On the face of it, a masterclass combining rum cocktails and terrarium-making sounds like an odd combination. However, having experienced it first hand at Rhum Tavern in Fitzrovia, I can tell you it is nothing short of a stroke of genius. For £55 per person, you get to make and keep your very own terrarium — housed inside an iconic Kraken Rum bottle — enjoy two rum cocktails, and take home a Kraken goodie bag (I’ll leave you to discover its contents when you visit). Judging by the crowd in attendance on the night, a lot of people thought it was a rather fun way to spend an evening. They were not wrong.
The Setting
Rhum Tavern, found on Margaret Street in Fitzrovia, is an immersive, pirate-themed cocktail bar that claims to house London’s largest collection of rums. Think less “nautical pub décor” and more full theatrical commitment: the interior is styled as the hull of a pirate ship named The Inferno, evoking the golden age of piracy in the 1650s with a generous nod to 80s adventure — the bar describes itself as “a love song to The Goonies,” which tells you everything you need to know. Owner Gabriel de-Vere — a veteran of Sketch and Mr Fogg’s — reportedly designed and built much of the interior by hand, and the care and personality that went into it is unmistakable. Bespoke glassware, candlelit corners, and an atmosphere that genuinely invites you to step into a story of your own. Stepping inside, you half-expect someone to shout “land ahoy” — or, at the very least, to find a treasure map behind the bar.
The Concept
The masterclass is a collaboration between Rhum Tavern and London Terrariums, and its inspiration runs deeper than you might expect, not a random collaboration. The concept draws on the legend of a rum barrel that survived a Kraken attack, stained black by the beast’s ink. When recovered from the depths by a pirate crew, the barrel was supposedly full of moss and fauna from the Kraken’s realm. From that myth, the terrarium was born — small, self-sustaining worlds that celebrate the unexpected beauty emerging from darkness. It’s fanciful, yes, but it gives the evening a wonderful narrative thread.
The Experience
The masterclass runs from 6:30 to 8:30 pm. After an introduction to the history of terrariums — from Victorian plant hunters to their modern revival — guests are guided step-by-step through building their own miniature ecosystem inside a Kraken Rum bottle, using curated plants, mosses and materials. All tools and materials are provided, and you leave with your terrarium, a detailed care guide, and, in my case, a small sense of achievement in creating something that vaguely resembled the other terraiums on display.
The Cocktails
Alongside the plant-making, two Kraken cocktails are included in the ticket price. I went for the Cocoa Tempest — chocolate-washed rum paired with bright orange soda — and the Ruby Depths (my favourite), which combines spiced rum with cherry, vanilla and citrus. Both were excellent: as you would expect, very well-balanced and clearly thought through rather than thrown together. Other options on the exclusive masterclass menu include The Black Wake, which seemed very popular on the night, a smooth blend of coffee-roasted Kraken rum and cold brew with a foam topping. Additional cocktails are available to purchase on the night at £10 each, should you wish to work your way through the full lineup. We did our best.
Dates and Booking
There are two masterclasses remaining in this series.
• Wednesday 6th May
• Wednesday 17th June
At £55 per person, it represents genuinely good value for an evening’s entertainment. If this sounds like your kind of night, I would book sooner rather than later. And if you miss this series, fear not — I spoke to Gabriel after the event, and there are plenty more exciting evenings in the pipeline. Follow Rhum Tavern on Instagram @rhumtavern to stay across upcoming events, or simply head to Fitzrovia for a rum-fuelled night in one of London’s most characterful bars.
Websites
