Last night we went back in time to 1921. To commemorate 101 years since prohibition, Piper-Heidsieck took us through an immersive live experience at Bentley’s Oyster Bar. We had to knock loudly at the inconspicuous door where we got rushed through and quizzed by the doorman. After we convinced him we were not the cops and provided the special password we were taken downstairs to the speak-easy bar and restaurant and were greeted by a wonderful maitre d and a glass of Piper-Heidsieck. The rest of the evening was filled with champagne cocktails, live jazz music and delicious seafood – an absolute delight and a perfect way to celebrate the end of lockdown.
They will be running three more of these events on the 14th, 20th and 27th August and you absolutely should take the opportunity to take a step-back in time to this once in a lifetime opportunity, featuring live jazz music, real actors and authentic 1920s style food.
Hosted in the Swallow Street Rooms at Bentley’s Oyster Bar in Mayfair, an iconic location which has been serving customers for over 100 years, the dining experience will include small plates which have been reinterpreted from the archives of Bentley’s Oyster Bar food to be served throughout the evening (vegetarian options also available).
Guests will be required to shake off the stay-at-home attire of the last few months and encouraged to dress up like it’s 1921 – think smart with a glamorous 20s twist (pearls, feathers, bowties, braces) so they can look the part as they enjoy the entertainment alongside 1920s Champagne cocktails.
Tickets will be priced at £25 per person, which includes a glass of Champagne and 3 oysters. The rest of the curated menu will include a selection of Shellfish Cocktail, Vietnamese Oysters, Rockefeller baked oysters, Fish & Chips and Lobster Thermidor.
To coincide with these exclusive one-off events, Piper-Heidsieck has also launched a limited-edition bottle of ‘Brut Prohibition’ which celebrates Piper-Heidsieck’s audacity which was exhibited during the 1920s and has remained a large part of the Maison’s rich history. A century on from Prohibition, we look back on the period with fondness, longing after the vibrant visions of glamour, flappers, and jazz. The famed era also signified freedom for some, marking the first-time women joined their male comrades in underground speakeasies.
Piper-Heidsieck’s General Manager, Benoit Collard comments:
The limited-edition Prohibition bottle reflects the brand’s audacious history. It represents the coming together of the young and old, and where innovation meets history. Reflective of a significant period in the brand’s rich and eccentric story, the bespoke bottle tells a tale of the efforts of bootleggers, the underground speakeasy scene and notorious Gatsby-esque parties of the wealthy who had the foresight to stock up their cellars before 1920.
Prohibition is a proud moment in time for Piper-Heidsieck. It displays the brand’s tenacity and bold nature, something which is very much alive in today’s operation.
Piper-Heidsieck Brut Prohibition will be available at Sainsbury’s and Co-op stores nationwide – RRP £35
