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The week in pictures

Last night, London’s National Gallery played host to guests who came to celebrate the brand new National Café, which opened this month. Over 200 guests were in attendance, many from the worlds of food, art and entertainment. Guests included Jimmy Carr, Claudia Winkleman, Ronni Ancona, Hugh Bonneville (left to right), James Nesbitt, and Clodagh McKenna. Guest enjoyed classic cocktails with a twist, including Negronis and a refreshing Rhubarb Martini.

Tennis champion Andy Murray (pictured centre) drew the winning ticket for an Audi Q7 accompanied by Ramesh Cidambi, COO, Dubai Duty Free, Sinead El Sibai, senior vice president – marketing along with K. Rajaram, CEO of Al Nabooda Automobiles LLC and Enrico Atanasio, brand director, Audi Middle East.

On Tuesday, David Miles from Mixxit UK stopped by SB Towers for an in-depth Auchentoshan and ale sampling masterclass. First, the team enjoyed a comprehensive introduction to the Scotch whisky brand – including the sampling of Auchentoshan American Oak and Auchentoshan Three Wood… 

…followed by the demonstration of a series of Auchie and ale cocktails, which see Auchentoshan shaken with honey syrup and lemon and topped with pale ale.

On Monday, SB headed down to legendary London brasserie Quaglinos to sample an exclusive cocktail list created in partnership with single malt Scotch whisky brand Glenfiddich. Inspired by Scottish Legends and Myths, the five-strong menu will be available at Quaglino’s until the end of March. Pictured is ‘Nessie’, which combines Glenfiddich 21 Year Old, sloe gin, caca, and a drop of oak bitter, served on a marine glass shell.

On Tuesday, SB attended ‘Unexpected Connections’ by House of Gastrophonic – a multisensory showcase that explores the relationship between flavour, sound and colour across a four-course, four-way pairing of cocktails, canapés, music and light. Diageo Reserve’s GB World Class Bartender of the Year 2016, Aidan Bowie, designed an exclusive cocktail menu, crafted to be paired with canapés by The Magazine’s head chef, Emmanuel Eger and Kofler & Kompanie’s Felix Weber to complement the immersive surroundings.

Ayrshire-based Scotch whisky producer The Lost Distillery Company has launched its whisky range for the first time in Hong Kong and Macau with distributor, Adega Royale. The companies celebrated the new partnership with a launch party followed by several prestigious events and dinners across Hong Kong and Macau.

The first ever European Woodford Reserve Personal Selection Barrel arrived at The Punch Room on Tuesday evening and was celebrated with an intimate tasting event. The London Edition’s Personal Selection Barrel was the culmination of its Punch on the Road tour of the US in May last year, where The Punch Room team visited New York, Louisville and Chicago within the space of a week.

Natalie Wallis of Langley Distillery has been named Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers. She stands beside a bust of her great, great, great grandfather William Henry Palmer, who founded the family company. She is the first female member of the family to become a Distillers’ Liveryman – well done, Natalie!

On Friday, the Leeds Cocktail Experience returned to event space Aspire for another evening of cocktail-making from 18 of Leeds’s best bars and restaurants. The event aims to showcase the eclectic spirit of the Leeds bar scene, with a diverse range of brands presenting cocktails ranging from classic to bespoke.

In celebration of International Women’s Day on Wednesday, the Beaufort Bar at The Savoy in London revealed the inspiration behind one of its new cocktails called Gypsy Moth (pictured). The cocktail is named after a plane that Amy Johnson flew – a pioneer from the golden age of flight, who was the first woman to fly solo from the UK to Australia. Upon her return a parade was held throughout the streets of London. She then stayed at The Savoy where a celebratory lunch was held in her honour.

Sipsmith has celebrated the completion of its refurbished tasting experience at the firm’s west London gin distillery. London-based retail design consultancy Innovare Design was commissioned to come up with a training area that reflects the Sipsmith passion for ‘things well made’. The gin brand has also appointed British bartender and bar consultant Chris Moore to curate the new cocktail creation zone.

On Wednesday, an exclusive preview of new super-luxury festival Residence Festival was held at Spencer House in London. Co-produced by John Saunders and Universal Music, the event will take place on 20 – 22 July 2018 and will be hosted among 500 acres of English countryside at Althorp House. It will be a three-day celebration of music, gastronomy, art and culture.

The Dubai Duty Free Nightingales celebrated their victory at the ChoirFest Middle East 2017 for winning the Best Corporate Choir award, which was presented by members of the London Community Gospel Choir and Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports.

Ilario Alberto Capraro, of Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort won the title of National Cocktail Champion 2017 during the Bartenders Association of Ireland’s annual competition in Dublin. His winning drink The Boss (named after his wife) was made using 15ml Grey Goose l’Orange Vodka, 40ml St. Germain, 30ml fresh lime juice, six fresh mint leaves and topped up with 40ml Möet & Chandon Champagne.

Smirnoff vodka has dubbed 3 March as the first official National Moscow Mule Day – giving everybody the chance to raise a copper mug and toast to the cocktail. 3 March (or 3-3) is significant as there were three people involved in the cocktail’s creation, three ingredients in The Original Mule and when turned counterclockwise the numbers become an M-M. Pictured is Cherry Lime Moscow Mule (courtesy of Kendra Darr of Simply Darrling), a combination of Smirnoff vodka, cherry ginger beer, cherry lemonade.

SB‘s Amy Hopkins joined the early Paddy’s Day celebrations at The Bloomsbury Club Bar, where vodka and gin from Ireland’s Dingle Distillery was flowing and celtic fiddles were going! She was also treated to a tasting experience of Dingle’s single pot still Irish whiskey.

On International Women’s Day (Wednesday 8 March), Swift bar’s Mia Johansson and Monica Berg, of Oslo’s Himkok fame, unveiled the special edition Ladies Linie Aquavit, which they created in collaboration with two female master blenders. The duo travelled to the distillery earlier this year to create the spirit, a blend of five-year-old Linie finished in madeira casks, mixed with younger aquavit, fennel, caraway and star anise, and an aquavit with orange blossom and white grapefruit. All proceeds from Ladies Linie Aquavit will be donated to the Breast Cancer Fund.

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