Cravats and whisky aren't obvious soulmates, but I was delighted to take part recently in 'Attire', an event at The Park Tower Hotel in Knightsbridge, London to celebrate two great British products. At a well-attended evening event I shared the stage with Teo Van Den Broeke, Style Director of UK Esquire, to discuss style and to highlight our pairings of whisky with cravats and bow ties. The whisky was The Macallan and I'd selected one of my favourite brands, Cravat Club, to provide their British-made silk cravats and scarves to go with a range of straight serves of this wonderful whisky. Teo had paired a range of bow ties with cocktails created by barman of the Hyde Bar, Sergio Silva.
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| Wearing Cravat Club's 'Blythe' cravat |
For me the event was an interesting challenge. Until recently I've been wary of wearing a cravat as, for my generation, they were the preserve of the older generation. However, under the gentle guidance of Jenny Meguro, founder of Cravat Club, I've been wearing them more and now see their benefits. Not only do they offer something different to the man of style, but the huge range of colours and designs enables a men to add colour and personality to an outfit, whether formal or casual. Cravats can be worn in situations slightly less formal than ties and have the advantage in the winter of bringing some warmth to the neck.
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| Cravat Club's 'Coen' cravat |
My serves of whisky were served straight, over ice or (my favourite way) with a dash of water. My favourite was the 25 year old sherry cask Macallan; not as smooth as some Speyside malts, but as a result bursting with spicy, smoky character and making a good, bold Scotch. The Macallan ice ball (see final image below) is a spectacular way to serve a fine Scotch on ice
While I'm not a great fan of mixing the best whisky into cocktails, Sergio did wonders for Teo's selection, the highlight being a delicious whisky sour (usually with lemon juice, sugar and egg white); ideal for those who shun sweeter cocktails.
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| Cravat Club's 'Sylvester' cravat |
I had no one reason behind my selected cravat/whisky pairings - some echoed the colour of the whisky or displayed a warm, celebratory note that chimed with the drink. The relaxed nature of the cravat, traditionally worn at the weekend or after throwing off one's tie after a hard day at work, echoed the restful moment when we sit down to savour a fine malt. For me both products represent the very best of British, offering quality, luxury and all the pleasures of long-term ownership. The Hyde Bar at The Park Tower Hotel was an ideal, suitably relaxing, setting for the evening.
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| Wearing Cravat Club's 'Coen' cravat and showing The Macallan ice ball. |
This feature is a collaboration with The Park Tower Hotel Knightsbridge, The Macallan and Cravat Club. It will continue with a seasonal blog feature in December and on Instagram too.
