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The week in pictures

As the cocktail world fast approaches National Piña Colada Day (10 July), National Mojito Day (11 July) and National Daiquiri Day (19 July), rum brand Bacardi has gone one better and named July, Rum Month.

Shervene Shahbazkhani, UK head of advocacy at Bacardi, said: “What better way to celebrate one of the world’s best loved spirits and its diversity and versatility, than an entire month dedicated to rum events and festivities?”

Events will take place throughout July, including a Piña Colada party in Shoreditch and a tour of London’s best Daiquiris.

Following their sell-out concert in Manchester earlier this week, disco titans Chic headed to Albert’s Schloss for the official afterparty, hosted by Patrón Tequila.

The Freak Out! after party saw the American band enjoy a number of Patrón Tequila cocktails, including the Patrón XO Cafe Espresso Martini.

Members of the band also put on a live performance at the Manchester venue.

Blended Scotch whisky brand Chivas unveiled what could be the world’s most complex whisky pouring machine this week.

The Rube Goldberg-inspired machine aims to encourage people to slow down and appreciate that “some things in life can’t, and shouldn’t, be simplified”.

The Pernod Ricard-owned whisky brand’s machine features original, upcycled parts from Strathisla distillery in Scotland and has been crafted to represent integral parts of the whisky making process.

Luxury London hotel bar The Coral Room celebrated Canada Day this week with Crystal Head vodka.

The Canadian vodka brand, created by Ghostbusters and Blues Brothers star Dan Aykroyd, teamed up with leading Canadian fitness brand Lululemon on a yoga session, Bloody Caesar masterclass and Canadian-style brunch at the Bloomsbury Hotel.

The Canadian brunch saw the bar serve up cocktails including the Bloody Caesar, made from vodka, Clamato juice and spices, and the Morning Thyme, which combined Crystal Head vodka with apple juice, ginger ale and thyme.

This week, the James E Pepper Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky, announced that it will be opening its doors to the public from 12 July.

The opening is a culmination of a multi-year project to relaunch the whiskey brand and rebuild the historic distillery, which was abandoned in 1958 for more than 50 years.

Visitors to the distillery will be able to learn about the brand, visit the distillery museum, tour the site and taste the brand’s portfolio of spirits.

This week, the Duke of York visited not-for-profit spirits producer Heroes Drinks in Edinburgh, showing his support for its mission to help Britain’s military community.

During his visit the duke met key representatives from the company, which was founded by military veteran Chris Gillan.

At the event, the duke also met with Heroes Drinks ambassador Arthur Reid, a Second World War veteran who served in the RAF’s Bomber Command.

Cheers of “not all heroes wear capes” have been doing the rounds on social media this week after The Dead Rabbit praised the actions of one of its staff members who discovered a fire on the premises last Sunday.

Porter Steve was hailed for his “quick thinking” on Sunday morning, turning off the gas and heat supplies to the venue before calling 911, which ultimately prevented the building from burning to the ground and more than 50 people losing their jobs.

And the good news continues as The Dead Rabbit has announced it will reopen on 19 July for “mayhem as usual”.

The Spirits Business headed to the London Wall Bar and Kitchen for the latest round in our Spirits Masters competition this week.

Armed with more than 100 different bottles of whisk(e)y from Ireland, the US and the rest of the world, judges tasted their way through a range of single grain, single malt, rye, Bourbon and blended spirits.

Keep an eye on thespiritsbusiness.com to see which expressions were awarded Silver, Gold and Master medals by the judges.

Britain’s bravest and boldest bar workers will be put through their paces in Fernet-Branca’s first UK Barback Games.

The Italian drinks brand will host the first instalment of the UK Barback Games in September, offering hospitality experts the chance to win a trip to San Francisco.

The games will test the skills and endurance of competitors with a series of physical challenges, as well as their knowledge and passion for the classic Italian digestif.

Italian drinks brand Martini has named the winning bartenders in its Martini Racing Ciclismo programme.

Rich Woods of Duck and Waffle, Alex Woolley from Hawksmoor, Davide Leanza of Punch Rooms at The Edition Hotel, Sergio Leanza and James Hopkins from London Cocktail Club and Max Venning of Three Sheets will join bartenders from other European markets as they cycle across Italy.

After battling it out with their peers over 10 weeks of spin classes, the six winning bartenders will ride through Piedmont to Pessione, Turin, the home of Martini.

London’s newest tiki bar, Laki Kane, opened its doors in Islington this week with a rum-filled opening party.

Throughout the night, the bar team at Laki Kane dished out tiki cocktails from the bar’s menu for guests to enjoy, while canapés and desserts from the venues food menu were handed out to imbibers.
Laki Kane promises to transport drinkers to warmer climates with its signature cocktails, exotic food menu and exceptional service.

Speyside Scotch whisky distillery BenRiach has teamed up with Scottish menswear designer Kestin Hare to celebrate the creative approaches to whisky distilling and clothing design.

Hare’s 2019 Spring Collection will feature five different garments inspired by the whisky, landscape and architecture of the BenRiach distillery.

The collection features peat-dyed products, representing the colours of aged BenRiach Speyside whisky.

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