The week in pictures
They have performed before the likes of Queen Elizabeth II and President Barack Obama, and now choral group the Yale Alley Cats are set to perform before a statue of Guinness World Record mouser Towser at The Famous Grouse Experience. The Yale Alley Cats – who boast several album launches, a Grammy Awards entry list for Best Pop Vocal Album and praise from Aretha Franklin for being “delicious” – will perform before the famous feline next Tuesday, and songs could include hit numbers from Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift. Towser entered the record books as “The Most Prolific Mouser of All-Time” having caught 28,899 mice during her 24 years at the distillery.
On Wednesday team sb headed to new Clapham watering hole Fu Manchu for a night filled with delectable dim sum and cocktails. One of our favourites on the night was the Mancho’s Mind Control, served in the head of Fu Manchu and made using a secret grog recipe, mango, guava and lime juice. Another sure favourite was the Mai Chai, a blend of Ron Zacapa 23-year-old rum, Kracken Black spiced rum, orange curacao, lime juice and chai tea syrup.
The annual Global Scotch Whisky Masters 2015 took place on Tuesday, held once again at London’s Spice Market. No fewer than 179 Scotch whiskies from blends and single malts to Speyside and Islay expressions were put to the taste test on the day. Keep your eyes peeled for the June issue of The Spirits Business for a full round of medal winners this year.
Luxury wine and spirits retailer Le Clos, situated in Dubai Airport, became the first store to sell the rare, limited edition Ledaig 42 Year Old Scotch whisky. Just 500 bottles will be made available worldwide, with an RRP of £3,500.
Bloom Gin has launched the Rooftop Terrace Summer campaign, quenching guests’ thirst at Me Radiobar, the Bloom Gin Bar at Vista on Trafalgar Square and One Aldwych on The Strand.
Congratulations are in order for the three winners of the French Trophées du Bar cocktail competition, held during the Paris Cocktail Festival last weekend at Le Carreau du Temple. Scooping first place was Sarah Perochon form Grand Hotel de Bordeaux and Spa with her creation called Maedleine de Proust. Second place was awarded to Benoit Guérin of Le Régent, in Bordeaux, with his cocktail Philly’s Dockside, while third place was given to Anne-Flore Mersch of Splendid Hotel and Spa, in Nice, with he Shiso Smash cocktail.
More behind the scene shots were shared on Facebook this week of inside the new Teeling Whiskey distillery – the first in Dublin in more than 125 years. Upon completion, the Irish whiskey firm will be capable of producing up to 500,000 litres of whiskey each year.
The Irish Whiskey Association (IWA) revealed its Vision for Irish Whiskey strategy this week, divulging its intends to double Irish whiskey exports from 6.5 million 9-litre cases to 12m cases by 2020. Pictured above are Anna Malmhake, chairman and CEO at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, Minister Simon Coveney and Bernard Walsh, founder of Walsh Whiskey and chairman of the IWA.
Greenall’s Gin has designed an original cocktail to celebrate World Gin Day, called Greenall’s Always a Winner. The tipple will be served from the brand’s new mobile bar that will be touring round the UK aboard the Greenall’s Land Rover, launched as part of the brand’s sponsorship of The Jockey Club, which runs 15 top racecourses in the UK such as Aintree, Cheltenham and Epsom.
Hendrick’s hosted a multi-sensory experience for gin lovers this week for the third leg of their collaboration with The Waldorf Project – Chapter Three / Futuro. Guests were taken on a journey exploring all the senses with an infused futuristic menu.
Diageo World Class bartender David Rios, who won the revered competition in 20013, unveiled the Tanqueray No. Ten signature Martini, exclusive to Aqua Hong Kong and London this summer. The serve is part of Aqua’s all new Martini menu, designed and presented by Rios to “delight” the senses.
SB rounded off the week by attending The Worshipful Company of Distillers’ City Debate 2015, where a panel of esteemed industry experts took part in a spot of verbal sparring over innovation in whisky. At the grand J P Morgan building in London, members of the spirits sector watched executives at Edrington and William Grant & Sons, among others, debate whether there is enough innovation in whisky.
