An Exclusive Interview : Satan’s Whiskers From UK Casts A Cocktail Spell At The Leela Palace Bengaluru

Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 10:21

Last week the city of Bengaluru witnessed a mega pop up of sorts. 'Satan's Whiskers' from UK took over the award winning speakeasy bar, at The Leela Palace Bengaluru for a night. Ranked #1 in the UK's Top 50 Cocktail Bars 2025 and #29 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2024, Satan's Whiskers from East London took over ZLB23, bringing its signature craft, creativity and award-winning cocktail culture to Bengaluru.

ZLB23 the award winning speakeasy bar at The Leela Palace Bengaluru, has long been a stage for the world's finest bars, curating exceptional experiences that celebrate artisanal mixology and the spirit of innovation. This special evening, led by Hibiki Whisky, marked the 50th Bar takeover since the opening of ZLB23.

Multi-award-winning bar, Satan's Whiskers is owned by Kevin Armstrong, who has co-authored 'Roundbuilding', a book on practical bartending techniques, along with longtime friend Daniel Waddy. Together, the two of them presented some of their best cocktails for the guests at ZLB23. The cocktail menu at Satan's Whiskers changes every day, so there is always room for surprise, as Kevin and Daniel focus on delivering exceptional classic cocktails using a varied line up of spirits and ingredients.

Having held beverage and operations leadership roles for some of London's best-known nightlife businesses, including London's Milk & Honey, Kevin's skill set also includes operating street food markets, restaurants, and large-capacity festivals. Fiercely passionate about beverage quality, method, and execution, he continues to be driven to create world-class cocktails and bar spaces. Daniel Waddy also spent a long period at London's Milk & Honey, where he and Kevin met, and the two have now worked together for over a decade at Satan's Whiskers.

Here are some excerpts from Boldsky's rendezvous with Kevin and Daniel while they were crafting cocktails for the who is who of the Bengaluru social circuit.

What's In A Name! - Satan's Whiskers

Daniel & Kevin had always planned to name their bar after a classic cocktail, it was just a case of deciding which one. When looking through the 'Savoy Cocktail Book', they stumbled across the 'Satan's Whiskers', an old gin classic. While the name struck them the most, they felt it would easily stick to the minds of customers. The name, they realized later, also looks great in neon.

Satan's Whiskers - London's Bartenders' Bar

"Satan's Whiskers opened in 2013. Many of the bars that were opening in London at that time were moving away from classic cocktails, but it was our belief that classic cocktails had more to offer and so we set about trying to deliver these to an exceptional standard in a neighborhood bar where the environment was relaxed and lowkey, and with a background hip-hop soundtrack" says Kevin.

Their philosophy is rooted in an obsession with detail and consistency-principles that shape every aspect of the venue and its daily-evolving cocktail menu.
Daniel says, "We work with fresh, house-prepared ingredients each day. While many of our recipes appear simple, every element-from technique and temperature to method and execution-has been rigorously tested and refined" The team includes some of the most technically skilled bartenders in the UK, and it's this dedication to craft that has earned them a reputation as 'London's bartenders' bar'.

Also central, is the mission is to provide great guest experience, aiming to deliver a level of service and quality that you would not expect from a small neighborhoods bar.

Sweet Surprises

Winning awards was never part of their business model or an expectation they said. It was unlikely that a small neighborhood bar in east London would ever be recognized the way they have been.

"My belief however is that if you do very good things and you do them consistently, eventually somebody might notice. The core aim was always to build a solid business, catering to the people we take care of, and there is no greater affirmation that you are doing good things than having a busy bar full of happy guests" said Kevin.

They are thankful to receive recognition from peers and fellow operators.

From UK's No 1 To India's No 1

Daniel said they were introduced to the team at The Leela Palace Hotel by Priyanka Blah who recognized the opportunity for them to share knowledge with the Indian bartending community while also serving the drinks they make. The Bar takeover thus happened. It helped that, ZLB23 has featured on Asia's 50 Best and was named India's best bar - so the decision was obvious.

Many Firsts - Bar takeover , Experiencing India etc.

Kevin and Daniel had never visited India before, so it was a new experience for both. We met them on their third day in India, but they were already charmed by the whole experience so far.

Kevin said, "We have been treated so kindly by the team here at The Leela Palace Hotel, and the hospitality in each of the cocktail bars we have visited has been exceptional too. I have also never been so well fed in my entire life! Already I'm getting the feeling I need to stay longer, so I'm hopeful we'll be able to plan a return trip"

Signature Cocktails

Both make classic and modern cocktails primarily, while creating a lot of original drinks at the bar.

Some of their popular signature recipes include the East 8 Hold Up (vodka, Aperol, lime, pineapple, passion fruit), and the seasonal blended Honey Mango Daiquiri (rum, lime, honey/Ataulfo mango).

In addition, they are known for their expert execution of some of the classics. From their unique 'Stone Fence' recipe (bourbon, ginger, hard cider) to the way they temperature control the 'Martinis', to the Miami Vice.

With regards to ingredients, Daniel said, "We're both advocates of using fresh produce in cocktails. What's been great about our trip already is seeing just how much incredible produce there is to use here (in India) and thinking about how we could introduce that to our recipes"

At the takeover on 27th March 2025, the guests in attendance got an opportunity to get a literal taste of the work they do back home. They served a nice selection of recipes, including the East 8 Hold Up, a classic gin Martini variation, and a tropical fruit inspired Hibiki highball. The 'Orangerie'(whisky cocktail) and 'Tuxedo No 2'(gin, vermouth cocktail) were crowd favorites. The guests at ZLB23 got a fair idea of what they could expect at Satan's Whiskers in London.

Future Plans

They've been exploring options for a second location for several years. While London remains the most likely destination, they remain open to new ideas and alternative locations. With years of bartending experience behind them, their work has led to incredible opportunities. Although London feels like a natural next step, they understand that the right opportunity could emerge from anywhere.