Whisky Mist, Park Lane

Whisky MIst

Park Lane

Whisky Mist

venues, June 2008, COMMENTS

If the late-night industry has its own premier league then the team of Nick House and Piers Adam is up there at the top of the table. The pair first came together on the hugely successful project Mahiki, in London, and have now opened their second venture, the hotly anticipated Whisky Mist at Park Lane’s Hilton Hotel. Named by the Sunday Times as “one of the most significant pioneers in the way Londoners dine out”, Piers Adam is the brains behind some of London’s hottest venues. With over a decade in the business, he is the man that brought us The Hanover Grand, K bars, Kabaret and Drones.

Nick House has also been part of London’s social scene for more than ten years, establishing his promotions company the NHE Group in the ‘90s. With an address book that must be worth its weight in gold, he has organised parties and nights across the capital for high profile clubs and celebrities alike - getting your name on one of House’s guestlists is considered to be like winning the lottery for London party goers.

And so it is with nervous anticipation that the style set, and indeed the industry as a whole, has been waiting for the opening of their latest venture Whisky Mist. Replacing the famous Zeta bar at the bottom of the Hilton, the bar has one of the most prestigious postcodes around. And talking with House it is this, along with some genuine nostalgia for the venue, that first attracted him to the project. “I used to do parties there in my younger years!” he says affectionately. “It is also one of the best addresses in London and has an amazing licence.”

Such an esteemed site deserved something special, and this House and Adam have achieved. Taking the Scottish spirit as its focus, the bar is a modern day whisky den, with a huge selection of special whiskies behind the bar, but far from being themed, the new venue is grown up, sleek and well groomed. This mirrors the image of its clientele - a slightly older, more sophisticated crowd than that of, say, Mahiki.

Main contractor Lambro and renowned agency Blacksheep Design were brought in to achieve the right look for the interior and, as head of the design project Tim Mutton tells us, the concept of whisky was taken as the starting point for the scheme. Based on the requirements set out by the operators, the designer was keen to introduce a flavour of Scotland without creating an overly stylised bar. Mutton explains: “Whisky is a complex drink, it can be smooth, powerful, sweet and crisp. The interior we created not only complements the experience of drinking whisky but also reflects its character.”

But more than reflecting the depth and contrast of whisky, the designer describes two other main points of reference for the scheme. The Scottish landscape, “rugged but also beautiful”, and fashion, in particular the branding and image of Tom Ford and his products and suits, provided the extra inspiration. The result is something which is undeniably masculine, but which oozes glamour and unashamed sex appeal. All high gloss and ultra chic, the luxurious interior uses a simple yet dramatic palette of black, charcoal and gold, with the odd suggestion of seductive purple, and subtle animal print.

The entire layout of the space has been reconfigured in order to improve flow and create links between different zones, making use of what were previously “dead spaces”. The main feature is the 10m long bar which has been designed by Blacksheep. The double height bar is made up of a glass fronted cabinet, which displays all sorts of exclusive bottled wares, while the bar top has been given a dramatic illuminated whisky pattern, and the front is clad in zebra veneer. This is undoubtedly a place to be seen, and guests have been provided with their very own catwalk style run – tiled walkway that cuts through the centre of the venue. New VIP area, the Luxe Room is dressed in black velvet and with angled mirrors perfectly positioned to enable people watching. Lighting is key to the whole scheme, with many areas bathed in a whisky-esque amber glow.

The Sound Division Group, that has delivered the technology for many of London’s top late night venues, has created a seductive mix of compelling LED lighting and a JBL-based sound system; at the same time it has serviced and upgraded some of the existing audio infrastructure. The technologists worked alongside Tim Mutton and Jayne Furniss from Blacksheep, returning to the famous bar they had previously installed four years ago, and injecting it with a new momentum. Having previously worked at Mahiki, SDG’s managing director David Graham knew instinctively how to transfigure the former Zeta Bar to optimum effect.

The main dancefloor system has been built around six flown JBL Control 29 AVs and a ground-stacked AL6125 2 x 15” sub, powered by Crown amplification. Further Control 29AVs can be seen in the bar area, retrofitted into the existing sound system, with further Crown amps providing the power. The Sound Division Group has reused existing JBL Control 28s for the VIP Lounge, reinforcing this with a new Martin Audio AQ210 sub. Similarly, the team has overhauled the existing JBL Control 25s, which continue to provide the background sound in the main reception area. The VIP Bar is one of three zones (the dancefloor and main bar being the others) which are under the control of the existing BSS Soundweb DSP network, and this has been reprogrammed accordingly.

Sound Division Group has also installed some stunning illumination high up, with 38 metres of single-metre X-chip strip lights fixed between the ceiling and 12 floating panels; each side of the 12 panels can be individually controlled to create an amazing range of effects. Sound Division Group’s installation project team was led by Elliot Patterson and Dean Osborne of Intense Audio.

The title Whisky Mist is taken from the name of Queen Victoria’s favourite stag, a beast which she reportedly enjoyed watching from her window, dram in hand. So it follows that whisky features strongly on the menu, but the rare and premium single malts are just half the story, as the bar also serves a range of organic cocktails. And for the princely sum of £700, customers can share the Tree of Life Grey Goose and Krug champagne cocktail, which is served in the Quaich Cup – a Victorian silver victory cup which, after use, is engraved with the name of the buyer.

All sorts of extras are also detailed at the back of the drinks menu, from hotel rooms, to private shooting trips in the Highlands or perhaps lunch at the Eiffel Tower. The idea is that a night out at Whisy Mist, for those with the money at least, can end anywhere in the world. Which is exactly where Adam and House have their sights set for the Whisky Mist concept, as they plan to take the brand abroad as and when the time is right. Which will just leave customers with the small matter of getting on Nick House’s guestlist.

Words: Rachel Esson

Images: Jim Ellam

From: July 2008 Issue

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