Top Shelf

Kenya Is Ready to Be Your Next Drinking Adventure

A dispatch from Nairobi’s bubbling bar scene. Plus: American brandy and a Cynar Mojito recipe perfect for the transition to fall.
A view out south of KCB towers in Nairobi.

Photographer: Samir Dave

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Kara Newman here, your Top Shelf Society spirits and cocktail guide.

I’ve been fortunate to cover this space for more than a decade, and frankly it takes a lot to surprise my palate. But a recent trip to Kenya did just that, bringing new bartenders, spirits and flavors my way. I’m excited to tell you all about that, as well as an all-American brandy that rivals French counterparts and a cocktail recipe that’s perfect for our slide into autumn. But first some drink links: