Premium focus at Boutique Show

Now in its fifth year, London’s Boutique Bar Show is back this September with a mix of leading industry speakers, new product launches, cocktail competitions, demos and drinks brands from all over the spirits world.

New this year is “From Bar Tender to Bar Owner”, a business forum in which visitors can learn from successful bar owners about how to establish their own venue and – even more importantly – make it both successful and profitable.

The forum runs through concept development, financial planning and site selection, moving on to the ongoing operation of the bar, drawing on the experience of a number of bar operators.

Claimed as a unique event, the Boutique Bar Show focuses only on premium drinks, allotting the same size stands to all exhibiting brands. The aim is to ensure that only quality drinks brands are given prominence, with equal weight given to the more unusual and potentially interesting products from around the world.

This year’s key speakers include 69 Colebrooke Row founder Tony Conigliaro, rum and whisky expert Dave Broom, Connaught Bar mixologist Ago Perrone, Soulshakers bartender Kevin Armstrong and Andy Campana from The Loft in Clapham.

Also on the bill is the Savoy team from the American Bar, and another team from Nightjar, specialising in creating infusions, vermouths, bitters and liqueurs.

Among the new products vying to catch the bartender’s eye will be new London Dry gin contender Ish, Caribbean rum blend Banks 5 Island, Dos Excellia Tequila, Vestal Vodka’s three artisanal products from Poland, and a number of Cognacs from small producers not currently imported into the UK, courtesy of the Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac (BNIC).

The Boutique Bar Show takes place at London’s Royal Horticultural Halls from 11am to 5.30pm on 20 and 21 September. Entry is free for bar professionals, but they must register in advance on www.boutiquebarshow.com. The site also includes full information about the show itself and its exhibitors.