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The week in pictures

The organisers behind the inaugural Bourbon & Beyond festival has unveiled its official 2017 schedule. Set to take place on the 23 and 24 September, the event will feature food activations from top chefs and restaurants in Kentucky and the US, and musical performances from industry legends Stevie Nicks and Eddie Vedder. The schedule will feature free and interactive Bourbon workshops presented by GE Appliances and led by Bourbon masters, as well as live cooking demos.

Co. Down breeder Sam McCormick from Bangor has won the Diageo Baileys Irish Dairy Champion Cow 2017. Diageo and its cream supplier Glanbia Ireland, have ended their annual search for Ireland’s finest Holstein Friesian dairy cow. McCormick’s Hilltara Lanthority Echo 2 was crowned the Diageo Baileys Irish Champion at the Virginia Show. McCormick also won the Best Exhibitor Bred award.

Aperol has spritzed up London’s Southbank during August bank holiday weekend, with the return of its Aperol Spritz Sundial Social. The pop-up installation saw the launch of an 20ft wide, functioning sundial and bar, offering city dwellers a refreshing Aperol Spritz serve when the sundial striked ‘aperitivo hour’ at 5pm. Keep your eyes peeled for further pop-ups across across London, from Peckham to Camden.

Diageo-owned Scotch whisky Talisker has named Andrew Lennie of The Printing Press Bar & Kitchen in Edinburgh as winner of its inaugural cocktail competition Race to Skye, following an intense final in the brand’s homeland, the Isle of Skye. Lennie competed against Rebecca Bevvy of The Laundrette Group in Manchester; Dave Ali of The Finneston in Glasgow; Daniel Bovey of Be at One in Bristol; Mike Pendergast of East London Liquor Company in London; and Charles Roche from Scout also in London, during a series of challenges. For winning, Lennie is awarded the title of Honorary Talisker Ambassador to support the brand in telling its story and communicating the on-going Made by the Sea campaign. He will also enjoy an enhanced PR campaign to help raise his profile in the drinks industry.

42 contestants from 28 bars took part in the first La Maison Cointreau cocktail competition in Hong Kong. The top 15 who will now go through to the finals on 11 September at Happy Paradise, include: Alva Lau, Mizunara: The Library; Amir Javaid, J.Boroski; Cynman Chan, Red Sugar bar in Kerry Hotel; Donald Lau, Lobster Bar and Grill at Island Shangri-La; Endy Ngai, Zuma; Frankie Fong, Le Comptoir de Bibo; Imelda Ng, Blue Bar at Four Seasons; Jay Law, Aqua Spirit; Kshitiz Gurung, Stockton; Michael Cheung, Bar Butler; Rana Chandan, Foxglove; Slamet Haryadi, M Bar at Mandarin Oriental; Tina Gurung, Fang Fang; Tom Edgerton, Potato Head; and Wallace Lau, Bar De Luxe.

In a very exciting sneak preview of 2017’s Special Releases, Diageo invited SB’s Amy Hopkins and Melita Kiely along to a dinner and tasting of the 10 whiskies in the collection. Further details and tasting notes will be revealed by The Spirits Business at a later date.

Bar Swift in Soho played host to this week’s semi-final of the inaugural The Next Whisky Cocktail Classic competition created by Speciality Drinks, spirits wholesaler to the on-trade. The four finalists are: Sam Ameye of Bar Swift, London; Alex Williams of Black Rock, London; Miran Chauhan of Bon Vivant, Edinburgh; and Rhys Wilson of Happiness Forgets, London. The finalists will go through to the Grand Final on 2 October at The Whisky Show trade day in London.

In celebration of James Bond Day on 5 October, Pulitzer Amsterdam hotel has created a ‘Live Like James Bond’ package so guests can experience the city through the eyes of the British agent. In collaboration with Sipsmith gin, Pulitzer Amsterdam is also inviting locals and guests to celebrate the day by visiting the hotel’s bar, Pulitzer’s Bar, for James Bond Martini Theme Week. From 2- 8 October, the bar will feature a Shaken, Not Stirred menu featuring the James Bond Vesper, which contains Gordon’s, vodka, and Kina Lillet and is shaken over ice and served with a thin slice of lemon peel.

British wine and spirits merchant Berry Bros & Rudd celebrated its 50th anniversary in Basingstoke this week. The Basingstoke warehouse was opened as a bottling and storage warehouse in 1967 by former chairman Christopher Berry Green to address the company’s need for expansion and modernisation. As part of the 50-year celebrations, Berry Bros will be hosting a BBQ for employees in the warehouse gardens. Colleagues also organised a charity bike ride from St James’s to Basingstoke this morning…

Twenty one cyclists from Berry Bros & Rudd set-off on the 100km journey from the company’s St James’s site, to its warehouse and offices in Basingstoke. The peloton is raising money for the company’s designated charity Sebastian’s Action Trust, which provides vital support to families of seriously-ill children. The group of cyclists departed from outside Berry Bros. & Rudd’s new shop on Pall Mall at 9.00am with the intention of arriving at their destination in Basingstoke by 3pm.

Last week saw UK distributor Love Drinks celebrate 10 years of trading. The company celebrated by taking part in a number of charity events including half marathons and the recent Prudential RideLondon where a total of almost £3500 was raised money for charities such as Diabetes UK, Breast Cancer Now and The Girls’ Network. To celebrate, the team took part in a cycle ride visiting some of London’s famous landmarks, the last stop being Oxo Restaurant, Bar & Brassiere where assistant bar manager, Sophie Bratt created a special cocktail, A Whey to Love. The cocktail combines Hayman’s London Dry, clarified milk/peach whey, ginger ale, peach shrub, Cocchi Rosa and bitters.

Limoncello brand Poccocello is concluding its London tour at Pizza Pilgrims new and largest site in West India Quay on 7-8 September. The Piaggo Apé van, named Ludo, will travel to Pizza Pilgrims to give customers a mid-week treat. Alongside receiving a free shot of Pococello, anyone eating pizza at Pizza Pilgrims on either date will also receive a free Amalfi lemon ice lolly. Two exclusive dishes will also be available to honour the end of Ludo’s journey, including fluffy lemon arancini and lemon pizza with porchetta and rosemary, along with a host of cocktails, including the signature Poco-Tonic, and the South Coast.

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