. I know Tricia was particularly touched by the personalised theme and how special this made her feel. She was especially thrilled with her keep sake scroll. You really did exceed on all my expectations and we had a wonderful evening at the Kenilworth. I am already planning my return visit, this to stay with my Husband in the hotel! Many, many thanks once again.’
S Robinson ‘We wanted to thank you again for such a lovely break this weekend. Everything about our stay at the Kenilworth was so enjoyable and you and the staff made us feel very welcome.
Our room was so comfortable - have already been out and bought a sensor foam pillow! The Molton Brown goodies were lush and I loved having fresh coffee delivered to the room. Breakfast was great and as for the cocktails... well, I’ve already started a ‘fund’ in readiness of our next visit. Thanks again and hope to be back for our anniversary in October.’
Sarah and Paul Craddock ‘I would like to thank you all for making our stay perfect as it could be. After staying at many luxury/boutique hotels I found the Kenilworth to be that bit more special. The level of service was second to none, professionalism genuine and the most wonderful sense of being made welcome.
Amit ‘I wanted to drop you a quick email having recently made just my second visit to The Kenilworth. I feel very privileged to have come across you and now that I have found you will definitely be making regular visits. As I live in Kenilworth it is unlikely that I will ever have occasion to stay personally but I would have no reservations at all (no pun intended!) in recommending you to others, including my clients. Wonderful place gentlemen, congratulations!’
Laura, UK
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The Kenilworth amongst select to be awarded the Macallan Ice Ball maker... Centuries of care and craftsmanship have gone into creating The Macallan single malt, now they have produced the ultimate serve reflecting how drinks would have been enjoyed in the past, with lone large piece of ice. This serve has the advantage of cooling the drink quickly, it melts slowly causing minimal dilution. The Macallan ice ball serve takes this traditional method to the ultimate level, with a unique sphere of ice. The Ice Ball Press was inspired by Japanese cocktail culture where artisans hand-carve ice balls from massive slabs to create an uninterrupted surface that cools spirits quickly and evenly. The ice ball melts slowly to preserve the integrity of the spirit. It is a beautiful serve that provides the ultimate drinking experience in only a few places in the world, the Kenilworth being one of them‌ enjoy! You can enjoy the perfect Macallan ice ball serve at the following bars and restaurants in the UK:
London:
The Midlands:
Rules The Ritz Hotel Claridges The Connaught Bar, The Connaught Hotel The Dorchester Hotel Hawksmoor 50 St. James Milk & Honey Artisian Bar, The Langham Hotel Quo Vardis Boisdale Belgravia The Ivy Club The Lanesborough Hotel The Albannach Bar
The Kenilworth Hotel and Cocktail Lounge
Scotland: Balmoral Hotel, Edinburgh The Old Course Hotel, St Andrews Blythwood Hotel, Glasgow Caledonian Hotel, Edinburgh
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The Kenilworth
MacallanCocktail Signature The Macallan 18 Year Old Single Malt, Coffee & Cacao Bean Infusion, Pedro Ximenez & Fig Liqueur Using Single Malt aged for eighteen years in select Sherry Oak Casks, we highlight existing flavours contained within this exceptional Malt to create our Kenilworth ‘Signature’ Macallan cocktail. Beautifully complex with hints of rich dried fruit, Christmas spice and delicate bitter chocolate notes shining intensely through sweet toffee and wood smoke. Served over a triple frozen ice ball with chilled Belgian chocolate truffles.
Fine & Dandy The Macallan 15 Year Old Fine Oak, Dubonnet, Grand Marnier Centenaire & Kenilworth Decanter Bitters A Dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance. Our Fine & Dandy is good looking, well spoken and pursues the finer things in life; like 15 Year Old Fine Oak from The Macallan, Grand Marnier Centenaire for rich orange and gingerbread notes and our Kenilworth Decanter Bitters releasing soft vanilla, exotic nut and plentiful spice.
Carnegie Cocktail The Macallan 12 Year Old Fine Oak, Vya Sweet Vermouth, Luxardo Maraschino & a hint of Drambuie. From the days before Prohibition comes a cocktail with influences from both sides of the Atlantic. Andrew Carnegie turned philanthropist in his later years, after a lifetime of industrialism. Considered the second richest man in history, his wealth still funds his namesake Carnegie Hall alongside many public libraries, schools and universities. Our Manhattan twist takes 10 Year Old Macallan and delivers it with complimentary aromatics.
