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The week in pictures

The Ardgowan Distillery has lent its technical knowhow to a duo of Antarctic explorers.

Father and son team Robert and Barney Swan are hoping to be the first people to reach the South Pole entirely powered by renewable energy.

The Lowland distillery has created a system to ensure the pair have a constant supply of fresh drinking water throughout their expedition.

The Scotch whisky maker also sent the explorers off with two bottles of 20-year-old single malt, one to be enjoyed by the pair on Hogmanay and the other to be brought back to Scotland to be released as a commemorative bottling.

The Drambuie Collins Lounge came to the Taste of London event this week.

Visitors to Tobacco Dock could immerse themselves in the ‘sensory space’, handpicking ingredients from the lounge’s living garden.

Paralleling the Drambuie Collins’ simple ingredients across its rooms, the lounge showcases a huge living mint wall and a lemon luge.

The lounge offers visitors a unique way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city while enjoying the classic cocktail.

Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum announced its support of Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes as the punk rock band embarks on a nationwide tour.

Sailor Jerry will kick off the partnership on Friday 1 December, supporting tour dates from Bristol to Brixton where competitions will be hosted for Sailor Jerry flash tattoos by Frank, backstage sound checks, exclusive memorabilia and a secret after-show-party.

Formally of the Gallows, Frank’s history with Sailor Jerry stems back to the father of American old school tattooing Norman ‘Sailor Jerry’ Collins himself. Frank previously co-owned a tattoo studio in the US with famous tattoo artist Keith Underwood, the last living link to the Sailor Jerry ink.

Premium batched cocktail maker Tails Cocktails has launched a new range of kegged drinks this week.

The cocktails launched at Boma Bridge in Putney, where the award-winning batched cocktail brand debuted its Berry Mojito and Negroni on draught for the first time.

The launch marks the start of the brand expanding into the draught scene in a number of pubs and bars across the UK.

The Universal Bar + Kitchen in Galway is hosting a cocktail takeover party in partnership with Teeling whiskey.

The event features exclusive cocktails designed by Teeling global brand ambassador Kevin Hurley. Taking Liberties is made with Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey, ginger liqueur, stout syrup, Angostura Bitters and chocolate bitters, while Lovechild combines Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey with Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, lime juice and red grapefruit juice.

Conor Lynam of The Universal Bar + Kitchen, said: “Teeling is a small Irish craft distiller and we’re a craft cocktail bar so there’s a naturally good match. We’re looking forward to welcoming Kevin and trying his cocktails.”

The finalists of the UK Bacardi legacy competition gathered in London to showcase their creations.

Five of the finalists met at Opium in China Town, giving cocktail fans the chance to try the drinks they hope will stand the test of time and become the next Daiquiri.

The six UK finalists – Will Meredith from Dandelyan in London, Robb Collins from London Cocktail Club, Christopher McQuillan from Oliver’s Restaurant in Belfast, Leon Back from Panda & Sons in Edinburgh, Oliver Pluck from Epicurus in Leeds and Dominic Whisson from The American Bar at The Savoy – will head to Amsterdam on 21 November to compete for a place in the Bacardi Legacy global final in Mexico City.

The National Theatre created a set of signature drinks to compliment its latest performance, Network.

The play stars Breaking Bad actor Bryan Cranston and is set in a TV news studio following the downfall of a celebrated newsreader.

The theatre created the Mad as Hell cocktail in honour of one of the performance’s most ‘intense’ scenes. The creation is a twist on the Penicillin and was created by Zanna Mercer, assistant manager at The Understudy. Mad as Hell combines Bulleit Bourbon, Kings Ginger Liqueur, Cochi Americano vermouth, as well as a dash of lemon juice and sugar.

The theatre also brewed a bespoke beer, On Air, in collaboration with Bermondsey brewery Brew By Numbers.

After a year of competition, the Wenneker Swizzle Masters grand final took place this week.

The top 10 cocktails from our Breakfast Martini, Rum Punch and Blood & Sands rounds were all created at Circus XO in Mayfair for our judges to rate and review.

The judges picked out their top three from this years closely fought competition and all the results will be published in the December 2017 issue ofThe Spirits Business.

SB‘s editor Amy Hopkins donned her glad rags for the IWSC Awards Banquet at the Guildhall in London.

The great and the good of the wine and spirits industries gathered to recognise excellence among their peers, with a trophy presentation for IWSC winners, a drinks tasting and a delicious dinner.

 

David Kandinsky and Santiago Gόmez have been crowned winners of Glenfiddich’s World’s Most Experimental Bartender competition. .

The competition recognises bartenders who collaborated with masters of fields outside of the traditional drinks world to co-create a more surprising and inventive drinking experience.

The pair created their own bitters, mirroring the flavours casks can impart on whisky while it matures. These bitters were used to create the Glenfiddich 15 Year Old fashioned which was paired with bespoke ice creams to compliment and further amplify these flavours.

On Tuesday, SB headed to Mac & Wild on London’s Devonshire Square for a Bruichladdich tasting, held by distillery manager Allan Logan. The tasting included drams of Laddie Classic, Port Charlotte and two expressions from the recently-launched Octomore 8s series – Octomore 8.1 and 8.4.

Logan gave an in-depth talk through the distillery’s history, the production methods and tasting notes.

Grant’s whisky invited the three final candidates from its ‘greatest job interview in the world’ to travel the world with a suitcase full of whisky, echoing the journey taken by Charles Grant Gordon, son-in-law of founder William Grant.

Between them, the finalists have covered more than 51,000 miles, visiting 15 cities in nine countries. They segwayed around Tel Aviv, tuk-tuk’d across Mumbai, and soared by seaplane over the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The trio’s goal was to bring to life the brand’s motto, Stand Together.

On Thursday, SB hopped over to Soho to try out cocktails and dishes from the newly opened, and eccentrically named, Flavour Bastard.

We enjoyed fun and interesting dishes – two favourites were the deep fried feta with walnuts, honey and mint, and the pork belly with cinnamon and pepper, bacon jam and pickled carrot – and drinks from Nick Jones.

Pictured are the Dram-A-Lam-A-Ding-Dong – made with Gosling’s Black Seal, Giffard Banane du Bresil, pimento dram, curry bitters, ginger beer, and garnished with baby banana brûlée – and the Trifolium – made with Portobello Gin, El Gobenador Pisco, Regal Rogue Rosé Vermouth, raspberry, rosemary, lemon, egg white, and Peychaud’s Bitters.

London tapas restaurant Camino launched its new Bottomless Saturdays this week.

Visitors to its branches in Bankside and Shoreditch can enjoy unlimited gin and tonics or cava on Saturdays between 12pm and 4pm.

Bottomless Saturdays at Camino are £20 per person.

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