Although it’s now Indian (and has a food menu to match), Salt still offers as wide a choice of whiskies as you’ll find anywhere in London. Amid the hardwood and natural slate of the solitary bar-room – a classy, dark, square-shaped interior at odds with the gaudy brightness of Edgware Road – Salt feels like a sanctuary for discerning followers of the grain; many customers are Asian or Middle-Eastern in origin.
The whisky directory lists 200 available by glass or bottle, categorised by provenance and accompanied by individual tasting notes. Standouts among the Scottish malts include a limited-edition Port Ellen 25-year-old from Islay, a Glenfiddich 1973 Vintage Reserve and a dauntingly priced Dalmore 1973 Haut Marbuzet Finish; there are also 20 American, ten Irish, one Welsh and three Japanese varieties. Cocktails are inevitably whisky-based, but you’ll also find novelties such as a pomegranate caipirinha.