Friarwood brands land on London menu

Ron Carúpano and Tromba Tequila, two brands from wine and spirits merchant Friarwood, now feature on the cocktail menu of Central London’s Ham Yard Hotel.

The Ham Yard Hotel is in Soho and recently appointed Riccardo Lupacchini – formerly of the Taj hotel – as its bar manager, who has introduced an autumn menu that shines a light on ‘Terroirs From Around the World’.

With the new menu, the bar team at Ham Yard seek to explore areas including South America, which is where Ron Carúpano originates, and Mexico, where Tromba Tequila comes from.

Ron Carúpano – a prestige rum from Venezuela – is used in the Choco Macchiato, which features the brand’s Carúpano 12 Reserva Exclusiva infused with speculoos cookies and combined with Colombian coffee treacle. It’s then topped with a homemade cheesecake float for the finishing touch.

Tromba – a premium Tequila made in Los Altos, in the highlands of Jalisco, from 100% Blue Agave – forms the base of The Rosita, which mixes the brand’s Tequila blanco expression with hibiscus tea, Ancho Reyes chilli liqueur and homemade piloncillo syrup. The team also add mole water for ‘depth’ and a ‘spicy kick’.

Friarwood only recently expanded into premium spirits, having previously imported wine exclusively. Recently, the company launched Per Se in the UK – an aperitivo produced in Portugal that blends 24 botanicals.

Pedro Paulo, food and beverage manager at Ham Yard, said: “We are excited to feature Friarwood’s Ron Carúpano and Tequila Tromba in our new cocktail menu focusing on the best terroirs around the world.

“This partnership complements our vision of offering unique and sophisticated drinking experiences to our guests, further establishing Ham Yard as a top destination for innovative and globally inspired cocktails.”

In September, The Spirits Business spoke with Ben Carfagnini, Friarwood’s managing director, about the company’s decision to branch out from wine and expand into the spirits sector.