Bibulous at Borough’s Vinopolis

Never has the phrase ‘pace yourself’ been so apt. At four o’clock in the afternoon, I found myself quite sozzled after a succession of failed attempts to say no to small thimbles of alcohol. But this is the problem when you have a tasting party hosted by experts who are all too keen to tell you about their product.

Imagine inviting friends over to your house who all bring the best booze and insist that they explain exactly how they have come to create such fantastic alcohol. And after sampling what they offer and appreciating the craft behind the drink, they smile and say: ‘If you like that, why not try the more expensive bottle? It normally retails at £160 a bottle but I’d like to hear what you think’.

Located in the cavernous halls of Vinopolis in Borough, Bibulous contained a variety of exhibits and talks, all dedicated to informing the general lay drinker and provide any connoisseur with a fantastic range of high quality spirits and beers. Those visiting were also able to learn how to make the perfect mojito, take advantage of cocktails created by the guys at Hoxton Pony bar and sit in on classes about gin, tequila and absinthe.

The alcohols on show would be mostly familiar to any sort of drinker with Barcardi, Drambuie and Blavod Vodka all showcasing their wares. More surprising to see was the stall with the words Roberto Cavalli vodka emblazoned upon it. I was familiar with the man’s work in fashion but less atune to his forays into the world of grain spirit.

Made entirely in Italy, the spirit is made from water coming through the River Po and is filtered through Carrara marble. It is of a decent standard although nothing truly remarkable. And given its limited availability and high price, those at Smirnoff and Stolichnaya need not be fretting too much.

The undoubted highlights of Bibulous were the tasting classes put on by those who know their spirits. I managed to grab a seat for the tremendously popular GinTime which was hosted by noted gin expert Geraldine Coates. She led the audience through six varieties of gin and was able to demonstrate the subtle nuances that each of the distillers put into their product.

An hour later I woozily sat down for the presentation on absinthe, lead by Alan Moss. He leant more of a Test Match Special vibe to his talk but was still highly informed and able to dispel some of the myths that have grown up around this most infamous of spirits. My Bibulous education complete, I trod back to the Underground, hoping that someone gives lessons on restraint.

Bibulous
Great Halls of Vinopolis
Storey Street
Borough
SE1 9BU