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The Birmingham Post @ The Kenilworth Richard McComb feels like a Suffering Bastard at a cool Warwickshire cocktail bar - and couldn’t be happier. I am sitting in a cocktail lounge slurping a perky Sgroppino and I kind of understand what bar manager Robert Wood is talking about – although I’m not altogether sure. Robert takes the art of mixing a daiquiri and a Dark & Bubbly to a whole new level of anorakdom. He’s telling me about barrel-aged hanky panky (which I think is a drink) and how he “maps” drinkers’ palates. It’s mesmerizing stuff but my focus is wavering, my pulse is slowing and it’s not even 6.30pm.
I don’t know why more people in Birmingham don’t know this place, but then I hadn’t heard of it until I ventured into north Warwickshire. If you like good food and drink, Kenilworth is an ideal place for a weekend break. As well as The Kenilworth, there are a number of good restaurants, including the excellent Restaurant Bosquet, which I reviewed a couple of weeks ago, and Andreas Antona’s Beef. Robert says something about the town having a castle and a place called Stratford-upon-Avon is nearby. Personally, I wouldn’t want to stray far from where I am sitting.
I am consuming cocktails at a pleasantly rapid rate. This is a very relaxing place. It’s just as well Robert offers to mix a Painkiller #2, made with two different rums, to recalibrate my mind and body before my looming dinner engagement. Robert leads a team of five cocktail mixers at The Kenilworth, which unsurprisingly is in Kenilworth. What is surprising is that this has to be one of the coolest cocktail bars outside London. You’d expect this place to be in a buzzy metropolitan centre, not out in the sticks. But the fact that it is, and that it is extremely successful, tells you how good the place is. The brilliant cocktails are half the price of London bars. Robert explains that groups of friends travel up from the capital to spend a night at The Kenilworth, which doubles as a small, boutique hotel with 11 very comfortable bedrooms. I ask him what they do all day before another evening in the bar. “They sleep,” he says. (Room 11 is the pick of the bunch with a king-size American walnut bed, designer furniture, a plasma TV the size of a car and a deluge shower to freshen up.)
The drinks list runs to 186 cocktails, which would take a few days to work through, and there is a supplementary selection of seasonal specials. Upstairs, the cosy Blue Dog Lounge can be booked for private parties and has its own list of speciality cocktails including Kentucky Flames (Kentucky bourbon, maple syrup, bitters), which comes with a waft of hickory smoke. In addition to the cocktail list, there is a staggering selection of 500 spirits, everything from (very) premium single malts to Japanese whiskey and some very serious tequila and mezcal. It’s enough to make a man turn to drink.
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Fortunately, Robert is a reassuring presence and explains the Sgroppino, which he has placed before me, is a good place to start. The Italian cocktail traditionally is a blend of Prosecco and lemon sorbet. “It’s served as an amuse bouche, a palate cleanser. It is nice and fresh and crisp,” says Robert. It’s all those, but it’s also a little different. The classic Sgroppino has been given a Kenilworth twist and comprises lemon juice, Limoncello, egg white (as an emulsifier), a “hint” of cream (“to soften it”) and vanilla extract made from Tahitian vanilla beans. Everything is in the detail here, hence the vanilla comes from French Polynesia. Robert says: “The idea is that you can drink it without getting drunk but it will warm you up for the evening ahead.” The Kenilworth, run with aplomb by brothers Stuart and Darren Insall, opened in 2005. Robert has worked there for four years and the place fizzes with his enthusiasm, which is communicated through all the bar staff. “I found cocktails fascinating when I was a kid,” says 28-year-old Robert. “When I found my way into the bar trade, I grabbed the bull by the horns. Luckily, I have been blessed with a good memory and I found it easy to remember the recipes.” He learned the ropes mixing tourist-friendly cocktails such as Sex on the Beach in the Canaries and progressed to cocktail sophistication, using tools such as smokers, liquid nitrogen – and a candy floss machine. Research and adherence to the finest of fine details make the difference in the food and drinks trade and this philosophy informs the day-to-day operation at The Kenilworth. The barmen make their own syrups, cordials, tinctures, bitters, infusions and macerations.
