View all newsletters
Latest in Luxury - Sign up to our weekly newsletter
  1. Food & Drink
  2. Bars & Nightlife
2 weeks agoupdated Sep 26, 2024

The Acadia Cocktail by Oriole

Cocktail of the Week: A grown-up take on the iconic PB&J.

By Kim Ayling

Few words evoke a warm sense of nostalgia as acutely as peanut butter and jelly. An iconic duo, the sandwich filling has graced many a lunchbox. What then, do we do with PB&J now we are a little too old for packed lunches? According to Oriole, one of London’s newest cocktail bars, we put it in a drink.

A stone’s throw from the bustling cobbled streets of Covent Garden, Oriole opened in the tail end of a rainy British summer, with its cozy, sub-terranean bar as good a reason as any to be excited for fall to kick in. Although labelled as ‘new,’ Oriole is actually a 2.0 – the original smaller site, which sat over town in Smithfield Market, opened in 2015, but closed in 2023.

Following a temporary summer pop-up, the award-winning bar concept (brought to you by the same team as Soho’s iconic Bar Swift and Nightjar) is back for good. There is a first-floor bar, but make your way downstairs for the real fun – the basement bar is reminiscent of a traditional speakeasy. 

[See also: The HoneyBee by Beyoncé’s SirDavis Whisky]

oriole bar
A glittering gold-tiled bar lines one side of the room  / ©Eleonora Boscarelli

A stage for intimate live music occupies one side of the room; a glittering gold-tiled bar lines the other. Snag a table stageside for the best view of the entertainment, or go for a booth at the back for a more private affair.

And then, what about that peanut butter and jelly cocktail? Head down Oriole’s dark stairs and order the Acadia – a silky, rich beauty of a cocktail that swirls tart redcurrant jelly and crunchy peanut butter in with spicy bourbon and maple syrup. It’s all the things we love in a PB&J, just in grown-up form.

For those not in London Town, Oriole’s bar director Samet Ali has shared the recipe for its signature cocktail. These measurements serve two; invite a friend over or have two yourself – no judgment here.

[See also: The Choco Negroni by Mayfair’s Il Gattopardo]

acadia cocktail
Head down Oriole’s dark stairs and order the Acadia / ©David Robson

Ingredients (serves 2):

Content from our partners
The Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas Club Level: Elevating Luxury in Paradise
Why Northeastern Spain is the Finest Family Destination
The Ritz-Carlton, Cayman Cookout: A Culinary Celebration
  • 80 ml of bourbon
  • 40 ml grapefruit juice
  • 20 ml maple syrup
  • 2 tsp crunchy peanut butter
  • 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
  • 2 tsp Drambuie
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 squares of chocolate

Method:

Stir together the bourbon, grapefruit juice, maple syrup, crunchy peanut butter, redcurrant jelly, Drambuie and lemon juice. Pour into a sealed container and chill for 24 hours. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a shaker filled with ice, stir briefly, then pour over ice. Garnish with the two chocolate squares.

[See also: The HEAT by COTE Miami]

Topics in this article :
Select and enter your email address Be the first to know about the latest in luxury lifestyle. Get the latest news on hotel openings and in-depth travel guides. Get insider access to exclusive promotions and special offers from our luxury partners.
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thank you for subscribing to Elite Traveler.

Websites in our network