Christmas Cocktails at The Four Sisters
The Four Sisters in Islington is the perfect place to have a get-together with friends this Christmas. It's such a cool bar, and sitting in a cosy corner, sipping cocktails as 30's jazz plays is like stepping back in time to London's bygone age of glamour and bright young things.
The Four Sisters has been a bar since the 1930's, and even used to have a brothel out the back (the bar's name comes from a code word used by customers wanting more than a drink). George Orwell lived in nearby Canonbury Square (the home in which he wrote both Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four) and he is said to have either visited the bar and/or mentioned it in a novel.
It's cocktails only here, and though they have an excellent menu (plus additional seasonal menus), the bar staff are willing to make something tailored to your personal tastes. In fact they quite like chatting with customers about what they might like to try. You don't get this kind of service in some of the bigger cocktail bars in London.
Another thing I liked is that all the flavoured syrups and infused spirits are made on the premises. No mass-bought rubbish here. There are fresh mint and basil plants on the bar, and delights on display in pretty glass jars and bottles include beetroot vodka, chocolate-orange syrup, and a chai infusion for tea cocktails.
Joining me on a journey to cocktail heaven were Jesse and Jasiminne, fellow bloggers with a passion for exploring London's cultured side. And... fellow cocktail fiends. We all fell in love with the decor and ambience of The Four Sisters, and enjoyed hearing some of the bar's history from owner Simon. He recommended we start with some champagne cocktails, and as there's nothing finer than sparkling wine I was hardly going to say no. I went for the Blushing Mary (below), a perfect blend of vodka, cointreau, almond syrup, fresh raspberries and champagne. It wasn't too sweet, just utterly delicious.
The taller drink (below) is The Geisha, a mouthwatering mix of vodka, champagne, elderflower liqueur, hibiscus syrup, and fresh grapefruit, served beautifully with a cherry in a hibiscus flower. We also tried the Lemon Cheesecake cocktail (below right), which tasted exactly like an amazing dessert, and the Gingerbread which is part of the Christmas menu. Flaked coconut decorates a martini-glass of heaven: Grand Marnier, Martel VS, and gingerbread syrup. As scrumptious as it sounds!
We considered the other Christmas options, which included warm tin mugs of mulled wine and cider (they looked and smelt so good!), but we went for the drink you have to try in a cocktail bar - an Old Fashioned. This classic bitter mix can be sampled with a range of accent flavours, including honey, maple sugar, and toasted almonds. The average price of a cocktail is £8, and the drinks are well-made and have a mighty kick - making this quirky Upper Street find relatively inexpensive for London. It's open every day 4pm-2am, including New Years Eve. Tables can be reserved, making it easy to get a comfy spot for the night. And very comfy you'll be, sipping amazing drinks in a beautiful bar that's long been part of Islington's landscape.