Close Menu
Top 10

The week in pictures

To mark the 30th anniversary of London City Airport, Peter Dorelli, former head bartender of the Savoy Hotel, created a signature cocktail. Named ‘The East End Flyer’, it features Beefeater Gin, peach schnapps, Southern Comfort, pink grapefruit juice, cranberry juice and grenadine. It was inspired by “aviation, London and the 1980s drinks trends”. It will be available for a limited time on a special cocktail menu for the 30th airport’s birthday for £13.95.

A non-alcoholic version called “The Mindful Flyer” will also be available. A spokesperson for London City Airport said: “The airport is a proud 80s child, a product of a decade which saw rapid and considerable change, from politics to popular culture. What better way to celebrate than with an indulgent cocktail reminiscent of the time.”

Team SB stopped by The Sun Tavern this week as it celebrated its third birthday with the launch of a new winter cocktail menu. The seven-strong menu runs the gamut of flavours, from bitter to sweet to ensure there’s something to tickle any tastebuds.

New cocktails include Sir Banks Fizz (QuiQuiRiQui mezcal, kummel, lime, pineapple and eucalyptus syrup) and Balkan Promise (Slivovitz, pisco, plum & vanilla syrups and Abbot’s bitters). Guests were provided with bánh mì alongside their cocktails.

This week, the Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition announced its six UK finalists, including Dandelyan’s Will Meredith (pictured above), Robb Collins from London Cocktail Club, and Dominic Whisson of The American Bar at The Savoy in London.

They join Christopher McQuillan from Oliver’s Restaurant in Belfast, Oliver Pluck from EPICURUS in Leeds, and Leon Back, from Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons.

The six bartenders will now compete in the European final in Amsterdam next month, with the challenge of creating a cocktail with the potential for a legacy like that of a mojito or daiquiri.

The global final will take place in Mexico City in May 2018.

The Back to the Roots cocktail competition announced the winner of the “simple, yet tough” contest. The competition saw the likes of The Savoy, The Connaught and Oriole try their luck, but the eventual winner was Sergio Leanza of Nine Lives Bar.

He will now go to Greece & The Athens Bar Show in November.

Second place went to Marco Misao Di Gregorio of Wringer + Mangle London Fields, and third to Giannis Sitanos of The Savoy London, American Bar.

In New York, The Macallan blended its classic whisky with modern technology with the use of the Microsoft HoloLens. The augmented reality device was used to bring to life the company’s long history and the story behind its two 12-year-old whiskies.

Key figures in the worlds of spirits, technology and media gathered to celebrate the launch in an installation that featured “custom-crafted, interactive art pieces” that served to explain what made the whiskies “so distinctive”.

Raul Gonzalez, VP of marketing and business development at The Macallan, said: “The Macallan is always at the forefront of innovation, tirelessly seeking the best ways to connect with our technologically-savvy audience.”

Anyone can experience the event now by downloading an AR app.

The Spirit of Gin Festival saw an increase of 240% in Irish gin sales at Loop Duty Free concepts at Cork and Dublin airports.

The festival served as a chance to celebrate The Loop’s success and teach customers more about the “extensive gin offering”, with a 114% sales increase across the whole portfolio.

Over the last two years, The Loop has put heavy investment into its gin offering and currently stocks over 50 gin products. The retailer also introduced a Gin Ambassador Programme, giving selected staff members “complete personalised training” on distilling processes and recipes.

Pinkster gin made its second appearance at Junipalooza in Melbourne. The “gin carnival”, organised by the Gin Foundry, brings together British distillers with Australian producers.

Director of Pinkster, Will Holt, said: “We’re tickled pink that the raspberry revolution is gathering momentum globally. Australia’s flying, we launched in Hong Kong earlier this months, and next week it’s New Zealand.”

Congressman Bob Goodlatte paid a visit to the River Hill Distillery in Luray, Virginia to learn about how federal excise tax will affect craft distillers. During his visit, Goodlatte got a first hand look at how distillers are impacting local communities in a positive way.

The visit was the last of a series of meetings between Virginian craft distillers and governmental representatives to discuss tax reforms, specifically The Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act.

The proposed legislation is hoped to “lessen excessive federal tax burdens placed upon craft distillers”, as explained by CEO of Virginia Distillery Company, Gareth H Moore.

Chase Distillery launched a new film on YouTube called ‘Gin Made From Vodka Who Knew’ to highlight to consumers the differences in production of the two spirits. Chase grows its own potatoes to make Chase Vodka, which is then redistilled with “carefully chosen wild botanicals” to make Chase Gin.

James Chase commented: “Our family has a passion for farming, and unlike most, we distill from field to bottle. We don’t like to blow our own trumpet, but we really are doing something different.”

The full video can be viewed here.

Glassology by Libbey Design Contest launched its second event this month. The contest is said to “not just separate the great bartenders from the true drinks professionals, but will separate the drinks professionals from the real masters”.

Professionals from around the globe are invited to compete for the next eight months to create their “ultimate glassware design”, with the winning glass design being taken into production in 2018.

In this contest, it’s not about the drink, but about the glass as an “essential ingredient”.

This week, SB‘s editor Amy Hopkins headed to Barcelona for the global final of Spanish liqueur brand Licor 43’s Most Passionate Bartender competition. After two days of learning and competing, Germany’s Martin Kramer swiped the title. The full story will be published in due course.

It looks like you're in Asia, would you like to be redirected to the Drinks Business Asia edition?

Yes, take me to the Asia edition No