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The week in pictures

From a shortlist of 35 bartenders, Diageo Reserve this week selected the 10 finalists who will compete to be the UK winner of its World Class competition.

During a hotly fought contest at Diageo’s customer collaboration centre in London, competing bartenders were tested on their skills, adaptability and spirits knowledge.

Each bartender took part in three challenges, judged by a panel that included Andy Ives from BarLifeUK, Craig Harper from Fever-Tree and Diageo Reserve World Class GB manager, Stephen Martin.

The 10 finalists will compete to be crowned UK winner at the final in Edinburgh next month.

This week, Bacardí opened the doors to its exclusive Rum Room experience in New York to celebrate the launch of its new premium portfolio.

The rum brand transformed an event space in the Lower East Side into a rum haven, with each of the venue’s three floors representing a different expression from the new collection, which includes Bacardí Añejo Cuatro, Bacardí Reserva Ocho and Bacardí Gran Reserva Diez.

At the launch, guests enjoyed Bacardí cocktails, small bites prepared by chef Roblé Ali and performances by Nina Sky, DJ Brittany Sky and Drummer Malik Dope.

The team at Copper Rivet Distillery welcomed the arrival of freshly disgorged Jim Beam barrels from Kentucky to Kent this week. Shipped within a week of being emptied, these 200-litre barrels, used once in the Bourbon industry for a maximum of four years, will now be filled with Copper Rivet Distillery’s Masthouse Whisky as it matures.

The Kent-based distillery selected the barrels as they add mellow, soft, vanilla, caramel notes to the spirit.

Diageo-owned Bulleit Distilling Co this week unveiled plans for its US$10 million visitor centre, which is due to open in Kentucky next year.

The 11,570-square-foot visitor centre is said to be “environmentally conscious” and will include interactive experiences, retail spaces and Bourbon tasting areas.

Distillery tours will focus on Bulleit’s whiskey-making process and will include a visit to founder Tom Bulleit’s office.

English gin brand Warner Edwards this week unveiled the design for its artisan garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The garden has been inspired by the brand’s home on Falls Farm in Northamptonshire and will include planting based on the farm’s botanical garden, a stone wall built from Northamptonshire stone and copper seating to represent the distillery’s copper stills.

The Warner Edwards garden will also feature a number of bee-friendly plants, continuing the brand’s ongoing commitment to protecting pollinators and safeguarding the countryside.

Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal hosted a meeting for members of the American military and 2016 Indy 500 winner, Alexander Rossi.

More than 200 military men and women attended the meet and greet with the IndyCar driver, who presented a number of those in attendance with tickets for this year’s Indy 500.

Rossi also announced plans to submit the names of all those in attendance to Crown Royal’s Wall of Gratitude, which will be on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Italian drinks brand Martini this week hosted the first in its series of spin classes as part of its recently announced Ciclismo programme.

Every Tuesday, the drinks brand will host spin classes in London for members of the drinks community, with all funds raised from the events going to the Wine to Water charity.

Bartenders attending the spin classes will also have the chance to win a spot on the Martini La Classica race from Milano to Torino this September.

Bourbon brand Woodford Reserve has named Chris Enns from Fairmont Pacific Rim’s Lobby Bar as the winner of its Manhattan Experience cocktail competition.

Enns has been named the latest Master of the Manhattan after his cocktail, called The Only, triumphed in the contest.

The winning cocktail is made from Woodford Reserve Rye, Punt e Mes, Martini Rosso, Luxardo Cherry Sangue Morlacco and Woodford Reserve Sassafras and Sorghum Bitters.

Premium French vodka brand Grey Goose returned to the Cannes Film Festival this week to host an exclusive event at Nikki Beach.

Stars soak up the sun at the beachfront venue as they enjoyed Grey Goose Le Fizz cocktails.

Guests on the night included The Snowman actress Chloe Sevigny and Attack of the Lederhosen Zombies star Laurie Calvert.

As part of National Vegetarian Week, leading London bar Duck & Waffle launched a new veggie-inspired cocktail menu, called Drink Your Greens.

Created by Rich Woods, head of cocktail and spirit development, the Drink Your Greens menu features 10 new drinks, each made with a vegetable twist.

The Drink Your Greens menu is available during National Vegetarian Week (14-20 May) and includes the Heritage Carrot (pictured), made from Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, walnut, clarified heritage carrot and burnt honey.

Funkin Innovation Lab launched in Bristol this week with a bartender training session hosted by London’s Crucible.

The training session focussed on acids and sugars, with attending bartenders treated to cocktail and food pairings, including a milk punch made from beetroot shrub, coconut, coffee and vodka. The cocktail was served with Beet Ying Yang, made from creamed coconut with beet crisp and chutney.

The second Funkin Innovation Lab will take place in Manchester on 22 May.

English spirit brand NB Gin this week announced it had been selected to feature in the Harry and Meghan Wedding Album, which has been written by royal correspondent, Robert Jobson.

The 300-page album will be released by publisher St James’s House in the month following the wedding, which takes place this Saturday (19 May).

NB Gin is the only gin brand to feature in the album, which includes photography from throughout the royal couple’s lives, from their early years, their engagement and images from the wedding day itself.

The North Berwick-based gin producer was chosen due to its ‘editorial fit’ for the celebratory publication; the second time the brand has been selected for a royal occasion after previously featuring in Her Majesty the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations.

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