Lyaness at Home is a collection of ready-to-drink cocktails and hampers from the award-winning team at Lyaness at Sea Containers London. Millie Milliken gives them a go
The revered bar on London’s South Bank from Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan, has launched Lyaness at Home. Five of its most popular cocktails are available for delivery across the nation, as well as three fun-filled hampers, meaning customers old and new can enjoy its hospitality from the comfort of their own homes.
Cook’s cocktails
The Lyaness team, led by head bartender Will Meredith, have taken a cook’s approach to each of the offerings, marrying their innovative tekkers with weird and wonderful flavours. Like what, you ask?
The five serves on offer are:
- Rock Pool Sazerac
- Beetle Boulevardier
- Vegan Honey Old Fashioned
- Onyx Negroni
- Strawberry Aperitivo
Each comes in three different sizes too: one serve, two serves or for five to share.
I had the Onyx Negroni and Vegan Old Fashioned delivered straight to my door, packed in paper and popcorn in place of plastic, and complete with cards explaining each cocktail and giving serving suggestions.
The Onyx Negroni uses the Lyaness collaboration with the mavericks at Empirical Spirits, described as ‘sake meets tequila’ alongside gin, Campari, sweet vermouth and the addition of cacao. The cacao adds a lovely smooth, smoky element to the serve, while the Onyx balances beautifully with the Campari – it’s strong, punchy and pleasingly bitter on the finish.
My favourite of the pair though is the Vegan Honey Old Fashioned. Using wheated Bourbon, the bar’s homemade vegan honey, spiced apple and bitters, it takes the classic cocktail and gives it a delicate touch, reminding this drinker of a boozy apple tarte tatin. And the fact that it’s vegan is just a happy bonus.
All wrapped up
And then there are the hampers. Beautifully curated, each of the trio has the signature personal touch of the Lyaness team, combining the bar’s own creations with thoughtful extras.
First up, is the Lyaness Christmas Hamper. Bringing all the festive feels, £125 will get you Viogner white wine, Brusset red wine, bubbles, a Hot Toddy, 2 x small Lyaness bottled cocktails, Tunnocks tea cakes, Lyaness tea blend, Lyaness Compass box whisky and a Christmas pudding booze mix.
For those wanting to be creative there’s the Better Half Box, at £70. This one’s for treating the person you’ve probably been annoying in lockdown for the last nine months, with Onyx Negroni, Ginger Manhattan, a Vermouth kit (complete with wine, Cognac, sugar syrup, spices & recipe cards) and treats from the hotel’s agua Spa (an essential oil blend with fresh herbs for infusion, a honey exfoliant recipe & instructions).
And then there’s the ultimate 2020 hamper, the Nah, Screw that I’m Staying In. For £65, Chetiyawardana has compiled his top recommendations (a London takeaway list, Netflix must-watch list & DIY cocktail recipes), Lyaness sweet/salt mix, popcorn kernels, Lyaness Pick ‘n’ Mix and a selection of drinks (Hot Toddy concentrate, Lyaness Bloody Mary mix, Lyaness spice mix and mini bottles/cartons of passata and tomato juice).
Prices for the cocktails start from £13 a bottle and both cocktails and hampers can be ordered and delivered nationwide via Shopify.
Want to try the creations of the Lyaness team IRL? The bar has now reopened and will be open seven days a week for the whole of December (Mon-Fri, 5pm-11pm; Saturday & Sunday, 12pm-11pm).