The fruit juices (lemon, lime, orange, pineapple) are pressed every day. The bar zings with the aroma of citric fruits. The Kenilworth also makes its own ginger beer, using local town honey, a homemade root ginger cordial and lime juice. It’s an awesome drink, talk about thirst quenching. Robert, who has a tendency to speak in Zenlike pronouncements, says: “I have an internal credo. If I can make it, I will make it. If someone can make it better than me, then I will buy it. Tonic water is eluding me at the moment, but Schweppes has got a 200 year start.” For ease of navigation, the cocktail list is broken down into categories – vodka, cognac and brandy, rum, whiskies, Cuban-style, faux tropical, classics. Most of the drinks are in the £6.75 to £10 bracket, but Warwickshire’s power players, playboys, sex kittens and cougars can splash out on the High Roller cocktails. They contain the finest spirits. The £25 Vintage Martini comprises Kauffman Vintage Vodka, Mission Hill Riesling Icewine and Vintage Orange Bitters. The Staggerac, the strongest drink on the menu (70.3 per cent), mixes George T Stagg Hazmat IV Bourbon, cane syrup, Peychuad Bitters and La Fee 68 per cent Absinthe. At £32 a go, it’s a hell of a snifter. All this talk is thirsty work, so I accept an invitation for a Painkiller #2. Served straight up in a classic coupe, it is the tropics in a glass: Koko Kanu coconut rum, Pusser’s dark rum, fresh orange and pineapple, nutmeg. I try to get Robert to pick a favourite cocktail. He can’t. “I wrote the menu. I drink all of them,” he says. “A lot of these cocktails are my creation. You have a connection with them.” Of course, there’s one cocktail we all have a connection with at the end of a tough week – the Suffering Bastard. For £7.50, you get to raise your spirits with a rum and fruit concoction, served “short on the rocks with attitude.” Barman, I’ll have another.
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L U X U R I O U S A C C O M M O D AT I O N W I T H A T W I S T. . .
Did You know, at The Kenilworth... 1. We freeze 60 litres blocks of ice over 3 days to achieve the perfect clarity of block ice. 2. Our staff have over 25 years of experience of bars and hotels. 3. Our bartenders go through weekly training to make sure they are the best. 4. We often spend weeks of research and development on a single cocktail; trying up to twenty variations before settling on a recipe.
7. Cocktails from The Kenilworth are featured on menus all around the world, from London to Vancouver, from Munich and Barbados, from New York to Hong Kong. 8. Our spirit selection is constantly evolving and growing; please ask to hear about our newest additions. 9. We only use our homemade syrups and cordials crafted in house by our team.
5. We squeeze fresh juices every single day. 6. Our bar team are constantly entering competitions to pit their creations against the world’s best bartenders.
...now you know!
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50
Best Bars
The Kenilworth
Whether it’s a pre-dinner aperitif or a special nightcap you’re after, allow award-winning bartenders to supply the perfect concoctions with a soundtrack of jazz and swing to further sweeten your poison. ‘This is my favourite drinking place in this part of the world,’ says Daniel. ‘Set in a 16th-century building, the bar is all sophistication and style, with classics and signature martinis executed perfectly in a great setting.’
Daniel Baernreuther - The Savoy London
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L U X U R I O U S A C C O M M O D AT I O N W I T H A T W I S T. . .
Mobile Bars & Marquee Hire K-events is a contemporary event and mobile bar company
From weddings to birthday parties, K-events will create the ultimate celebration that will be remembered for a lifetime. We pride ourselves on the creative nature of what we do and work to push the boundaries of what is possible whilst maintaining exceptional value for money. We are very proud of the bars that the K-events team have been fortunate to provide over the last five years. The last 12 months have been very exciting for the event team as we have expanded the business to provide the very latest contemporary marquee design and funky furniture. It was always our ambition to provide to the client much more than just bow back chairs. We want to create amazing designed events that do not cost a great deal more than your conventional themes.
If your going to do it, do it in style! BOUTIQUE HOTEL & COCKTAIL LOUNGE 7269 The Kenilworth Spring 2012 Newsletter_AW_2.indd 28
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How do we do this?
Stuart has a wealth of design experience from working on sets such Chris Evans TFI Friday and BBC style drama’s. Darren has years of design experience that he draws upon from his time in some of the best hotels in the world. From a small house party for 30 people to a corporate launch for 1000s of people, regardless of budget, we aim to give the very best and exceptional value for your money. We have highly trained staff who really love what they do and have a passion for hosting events. I’m pleased that the positive feedback we have received thus far truly reflects our business ethos. Since 2005 we have provided marquees, furniture, bars and bartenders for small BBQ’s, garden parties, and bars for larger events such as the Oxford University Ball, Warwick University, a launch for Louis Vuitton & Moet Hennessy, event bar for Arsenal FC, Warwick Castle and many others.
