The week in pictures
Toby Whitmoyer VP and brand managing director for Bacardi Rum and award-winning chef Marcus Samuelsson presented the 2014 James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine, Beer, or Spirits Professional to Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery, Brooklyn, N.Y on Monday night. The 2014 James Beard Awards were held at the Lincoln Centre in New York.
Opihr Oriental Spiced Gin launched has launched its first mobile bar in the UK – the Ophir Tuk Tuk. Designed to match the exotic design and colours that feature on the Ophir Oriental Spiced Gin bottle, the Ophir Tuk Tuk will travel to festivals throughout the UK as well as events and tastings at on- and off-trade venues throughout 2014.
The 15th annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival took place last weekend, and among the many tastings, tours and lavish dinners was the chance for guests to blind taste and judge eight Speyside whiskie divided into four categories; 12 years old and under; 13 to 20 years old; 21 years old; and over and distillery editions.
The winners were BenRiach Sherrywood 12 Year Old, Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Cask, Cardhu 21 Year Old and Tamdhu 10 Year Old.
Uncle Barts speakeasy in London donned the sombreros and popped open the Centinela Tequila in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
Nine top bartenders from the North East of England went head to head at Newcastle’s Tokyo Bar as part of Buffalo Trace’s cocktail competition. Tasked with creating a drink inspired by TV or film, it was George Fellows from Al Vinos who rose to victory and won a trip to the brand’s distillery in Kentucky.
Bacardi Brown-Forman has appointed Cam Dawson as the new Jack Daniel’s ambassador. Dawson goes into the role having gained a wealth of experience from 10 years of bartending predominantly in Brighton, UK, in various bars including Plateau, as well as winning the Jack Daniel’s Birthday Cocktail Comptition back in 2009.
SB’s advertising manager Marcus Clark hotfooted it across the city to Mr Fogg’s to celebrate the Albion Racing Club’s successful completion of the inaugural Alpine run, with cocktails, tastings and the premiere of Little Mountain’s short film titled, Meribel or Bust.
Some of the best bartenders in London gathered in Glasgow to share and learn new ideas and mixology as part of Angostura’s City Sessions, which took place at the Liquid Arts Academy.
Bas Arends, director of TenderOne UK, Cyrus Todiwala, celebrity chef, Edwin Jansen, director of TenderOne Europe and Donald Boers, director of TenderOne Spain pose proudly for photographs after the The TenderOne drinks dispenser, which has the capacity to create up to 200 different cocktail menus at the touch of a button, won the Hotelympia Innovation Awards.
Congratulations are in order after Douglas Laing & Co, independent Scotch whisky specialists, announced its newest two Keepers of the Quaich, Cara Laing, director of whisky, and Chris Leggat, commercial director. Not only are they two of the youngest Keepers of the Quaich – an invitation only society comprising fewer than 2,500 members from 86 different countries – they are also the first British married couple to be inducted into the society.
An Italian restaurateur, who has amassed one of the world’s largest collections of The Macallan Scotch whisky, is auctioning the collection in Glasgow next week. Valued at around £100,000, the 164 bottles have been accumulated over a period of 50 years.
Edrington has completed its £250,000 refurbishment of facilities at The Famous Grouse Experience. Based in Crieff, at The Glenturret Distillery – thought to be Scotland’s oldest distillery – the new experience boasts a new ‘Tasting Bar’, a Personalisation Bar in the new gift shop and The Famous Grouse Suite pictured above for corporate entertainment and events.
