The week in pictures
The three winners of the 2015 Jameson First Shot international short film competition have just wrapped up on set having been given the opportunity to direct their own short films starring Adrien Brody. Now in its fourth year, the annual competition gives the chance for budding film makers, screen writers and directors from all over the world the chance to fly to Hollywood to produce their own short film. Past winning films have starred some of the industries most famous actors and actresses, including Kevin Spacey, Uma Thurman and Willem Dafoe. The three films will receive a special screening once production is complete, before being released on YouTube.
Newlyweds Mark Wright, best known for his stint on reality TV show The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE), and actress Michelle Keegan joined Mahiki for some Piña Coladas at the Henley Royal Regatta on Wednesday.
Four of the world’s best bartenders were selected to join Hudson global brand ambassador, Tony Vanaria, and Hudson founders Ralph Erenzo and Brian Lee in a unique “Working Week” at the Tuthilltown Craft Distillery in Gardiner, New York, where they learned everything about the super premium whiskey brand – from milling, cooking and fermenting to distilling, barrelling and bottling. The bartenders also got to know the Hudson Valley, where up to 90% of the raw materials that goes into Hudson whiskeys are sourced. The next Working Week trip will take place in October. Email tony@hudsonwhiskey.com to apply.
Spiced malt whisky brand Albion Racing Club set up shop at the Best of Britannia show this week, which celebrate s British design and manufacturing.
With the national finals now well underway, Gin Mare named Mirko Turconi as winner of the Italian Mediterranean Inspirations semi-final 2015. Turconi will now proceed to the global final that will be hosted at Villa Mare in Ibiza in September.
La Hechicera Rum shared a collage of highlights from the third annual Honi Honi rum festival in Hong Kong this week, at which the brand was presented with the People’s Choice Award for Favourite Rum of the Festival. Featuring 30 different rum brands, guests enjoyed masterclasses from rum experts and speed cocktail competitions over the two-day show.
Premium tonic brand Fever-Tree is now available for the first time in supermarkets throughout the UK in can format. So this week the brand’s founders and marketing team celebrated that consumers “can-can” buy the tonic water in packs of eight 150ml cans in Sainsbury’s and Waitrose stores.
Plymouth Gin has opened an exhibition at the Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery, called From Plymouth to the World – the Voyage of Plymouth Gin from Birth to Legend. Created in partnership with Plymouth City Council and located in the brand’s hometown, the new exhibition offers guests an insight into Plymouth Gin’s history which goes back more than 200 years.
CEO and founder of Hedonist liqueur and Hee Joy rum Jean-Marc Larhantec headed to London this week for the 2015 Imbibe Live show, hosted at London’s Olympia Grand Hall. Hedonist liqueur is made from Cognac with ginger and vanilla, while Hee Joy rum is a premium spiced blend of rums from Jamaica, Trinidad and Guyana aged in oak.
Also at Olympia showcasing his spirits portfolio, including the most recent addition to the Edinburgh Gin Brand – Seaside Gin – was Alex Nicol, managing director of The Spencerfield Spirit Company. As well as Seaside Gin, guests were also able to try Edinburgh Gin Navy Strength and the brand’s gin liqueur range, including raspberry and elderflower flavours.
With the mercury pushing well past 30 degrees this week, there was no better time to head to a rooftop terrace, which is exactly what sb did on Tuesday night when we joined Disaronno for an evening of cocktails and entertainment courtesy of British musician, Ghostpoet.
It was the bar on everyone’s lips in 2014, and this week London’s Dandelyan – the most recent bar opening from award-winning bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana – officially launched its brand new cocktail menu with a whole host of delectable delights just in time for summer.
Ultra-premium vodka brand Cîroc has brought a taste of tropical paradise to travel retail with several high profile airport activations. Diageo Global Travel and Middle East (GTME) will open Cîroc tasting bars, manned with trained brand ambassadors in key airports around the world, including New York, Miami, Beirut and Ibiza.
Feeney’s Irish Cream unveiled its brand new bottle design this week, featuring a sleek black bottle and deep purple label. Pictured above are Claire O’Grady, international brand manager of Irish creams at Quintessential Brands, and Toby Fox, Quintessential Brands along with their new golden cow mascot.
