The award-winning bar, currently ranked No.31 in the world, showcases 20 new cocktails inspired by Gerald Scarfes art book Heroes & Villains, reimagining 10 icons through heroic and villainous cocktails of the cocktail world

 Scarfes Bar at Rosewood London has unveiled its latest cocktail menu, ‘Heroes & Villains’, launching to the public on Wednesday, 1^st April, paying homage to renowned English caricaturist Gerald Scarfe and his 2003 art book and exhibition project Heroes & Villains. The menu playfully reimagines the light and dark sides of ten iconic figures, each brought to life through two cocktails and explore the notion that “a cocktail either dies a hero or lives long enough to see itself become the villain.”

Crafted by the talented team at Scarfes Bar under the guidance of Director of Bars Andy Loudon, the new menu features twenty new signature serves and required more than six months of development and the creation of numerous new house-made ingredients. ‘Heroes & Villains’ mirrors the satirical spirit of Gerald Scarfe’s work and holds a mirror to the modern drinks industry through a playful reflection on the longevity of trends. Contrasting cocktails that champion the heroes of modern mixology, such as clarification, distillation and carbonation, with their villainous counterparts, the longstanding classics bartenders famously love to hate, including tropical serves, Cosmopolitans, Pornstar Martinis and Mojitos.

Guests can begin their journey exploring the bespoke cocktail menu, which comprises ten pages, each showcasing a Gerald Scarfe caricature - the main page presents the ‘hero’ serve, while a hidden pull-out reveals its ‘villainous’ counterpart.’ Paul McCartney is honoured in Strawberry Fields Forever, a Paloma-inspired cocktail built on Espolòn Blanco tequila, fortified strawberries, verbena and CO₂, garnished with a verbena-dusted bell pepper. His darker side appears in Man on the Run, a rum-based Ramos Gin Fizz featuring Brugal 1888, peach wine, cherry blossom, fluffy coconut and peach and jasmine soda. David and Victoria Beckham are reimagined through Ninety 3rd, a refined Pornstar Martini celebrating David’s legendary 2001 World Cup goal, created with Hendrick’s gin, passion fruit, clarified vanilla and champagne. Meanwhile, Diva interprets how the couple reinvented what it meant to be a celebrity through a lychee cosmopolitan with Grey Goose vodka, lychee honey, orange flower, citrus and a playful lollipop garnish.

Renowned scientific thinkers are also spotlighted in the menu. Charles Darwin is interpreted through Natural Selection, a bright and refreshing whisky highball crafted with Glenturret Triple Wood Whisky, carbonated raspberries, evaporated carrot and fino sherry. Its counterpart, Evilution, delves into Darwin’s villainous side with a decadent tropical concoction of Eagle Rare 10 whisky, velvety pistachio orgeat and sour pineapple, served in a bespoke mug, transporting guests from London to the Galápagos. Rosalind Franklin is honoured in Double Helix, a Manhattan-style serve of GlenDronach 12 whisky, dried fig, balsamic wine and toasted marzipan, inspired by her groundbreaking contribution to science. Her darker side is represented by Never Wrong, blends Patrón Silver tequila, St. Germain, palo cortado, basil and pandan liqueur. The legacy of Isaac Newton is captured through Inertia, a smooth milk punch made with Appleton 12 whisky, clarified toffee apple and salted calamansi, finished with a salted caramel biscuit. Meanwhile, Laws of Motion channels Newton’s more occult beliefs through a reimagined aviation, combining Bombay Premier Cru gin, sunflower, grapefruit and Noilly Prat, garnished with a delicate rice paper butterfly.

The menu continues with a trio of legendary writers. Oscar Wilde is celebrated in High Society, a playful Martini variation featuring The Botanist gin, tonka vermouth, and manzanilla sherry served with a choice of house-made caviar garnish, seasonal citrus or truffle. His second cocktail, Temptation, offers a provocative spin on a Spicy Margarita with The Lost Explorer Espadín mezcal, hot kiwi sherbet, roasted aubergine and Ancho Reyes. Agatha Christie appears through 4.50 from Paddington, a considered twist on the gin and tonic with Fords Gin, chinotto honey, Acqua di Cedro and zesty tonic. Her wicked alter ego, Whodunnit, evokes the spirit of a mystery novel with a twist on the Sidecar blending Rémy Martin 1738 cognac, wild sour blackberry and kumquat aperitif. Closing the literary chapter is William Shakespeare with Final Act, an aperitivo-style creation made with Campari, Discarded Banana, pear and black cardamom soda, adorned with a banana leather. Its villainous counterpart, Foul Play, is a dramatic riff on a New York Sour with Michter’s Rye whiskey, damson plum, rhubarb and iris amaro.

Finally, two titans of entrepreneurship bring the menu to a close. Richard Branson’s daring spirit is captured in Hot-Air Balloon, a complex blend of The Macallan 12 whisky, palo santo, Earl Grey sherry and peated almond. His villainous alter ego emerges in Public Stunts, a bold mojito twist incorporating Diplomático Planas rum, bergamot linden, fortified spearmint and Sichuan soda. Margaret Thatcher inspires Iron Lady, a clarified cocktail combining Glenfiddich 12 whisky, chocolate wine, fig leaf and clarified citrus which is then finalised with a cracker garnish crafted from the milk discard generated during the clarification process. Her villain-inspired serve, Divided Kingdom, is a luxurious reimagining of the White Russian with Altamura vodka, Alphonso mango cream, acorn and café maderas.

The ‘Heroes & Villains’ cocktail menu will be available at Scarfes Bar, Rosewood London from Wednesday 1^st of April.