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The week in pictures

On the eve of World Whisky Day this Saturday (20 May), Drew McKenzie Smith (pictured), the founder of Lindores Abbey Distillery, visited the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh for a private viewing of the first written evidence of the production of whisky in Scotland. The Exchequer Roll (tax record) from 1494, names Friar John Cor, a Lindores monk, who was commissioned by King James IV to turn 8 bolls of malt into Aqua Vitae. Eight Bolls of malt amounts to around 500kg in modern terms and would have been enough to make about 400 bottles of today’s whisky.

On Wednesday, Grant’s held a blending session at Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings, where attendees’ taste buds and blending skills were put to the test. During the evening guests experienced a blind tasting comparing Grant’s Family Reserve with two competitor blends (with Grant’s coming out on top), and a blending session where guests were given the chance to channel their inner master blender and create their own blend to take home. The evening came to a close with a range of Grant’s cocktails including the Grant’s Apple, Old Fashioned and Blood & Sand.

Monkey Shoulder’s Ultimate Bartender Championship’s (UBC) UK winner has been crowned, with Chelsie Bailey from Red Light bar in Bristol taking this year’s title. Bailey fought off tough competition from more than 100 entrants who battled their way through heats in six cities – with the last heat taking place in London last Sunday. Bailey, along with other global winners, will go on an all-expenses paid trip to Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

On Wednesday SB headed down to newly opened Italian cocktail bar Ritorno in Chelsea for the launch of new regional aperitivo menu, Grand Central Italia. After being chauffeured to the venue in a Maserati, guests sampled five refreshing Cocci cocktails created by ex-Ritz bartender Paolo Viola that contained floral and botanical essences local to the regions of Asti, Rome, Modena, Florence and Palermo. With every cocktail a train ticket is issued, representing a “voyage of the senses” through sight, scent and taste.

As World Whiskey Day fast approaches, Bushmills has unveiled The Bushmills Taste Series – a compilation of videos to help educate fans on which variant is right for them. Hosted by Colum Egan, master distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, The Bushmills Taste Series is made up of four 60-second videos, each highlighting the taste credentials of the brand’s most popular whiskeys including: Bushmills Original, Black Bush, Bushmills 16 Year Old and Bushmills 21 Year Old.

On Thursday, SB was invited to Oblix at The Shard for the launch of single malt Scotch whisky brand The Macallan’s bespoke whisky trolley. Designed and built in Glasgow from a Macallan sherry butt specifically selected from the bodegas in Spain, the Macallan Whisky Trolley boasts a six-strong cheese and whisky-pairing menu served on a wooden cheeseboard map. After an introductory drink which combined the whisky with Champagne bitters, guests sampled Oblix’s new Mac ‘N’ Cheese cocktail, containing The Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak, white onion, dry vermouth and Benedictine, paired with Hafod, a variety of cheddar cheese from Wales.

No.3 London Dry Gin hosted its inaugural Unlock Taste Cocktail Tournament in the cellars beneath No.3 St James’s Street. The 8th Merchant cocktail by Dandelyan’s Mikey Ball (pictured) was proclaimed the winner, securing a trip to San Francisco. The three finalists all won a trip to Holland including a distillery visit to see how No.3 Gin is produced and the ten semi-finalists each received a £50 voucher to spend at Berry Bros & Rudd.

A environmental project pioneered by Glenmorangie has seen native European oysters reintroduced to coastal waters around its Highland home after a century’s absence. The project’s vision is to restore long-lost oyster reefs to the Firth, to enhance biodiversity and also act in tandem with the anaerobic digestion plant to purify the by-products created through the distillation process – an environmental first for a distillery.

Whisky retailer The Whisky Exchange will be opening up its own pop-up bar at the Feis Ile Festival of Music and Malt on Islay. The retailer will be featuring more than 75 Islay whiskies, which represent all eight active Islay distilleries. The drams being served have been carefully selected by Sukhinder Singh, co-owner of The Whisky Exchange and represent all styles of Islay whisky, from Lagavulin 16 Year Old, to extremely rarer bottles such as Ardbeg 1967 28 Year Old Pale Oloroso Sherry Cask.

Camden-based Half Hitch Gin has unveiled its own Gin School at their micro-distillery in Camden Market. The one-hour session will educate consumers on how to make a unique gin by bringing their own ingredients. Guest can make up to three gins per session. Price (£50 per person) includes tastings, 100ml of your gin and 100ml of Half Hitch Gin.

LIMA London has announced its second collaboration in the LIMA Presents series: Elevation – a celebration of Peru’s bio-diverse natural larder. On 1 June, chef Virgilio Martinez, and internationally-renowned bartender, Simone Caporale, are teaming up for a one-off event, serving a seven-course pairing menu at LIMA Floral, Covent Garden. Caporale will be enhancing the flavour experience with a drinks pairing menu, with cocktails designed to complement each dish.

Elephant Gin has enlisted Miran Chauhan of Edinburgh’s The Bon Vivant to become Scottish brand ambassador for Elephant Gin. Chauhan has already held a number of bar takeovers for Elephant Gin, including with Sager & Wilde and Gilt Bar in Copenhagen. He has also created signature cocktails around Elephant Gin’s newest release, Elephant Strength Gin including the Perfect Serve (pictured) which combines Elephant Strength Gin with dry vermouth.

On Tuesday, SB headed to Notting Hill’s Peyotito for a supper club hosted by the Mexican restaurant’s executive sous chef Adriana Cavito. Guests enjoyed Casamigos Tequila and mescal cocktails including the eponymous Peyotito – a spin on the classic Margarita with a spicy Tajin salt rim, Blanco Tequila, Cointreau, agave syrup, lime juice and a vial of Mezcal to be added at your discretion.

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