As far as lush, laid-back, tropically inspired cocktails bars go, Laki Kane isn’t really lacking in anything.
Planted on Islington’s Upper Street, it’s a two-floor, plush paradise inspired by modern tiki, and filled with rush roofing, rope ladders, tables with ‘call for service’ buttons, and looooots of rum. They even have an on-site micro distillery to re-distill their own rums, as well as a lab to make their own tropical syrups, bitters, liqueurs and vermouths.
So just what’s in this cocktail of exotic treats? Well…
DOWNSTAIRS
Here, you’ll find the cocktail bar. It’s a lush affair, and behind it they’re blending a solid mix of frequently rum-based cocktails mixed with “fruits that most people have never tried or even heard of”, including the likes of soursop, cupuassu, cashew nut fruit, jack fruit, snake fruit. And they’re all served in theatrical, unusual drinking vessels (as is tradition at any good tiki-inspired bar). You can expect:
- The Laki Kane – Their signature booze blend includes dark rum & chocolate vodka shaken with soursop tea, cupuaçu, guanabana and freshly pressed sugar cane juice.
- Thai Swizzle – This one is served in a wood apple shell (which is a kind of sweet fruit found in Sri Lanka & India) and made with wood-apple-infused Ceylon Arrack, plus rum infused with kaffir lime leaf & lemongrass, then swizzled with fresh lime, acacia, and honey syrup.
- Pin-Up Zombie – Which is a blend of three rums shaken with cherry & mountain pine liqueurs, falernum liqueur and citrus.
There’s food too, if you want some ballast with all that booze, including some Native UK lobster with samphire & sea lettuce; some BBQ jerk chicken on bamboo skewers, with pineapple & coconut salsa; or a charred papaya and lime salad, to mention but a few.
UPSTAIRS
That micro-distillery is used for their Spiced Dry Rum Club, held upstairs amidst nautical touches like suspended rigging, old 17th century maps and er, table masts. Here you can spend a three-hour masterclass guided by rum experts who’ll walk you through a unique re-distillation process so you can create your own bespoke bottle of rum. You’ll get your very own copper alembic pot still, and you’ll learn about the history & production of rum, before brushing up on cocktail pairings, tasting a range of spirits and selecting your own spices and fruits.
And, of course, you can take your bottle home afterwards. Plus a goodie bag.
Laki you.
NOTE: Laki Kane is open daily from 5pm (weekdays) and 12pm (weekends), until 2.30am on Fri & Sat. You can find out more and book at their website right HERE.
Laki Kane | 144-145 Upper Street, N1 1QY
Since you’re in the area… check out our guide to the best bars in Islington.