The week in pictures
SB‘s Amy Hopkins was privileged to judge the grand finale of the Snow Queen Martini Masters 2015 at The Club at The Ivy in London. Eight bartenders battled it out for the ultimate Martini Master title, as well as a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Lapland, but ultimately, the accolade went to Elon Soddu, of The Blue Bar at The Berkeley Hotel, who impressed with his excellent presentation skills and innovative flavour combinations.
After the competition, Snow Queen Vodka’s CEO Roman Park created his own version of the classic vodka Martini at the Dry Martini bar.
On Monday, cocktail and wine bar 68 and Boston in Soho opened its doors for a rip-roaring launch party. Owners Eric Yu, Luca Cordiglieri and Martin Malley surprised guests with a Halloween theme – a secret spirits room and dungeon wine vaults – while Cordiglieri’s bar team in Boston served dark squid ink Martinis made with En Rama Fino, and smoky Loud Tempests, mixing Lagavulin with samphire-infused white port. Meanwhile downstairs in 68, Denise Medrano and her team served Paparuda Pinot Grigio wine from a Transylvanian winery dating from the “Dracula days” of 1477.
Jim Beam’s global brand partner, Mila Kunis, joined Fred Noe, seventh generation Jim Beam master distiller, to officially launch Jim Beam Apple at the brand’s “Apple Eve” event at New York City’s Paramount Hotel.
This week SB was invited along to check out East London’s Electricity Showrooms. The venue dates back to 1929, when it was established as an electrical goods showroom after nearby Shoreditch became one of the first boroughs in London to introduce electricity to the general public. Now styled on an opulent 1920’s watering hole, upstairs you’ll find craft beer and signature drinks, while downstairs lies the 5cc cocktail den boasting a cocktail menu of signature drinks, classics and twists.
The UKBG has named Lucia Montanelli, from The Dorchester Hotel in London, as the winner of its National Cocktail Challenge 2015. The competition, which took place at Hush Bar in Mayfair, was sponsored by De Kuyper liqueurs and awarded Montanelli with an all expenses paid five-day trip to Tokyo to represent the Uk in the 2016 International Bartenders Association World Final. The judges were blown away by Montanelli’s Orange Pekoe, made using De Kuyper Lapsang Souchong Tea liqueur, rye whiskey, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice, Amarena Fabbri syrup and orange and mandarin bitters.
To mark Snow Leopard Day, grain vodka Snow Leopard hosted a series of Himalayan-inspired cocktail events in numerous bars across the globe from London to LA, Seattle, Singapore and Hong Kong. In Soho, London, a team of bartenders gathered at Zenna to take part in a foraging masterclass with the vodka brand.
Hughes Craft Distillery has partnered with Fed & Watered restaurant and cocktail bar to launch the Belfast Martini, as part of the Mount Charles catering group that uses RubyBlue Premium Potato Vodka. The Belfast Martini has been designed for passengers using the Departures Lounge at Belfast International Airport and is the first in a series of locally inspired drinks with RubyBlue Premium Potato Vodka.
The results for the national finals of Beefeater MIXLDN 2015 are well underway and the results are rolling in thick and fast. Claiming the winning crown in Russia was bartender Katerina Babich, who works at the Union Bar in Saint Petersburg. Babich impressed with her cocktail creation, Cloudy Beefeater, which was inspired by a hazy and cloudy London day. Meanwhile in Serbia, Filip Ivanovic, who is currently opening his own venue, took top place with his drink Bishop’s Flip, inspired by London mixed drinks from the 18th and 19th centuries. Cross over to Sweden, and Johan Evers found inspiration in London’s multicultural society, which he demonstrated through his winning concoction, Warders Gift. The finalists will all compete in the grand final in London next year.
This week, luxury department store Liberty of London listed its first ever spirit brand – Cointreau. The launch coincides with the store’s partnership with the French liqueur brand’s most recent initiative, Cointreau Creative Crew, which will feature live artists in Liberty of London’s windows.
Gin brand Tanqueray hosted a lavish launch event at The Bloomsbury Hotel in London on Thursday evening to celebrate its exclusive cocktail menu created in partnership with the hotel. On offer throughout November and December, the cocktail menu invites consumers to recreate the bespoke serves through a series of masterclasses.
Gin lovers descended on the City of London Distillery on Monday for the launch of the new Christopher Wren gin, created in collaboration with master distiller Tom Nichol. Attending the event was The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of The City of London, Alan Yarrow, and Lady Mayoress, Gilly Yarrow and the Sheriff.
Mixologist and history enthusiast Nate Brown, founder of Merchant House gin and rum bar in London has created an exclusive new cocktail to celebrate Pickle Night. The event stems from 4 November 1805 when HMS Pickle sailed back to Britain to take home the new of Lord Nelson’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar. Brown’s concoction, titled A Grog for Nelson, is made using Pusser’s Rum Gunpowder Proof, hazelnut and vanilla, lime juice and small water (such as Kona Castaway from Hawaii).
