The week in pictures
Of all the #IceBucketChallenges out there the last few weeks, X-Men and Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart’s was by far the classiest, not least because he opts for a glass of whisky on the rocks instead of dumping the ice over his head.
However, the charity craze that has swept the nation shows no signs of slowing down and this week saw the International Bartenders’ Association (IBA) get in on the action of the ALS #IceBucketChallenge. Pictured above is Declan Byrne being showed with no fewer than three icy buckets of water, before nominating IBA global president Derrick Lee, along with the entire IBA community of presidents and bartenders.
The Butterfly Lounge in Estonia could win the award for the most colourful ALS #IceBucketChallenge to date. Staff donned bright fuschia pink shirts paired with Hawaiin shorts as they doused themselves in a icy shower.
Hendrick’s Gin headed to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with its Hendrick’s Carnival of Knowledge, where guests participated in debates, workshops and stimulated their senses with a lesson in the brand’s choice of botanicals. Rounded off, of course, with a few staple Hendrick’s cocktails.
Last weekend, The Black Grouse famous explorers, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Ben Fogle, Olly Hicks and Kenton Cool, headed to London speakeasy Mr Fogg’s last weekend for a dram of the peated whisky, or perhaps, two.
Bartender Josh Reynolds of Hawksmoor Spitalfields has been crowned champion of Gruppo Campari’s Wild Turkey Bourbon 2014 Cocktail Competition. Along with two runners up, Michael Sharpe of Hyde & Co in Bristol and Ali Reynolds also of Hawksmoor Spitalfields, the three will travel to Kentucky and New York courtesy of the Bourbon brand. Reynold’s winning cocktail, The Black Feather, impressed judges with its combination of Punt e Mes and homemade smoked salted pineapple syrup, mixed with Wild Turkey 81.
London dwellers in the know headed to speakeasy bar Barts for a evening filled with Cuban festivities, food and of course, fantastic cocktails.
The Tullamore distillery came one step closer to nearing completion this week with the installation of the custom made Tullamore Distillery Spirit Safe. The first new spirit is scheduled to flow from the new €35 million distillery by mid-September, precisely 60 years since the original ceased operating.
After a tough final round, London bartender Maxime Creusot, of Steam & Rye, is readying for an all-expenses trip to the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, as the winner of the Buffalo Trace 8 Steps cocktail competition. Organised by Hi-Spirits, UK distributor of Buffalo Trace Bourbon, the contest tasked bartenders to create an original drink reflecting one of more of the eight steps required to make Buffalo Trace. Creusot impressed with his cocktail, titled Trace of the Gold Miners, which was bottled and sealed three weeks prior to the final at Blues Bar & Kitchen in Shoreditch, where it received final preparations before being presented to the panel of judges.
SB‘s associate publisher Daisy Jones was invited for a celeb-studded dinner party hosted by Cleo Rocos, to celebrate the launch of her Tequila brand, Aqua Riva in the US. Among the many famous faces in attendance on the night were former Spice Girl, Emma Bunton, and Richard Arnold.
Also helping to celebrate the launch of Aqua Riva Tequila in the States was Bo Selecta and Celebrity Juice funny man, Keith Lemon.