Visit our website www.thekenilworth.co.uk and click on K-events to view our full picture gallery and client portfolio.
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L U X U R I O U S A C C O M M O D AT I O N W I T H A T W I S T. . .
The Kenilworth’s story... It all started at the end of March 2005 when Darren & Stuart opened ‘The Kenilworth’ against all the odds. Born and bred in Kenilworth the brothers had both taken different career paths. Darren was working and living in New Orleans. He had travelled across most of the USA sampling many cocktails on his path of discovery of great food, drink and music. This search ultimately took him to New Orleans. He fell in love with the Creole lifestyle and became Hotel Manager of the Olivier House Hotel in the French Quarter wear he also met his wife Danielle. After 14 years and many cocktails later Darren returned to start The Kenilworth build. Stuart on the other hand had stayed in the UK mostly after brief stints in the USA trying to make his way as a musician on his ‘year out’. After graduating from Bournemouth University Stuart worked as a Freelance Television cameraman for Chris Evans on TFI Friday, the BBC and Sky Sports and also started his own corporate events business and became a personal fitness trainer! Secretly, Darren The and Stuart had always wanted to own their Blu orig e D ina og l sta own boutique hotel and cocktail lounge Lou irs nge to and they decided to do it after securing the the ! three 16th century cottages in their home town of Kenilworth. The cottages were run down derelict buildings that required much investment but the brothers were not to be deterred. Kenilworth town was a different place in 2002 than it is now, and back then there had been very little investment in the town centre. We wanted to rejuvenate the town by offering a brand new concept to the Midlands. The concept of ‘boutique hotel’ was unheard of, but to be selling cocktails in Kenilworth was business suicide we heard. However, deep in our heart we had belief and faith in our concept and ideas. We finally opened in March 2005. We went on to win the Midlands & Wales best bar three years in a row, to name just a few of our awards. Last year we added a further five rooms to take the total of rooms to 11.
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We really do feel The Kenilworth paved the way for much investment in the town. Since The Kenilworth opened, and proved Kenilworth was a viable business opportunity, many potential investors have passed through our doors to check us out and the town. These have included Waitrose, The Holiday Inn, Loch Fyne, The She Bar, Zizzi’s, Ego, Costa Coffee, The Almanack Pub and many more. We are very proud of our achievements since we opened. Considering our location relative to major cities we have managed to scoop most of the major bar awards every single year. We have been involved in some super high profile award ceremonies in London and experienced the surreal feeling of being alongside and beating establishments like Claridges, St Martins Lane and cities such as London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and just about everywhere else! Just to see The Kenilworth on the same huge projection screen at these prestigious award ceremonies alongside all the major cities is something we will never get used to. Some of our other achievements include being Brand Ambassadors for an astonishing amount of brands. We have hired The Kenilworth out to many wonderful people (famous and not so famous) for private parties and weddings. Our cocktails have been copied worldwide and ‘The
Kenilworth’ cocktail is on many cocktail lists globally including The Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. Our events team have supplied bars for Royalty and Premiership football teams and last year we . bar came 2nd place in UK in the e The Imbibe Best Boutique osit Opp Hotel Awards. The story so far has been hard fought but one we have loved. We have loved meeting the many thousands of people we have come into contact with, we have made so many great friends over the years and we will do everything in our power to ensure we provide excellent service for many years to come. We would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to every single person who has ever stepped foot into The Kenilworth (with a couple of exceptions) and all of our business associates. The Kenilworth is still going strong because of all you guys. Thank you Stuart, Darren, June, Stuart, Helen, Danielle and all of the staff at The Kenilworth.
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Industry Awards... Our bar team is constantly training and always working toward being a best they can be; with this in mind we encourage our talented guys and girls to step out in front of their peirs and be judged in cocktail compeitions; as you can see below, we do quite well:
Best Bartender Midlands & Wales Best Drinks Selection Ardbeg UK Brand Ambassador Glenmorangie UK Brand Ambassador Belvedere UK Brand Ambassador Licor 43 Brand Ambassador Makers Mark Embassy Account Bowmore Ambassador Account Best Jack Daniels Cocktail Winner World Class Bartender of the Year Finalist 42 Below Cocktail World Cup Finalist Bacardi Legacy Finalist Licor 43 UK Finalist Chambord Hunt for Holly UK Finalist
61 Warwick Road, Kenilworth, Warwickshire, CV8 1HN t: 01926 779 473
e: info@kenilworth.co.uk
kenilworth cocktail lounge
@thekenilworth
www.thekenilworth.co.uk
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