The week in pictures

Team sb was lucky enough to be invited to join Diageo at the O2 arena to sing our hearts out to Take That as they continue their world tour. Supported by former X-Factor star Ella Henderson, the remaining trio of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen and Howard Donald put on a theatrical show including a mix of old and new hits, such as Patience, Rule the World, Relight My Fire, Back for Good and culminating with Never Forget.

On Tuesday, sb headed to One Canada Square for the largest Global Gin Masters blind tasting to date. Nearly 100 gins were entered into this year’s competition, judged by a panel of spirits professionals, including independent gin consultant David T. Smith, head sommelier at St James Hotel and Club André Luis Martins, blogger and owner of the Candlelight Club Clayton Hartley, co-founder of the Craft Gin Club John Burke and senior staff writer at The Spirits Business Melita Kiely.

Senior staff writer Melita Kiely hotfooted across London to join the judging panel of Martin Miller’s Gin City Championship cocktail competition. Open to bartenders working within the Square Mile, the winning spot was awarded to Carley Hanlon of Merchant House for her gin cocktail, Erik’s Elixir. Second place was awarded to Shane Dobson of The Alchemist, who’s dry ice concoction Aunt Marie’s Potpourri Tea is pictured above. Third place was a tie between Eduardo of City Social for his drink Evergreen and Dmitrij Markovskij of Oblix, The Shard, and his innovative tipple the Dimas Cooler.

When Tales of the Cocktail announced its shortlists for the 2015 Spirited Awards earlier this week, it was fantastic to see that The Spirits Business had been shortlisted for a second year for Best Cocktail and Spirits Publication along with many other accomplished publications, bars and bartenders. But it was even more exciting to see our news and web editor Amy Hopkins – who won The Alan Lodge Young Spirits Writer of the Year 2014 Award last year as shown above – shortlisted for Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer. Congratulations to everyone who made the final list.

Hendrick’s Gin hosted a gathering in the opulent surroundings of Blakes Hotel in London to unveil a unique pump-operated Martini-stirring mechanism; the culmination of three years’ experimentation and design. Each attendee was gifted their very own to keep, with a specialist engraver from Asprey London on hand to carve their initials into the device, named Hendrick’s Labour Saving Mechanical Martini Mechanism.

Last weekend, Jägermeister gave one lucky member of the sb team tickets to Field Day festival in Victoria Park, London, and a VIP pass to the unique Jägerhaus venue, which hosted a plethora of djs and bands and kept the ice cold Jägermeister flowing. Over the weekend, the stages welcomed the likes of Patti Smith & her band – who celebrated the 40th anniversary of her seminal album Horses – Allah Las, FKA Twigs, and Caribou, to name but a few. 

Ten shortlisted bartenders donned slug moustaches and competed for the ‘Don of Cocktails’ title in Don Papa Rum’s #itsaDONdeal UK on-trade cocktail competition. The winner was Davide Boncimino from London’s Mr Fogg’s whose winning creation ‘Fix in the Mind’ earned him a trip to the Phillippines for a Cocktail Roadshow with the brand. 

Hendrick’s Gin – which gets its distinctive flavour from the infusion of cucumber – unveiled three new cocktails in celebrations of World Gin Day and National Cucumber Day. The brand has teamed up with leading London venues White Lyan, The Clove Club, and Purl London, which will be offering the delightful drinks from June 12. 

Cocktail bar The Dead Parrot from Horsham, UK, was voted the winner of the Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship and has won the chance to host its very own pop-up bar at London Cocktail Week in October.

Bacardi is embarking upon a summer campaign to promote the Bacardi Cuba Libre and Bacardi Carta Fuego serves. Set to launch in three UK cities, London, Leeds and Glasgow, the brand will be targeting 29-year-old male drinkers during July and August. It is hoped the activation will bring fresh support to new bars and upcoming cocktail regions through forming a “memorable and engaging” night out for consumers who will share their experiences on social media.

Greenall’s Gin was the official gin of the Investec Derby Festival at Epsom Races, which came as part of the brand’s three-year partnership with the Jockey Club. The Greenall’s Land Rover Defender complete with mobile bar, plus two additional Greenall’s bars were situated next to the Parade Ring, while a 10-piece Greenall’s Jazz Funk band were on hand to please the crowds. Cocktail offerings including the World Gin Day Always a Winner concoction was named as the best-selling drink over the two-day event.

Bloom Gin featured as the official gin of Ladies Day at the Investec Epsom Derby, and marked the occasion with its very own Bloom Gin pop-up bar at the event. The bar was located in Queen’s Stand and overlooked the finishing line, delivering the best seats in the house for guests to watch jockey Frankie Dettori gallop to victory. Drinks on offer were made using an array of fresh ingredients, with some featuring strawberries, prosecco and edible flowers. Furthermore, Bloom Gin gifted guests with eau de nil sunglasses, which went down a storm with racegoers.

Stolichnaya vodka has signed a three-year deal with Ushuaia Ibiza Beach Hotel and Hard Rock Hotel Ibiza, which will encompass a variety of co-branding activities, sponsorships, competitions, dedicated social media content and a co-branded clothing line.

A historical moment for Dublin occurred this week as the Teeling Irish Whiskey Company officially opened its new €10 million Irish whiskey distillery – the city’s first in more than 125 years. Located in Newmarket Square in The Liberties, the distillery boasts a visitors’ centre that will host tasting tours, a café, a bar, a private event space and a gift shop.

The 15^th annual International Rudolf Jelinek Cup was hosted this week and saw bartenders from eight different European countries. The competition was held in association with the Czech Bartenders Association and the Slovak Bartenders Association. First place went to Estonia, while second place was scooped up by Czech Republic.

The Tequila and Mezcal Festival is heading North West England this August and bringing the flavour of Mexico to Liverpool. Tequila Fest has partnered with National Museum, Liverpool, to host the “biggest Mayan Exhibition ever seen outside of Mexico”.

Pictured above are Katie Read, senior account manager for UK wholesale and retail sales at The Lakes Distillery, Olympic skier Chemmy Alcott and manager at the Waterhead Hotel in Coniston, Cumbria, UK.