The week in pictures
This week SB’s senior staff writer Melita Kiely jetted to the paradise island of Martinique to judge the final of the inaugural Trois Rivières Rhumbellion cocktail competition. Following a testing final, the judges named ex-Chiltern Firehouse bartender Nicola Battafarano the 2016 champion.
It’s been a busy week for SB’s Global Spirits Masters competition as we hosted not one, not two, but three blind testing competitions. The week kick-started with The Asian Spirits Masters, hosted at London’s Opium Cocktail & Dim Sum Parlour, where judges were put through their paces with the largest Asian Spirits Masters round to date.
The Global Spirits Masters continued with both The Cognac Masters and the Brandy Masters on Thursday, which took place at Del’Aziz in London, where judges awarded a vast array of medals. Keep your eyes peeled for the results in the May issue of The Spirits Business magazine and online.
Giffard Liqueurs and Syrups were at yet another trade show this week showcasing their extensive range of products, this time at Food & hotel Asia.
Pinkster Gin was chosen to be the flagship spirits provider for the Good Ship Benefit, the latest marketing initiative for beauty brand Benefit Cosmetics.
SB‘s Amy Hopkins attended an excellent Tequila masterclass led by Patrón. Located at The Gallery in East London, the tutorial saw guests educated on both Patrón’s core and Gran Patrón ranges. Lee Applbaum, chief marketing officer for Patrón, detailed the production processes of Patrón at one of only a few distilleries in the world that exclusively produces one single brand.
Johnnie Walker was the Scotch whisky brand of choice for British designer Tom Dixon OBE, who unveiled his latest furniture creations with the opening of The Restaurant by Caesarstone & Tom Dixon at Milan Design Week.
Cocktail competition season is in full swing, and this week saw the turn of the South African heat for Chivas Regal’s Chivas Masters Global Masters Cocktail Making Competition, which awarded first place to bartender Johan Blaauw of the Cape Grace Cocktail Bar in Cape Town.
The Havana Club Cocktail Grand Prix headed to Switzerland this week, where Gunther Strobl of Clouds Bar Zurich was selected to participate in the global final thanks to his winning cocktail, The Cuban Fairy.
Jack Daniel’s hosted a one-off intimate gig at Nambucca, North London, this week headlined by award-winning grime artist Wretch 32 who was joined on stage by a selection of Nashville musicians. The musicians included The Roots bassist Own Biddle, former k.d. guitarist Joe Pisapia and drummer of US rock band Toy Soldiers.
Pouring Ribbons held the first tasting of its Silk Road menu on Tuesday – the second in its series of themed menus inspired by roads and travel. The Silk Road represents thousands of years of trade across East Asia, the Mediterranean and throughout the Eurasian continent. The idea came from head bartender Demario Wallace, who worked with his talented team to craft cocktails such as Snake in the Grass, made with Tanqueray Gin, lime, JM Rhum Agricole 100 Proof, coconut water syrup, Greek yoghurt and makrut lime leaf.
Rocket Bishopsgate partnered with Broadgate Circle Estate to champion the group’s ‘Literary Greats’ spring campaign in May with four bespoke cocktails inspired by Roald Dahl.
Guests flocked to The Arts Theatre Club as the venue celebrated the launch of its Victorian Variety cocktail menu this week.
On Wednesday Witek Wojaczek, of The Beaufort Bar at The Savoy, was crowned UK winner of the Courvoisier Toast of Paris International Cocktail Competition, hosted by Maxxium UK and held at The Punch Room at the London Edition Hotel.
Pop star Justin Timberlake was joined by his wife, actress Jessica Biel, and his ‘personal mixologist’ Eddy Buckingham at the after party for Devil and the Deep at the Tribeca Film Festival. Buckingham served guests three cocktails using Timberlake’s Sauza 901 Tequila brand – The Memphis Mule, Zarza and The Contemporary.
