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The week in pictures

Last Friday afternoon in the depths of a heatwave, SB was paid a very welcome visit from London-based pizzeria, Pizza Pilgrims, who delivered us a package containing their delicious limoncello varient Pococello. Arriving in the Pococello Ape van, the delivery included a bottle of their Pococello, Fever-Tree tonic water, ice, a lemon and some Pococello glasses and stirrers – all the ingredients needed to make signature drink, the Pocotonic – with some branded ice lollies thrown in for good measure. The citrus spirit is hand-crafted in small batch from Amalfi lemons in collaboration with Chase Distillery.

Maxxium UK held a luxury dinner at the newly-refurbished Lanesborough Hotel on Monday to launch a new engagement programme focusing on its super premium portfolio, beginning with L’Essence de Courvoisier. Courvoisier global brand ambassador, Rebecca Asseline, led an exclusive tasting and pairing dinner prepared by Florian Favario, executive chef at The Lanesborough’s Michelin-starred restaurant Céleste. Also Mickael Perron, bar manager of the hotel’s Library Bar, created bespoke Courvoisier serves and spoke about the importance of hospitality in the luxury sector.

Game of Thrones star Raleigh Ritchie AKA Jacob Anderson will be the next performer at the Belvedere Sunset Sessions, taking place at the Sky Garden on Tuesday 4 July. Ritchie will perform an exclusive acoustic set as the sun sets over the London skyline, for guests to enjoy a Belvedere Spritz with. The Belvedere Sunset Sessions are a summer-long series of music events at the Sky Garden, launched with a performance from Ray BLK, and additional performances from some of the UK’s finest talent will be revealed throughout the summer.

On Thursday SB stopped by Soho Radio to sip on an array of Jägermeister summer serves as part of the brands #JägerSoho pop-up. Jägermeister UK Brand Ambassador Florian Beuren was on-hand to talk us through the mouth-watering selection, which comprised Hunter’s Tea, Hunter’s Punch, Root 56 and an exclusive taste of coffee and cacao cold-dripped Jägermeister. Soho Radio provided the soundtrack, recording a show live throughout the event.

What better way to make the most of the beautiful weather England has been enjoying than sipping drinks on a rooftop garden? SB was given the opportunity to do just that on Thursday, and jumped at the chance to check out The Gardening Society roof garden, located on the rooftop of John Lewis Oxford Street. The space is home to the smallest bar in Britain, the kitsch Gardener’s Arms, as well as a cocktail bar pioneered by production agency Background Bars. We enjoyed the Background G&T and the Amber Spritz, pictured…

… We also sampled a delectable menu by current restaurant residency Foley’s, who offered a wholesome variety of Middle Eastern and Asian-inspired tacos. Our personal favourite was the spiced sweet potato fritters, served in a saffron coconut curry sauce with grilled pineapple and cured red onions. Dessert was also sublime: pictured left is the Panna Cotta, which comprised coconut, lemongrass, lychees, and chilli + chocolate crumble, while on the right is the ice cream of the day – lemon sorbet and burnt caramel.

High-end floristry business Elitonia has brought the steampunk genre and The Cotswolds together with a unique concept called The Gin Maid, taking place at The Cotswolds Distillery. Elitonia teamed up with Cotswolds-based photographer Chris Boulton to create The Gin Maid series of photographs, capturing Elitonia’s floral creations. The Cotswolds Distillery is set to launch its Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky this October.

Highball Brands, UK on-trade distributor of Takamaka Rum, will be hosting a tasting and introduction to the Takamaka range, followed by a cocktail competition at iconic London tiki bar Trailer Happiness in honour of Seychelles Independence Day on Thursday 29 June. The winning bartender’s cocktail will be featured on the Takamaka Takeover menu at Trailer Happiness that evening, with a cut of the profits from the drink going directly to the winner. Competition places are limited, contact Abby Goodhall at Highball Brands to register a place: abby@highballbrands.com

On Wednesday, SB headed to The Easton pub in Clerkenwell for Diageo’s annual Pub Quiz. Teaming up with fellow drinks publication Just Drinks, the quiz was hosted by British presenter Gabby Logan and spanned topics from Science and Geography to Public Affairs.

Whyte & Mackay kicked off their Lion Detector in the world’s smallest travelling rugby stadium, with comedians Link and Lorne (Scots Squad) launching the Lion Detector at The Old School House in Glasgow yesterday. As well as putting rugby fans through their paces, they tested well-known sporting names, Gemma Gibbons (Olympic judo silver medalist) and Michael Jamieson (Olympic swimming silver medalist.)

On Wednesday, SB headed down to London’s Dandelyan at the Modrian hotel for the UK launch of Bourbon brand Bulleit’s 10-year-old premium expression. First made available solely in the US in 2013, Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Old follows the exact same recipe as Bulleit Bourbon, featuring a mash bill of 68% corn, 28% rye, 4% malted barley. UK Bulleit brand ambassador Joe Tivey served the variant in a twist on an Old Fashioned, combining the liquid with homemade toffee popcorn and pepper syrup, orange white dog spray, and barrel stave smoke.

All drinks were on the house at Skylight, Tobacco Dock’s new rooftop destination, last weekend. Instead customers were asked to donate to two charities – the British Red Cross’ Saturday Night For London’ and the Jo Cox Foundation’s ‘Great Get Together’ inspired by the ideals of the MP, who was murdered in June 2016. Skylight handed over a whopping £22,000 after the four-day fundraiser.

Pioneers of the sober rave movement, Morning Gloryville, will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of 1967’s Summer of Love with a morning rave in collaboration with Colours of Love festival. Taking place from 6.30am to 10.30am on 12 July, the sober rave will invite hundreds of Londoners to dance the dawn away at celebrated club venue, Ministry of Sound. Early risers are invited to throw on their most colourful items of clothing and unite for the event, with a secret headliner soon to be revealed.

Brown’s Hotel in London will be home to an exclusive Hix Art pop-up, to celebrate Mayfair Art Weekend with free events, exhibitions and talks. The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel is offering a colour-changing cocktail, called ‘Less is Maw’ Priced at £18, it combines blue tea-infused Bombay Sapphire, Cointreau, Creole Bitter, Citrus Powder and Champagne.

On Monday, the newly-launched British Bartenders Association held its fourth get-together at London’s Dandelyan bar. Drambuie global brand ambassador Freddy May spoke about eggs in cocktails and its viable substitutes, and explored the truth behind honey, while global head of ambassador advocacy at William Grant & Sons, Ludo Ducrocq, discussed the role of the brand ambassador, past, present and future.

Ian Schrager’s Public hotel has confirmed the line-up for the annual NYC Pride celebration, to include monetary support for the New York-based charity Anti-Violence Project. Over the weekend Public will be donating US$1 from every drink sold at each of the hotel’s outlets. Anti-Violence Protection empowers lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected communities and allies to end all forms of violence through organising and education, and supports survivors through counselling and advocacy. The line-up includes Frankie Sharp, The Misshapes, and Gayletter.

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