Since opening at the start of the year, Scales has somehow found the right balance between being completely hidden, and unmistakably worth finding.
For one, it’s sitting pretty in a part of Mayfair which – while not short for great bars – is slightly lacking in the ‘sultry date spot’ department. Unlike its refined neighbours in hotels and tacked onto Michelin star restaurants, Scales is dark, moody, and feels just a little illicit – helped by the fact it’s hidden behind a discreet door in a bottle shop.
Then there’s the fact that the drinks are absolutely amazing, and constantly innovating – in fact, they’ve just launched their first Christmas gift box, comprised of the three Christmas specials on the menu right now. But best of all? Is that Nudge Members (and a guest) are getting 50% off those festive specials and gift boxes from 28th November to 12th December.
That bottle shop you’ll find it all hidden in is Drink With Sasha, a smart little boutique whose bespoke wooden cabinets are packed with rare, unusual and premium spirits (the staff really know their stuff here, and if you feel inspired after a cocktail or two downstairs it’d be worth picking something up on your way out). But to cut to the chase, you’ll want to shoot a little eyebrows eyebrows to one of the team, who’ll radio to the barkeep downstairs – and like some super-slick, secret intelligence operation, you’ll be hustled downstairs through a black door.
You’ll emerge into a gorgeously low-lit space with fluted ebony walls and a polished black bar. Heavy curtains line the space, but they’re not just a design feature – one draws back to reveal an extra bar area that can accommodate more guests as the place gets busier. It’s basically hidden bar Inception.
It’s also where Scales’ drinks lab is tucked away, where the team experiment with equipment like centrifuges to extract flavours and craft their strikingly clear cocktails. The best seat in the house for drinks fans is up at the bar, where you’ll likely be sat opposite the head mixologists, Din Jusufi and Engji Shala. Unsurprisingly, they’re true cocktail enthusiasts, and they’ll happily tell you about the intricate processes that have gone into the drink in front of you.
The new festive specials that are going into both the glassware and the gift boxes include:
Gingerbread – a wintery marriage of rum, gingerbread, coconut milk, walnut, and citrus
Cranberry – a blend of renais gin, cranberry, rosemary, and grapefruit
Clementine – created with a bright and bracing mix of Tequila, lemongrass, tangerine & grapefruit
Those are the three drinks you’ll find in the Christmas gift boxes, which weigh in at £55, (though you’ll cut that down to half as a Nudge Member) and include Scales branded matches and coaster too.
As for the rest of the menu – you might go for a refreshing Shiso Apple, blending Desi Daru vodka with shiso leaf, green apple, and bergamot. And even more impressively, the team pours the same meticulous attention into their non-alcoholic creations, like the Forest – a sparkling botanical union of Everleaf Forest, raspberry, and grapefruit soda…
After all, it’s good to have balance.
NOTE: Scales is open Monday – Saturday and is mainly walk-in only, but you can book for groups of 5+ HERE.
PERK: Nudge Members (+1) are getting 50% off festive specials & Christmas gift boxes from 28th November to 12th December. Please note there are limited number of gift boxes and will be offered on a first-come-first-served basis. Gift boxes are pick-up only.
To claim, just head to the ‘50% Off Cocktails & Gift Boxes’ box at the top of this page.
Not a Nudge Member yet? Sign up for a week’s free trial.
Scales Bar | 25 Duke St, London W1U 1DJ
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