For its ninth year, London Cocktail Week (LCW) is moving to a bigger and better home next week. SB highlights 10 unmissable events for the trade.

The Drink Up London bar will return for the 2018 event

Guests to this year’s festival, which will take place from 1­-7 October, will find The Cocktail Village at The Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane from 3­-7 October.

New for 2018, the village will be offering a dedicated space to showcase smaller, up-­and­-coming brands. The ‘New and Niche’ area will feature small brands some of which are yet to launch in the UK.

Also making a comeback will be the Drink Up London bar, which will offer an array of libations. Those keen to try their hand at concocting their own drinks can learn more about the art of cocktail making through the Cocktail Experiments workshops.

Guests can expect to see a number of activations from drinks brands big and small, with 40 pop-up bars across the venue.

Following feedback, the LCW team has dialled down on the formal learning elements of the event and is offering an increased focus on evening activities.

Digital pass holders will enjoy £6 festival cocktails in 300 of the city’s best watering holes, free entry to The Cocktail Village, pop-­ups and parties.

Hannah Sharman-­Cox, founder of Drink Up London and London Cocktail Week, said: “With our 10th birthday just around the corner, we’re excited to warm up with this year’s new additions, a new site for The Cocktail Village and our VIP packages.

“We can’t wait to invite even more cocktail lovers to the new space at The Old Truman Brewery. We’re hoping fans of London Cocktail Week and newcomers can fully immerse themselves in a vibrant week, jam-packed with top class cocktails, parties, pop-ups and more.”

More than 25,000 cocktail lovers took part in last year’s event, which claims to be the world’s biggest cocktail festival.

Click through the following pages for our top picks for London Cocktail Week 2018, in chronological order. 

A digital pass costs £10 and is available from londoncocktailweek.com.

Members of the trade are eligible for free digital passes, to register visit https://drinkup.london/trade/sign-up/#!/

B&H Yoga Brunch

1 October

9am-11.30am

Location: B&H Buildings, 42 Northampton Rd, Clerkenwell, London, EC1R 0HU

Join St-Germain for a wholesome start to London Cocktail Week with a yoga session led by global brand ambassador Camille Ralph Vidal followed by a healthy brunch and St-Germain cocktails in a greenhouse.

Dante pop-up at Quaglino’s

1-2 October

5pm-10pm

Location: Quaglino’s, 16 Bury St, St James’s, London SW1Y 6AJ

The New York-based Dante team will be serving it’s world-famous aperitivo offering at Quaglino’s in Mayfair, consisting of a specially curated menu of 10 drinks from The Negroni Sessions and The Martini Hour menus. Highlights include the Chocolate Negroni, the signature Dante Martini and the Olive 2018.

The Light House

1-6 October

Day session: 11am-4pm

Evening session: 5.30pm-10.30pm

Location: The Lighthouse, 5-7 Grape Street, WC2H 8DW

Tonic producer The London Essence Company will host six leading guest bartenders as part of its immersive pop-up The Light House, which aims to showcase low-abv drinks. Bartenders taking part include Erik Lorincz, former head bartender at The Savoy’s American Bar; Ago Perrone, master mixologist at The Connaught; Vasilis and Nikos from The Clumsies in Athens; Antonio Lai from Quinary, Hong Kong; Ricardo Nava from Licoreria Limantour in Mexico; and London Essence UK brand ambassador, Andrea Brulatti.

The Tennessee Sessions

2 October

12pm-4pm

Location Behind The Bike Shed, Bike Shed Motorcycle Club, 384 Old St, EC1V 9LT

Ahead of the Tennessee Calling cocktail competition, Jack Daniel’s will host a day of inspirational and education seminars presented by leading industry luminaries. LCW founder Hannah Sharman-Cox and director of PR and marketing at The Dead Rabbit, Rebekkah Dooley, will talk about entrepreneurialism and how to create a great brand.

Dead Rabbit beverage director Jillian Vose and Erik Lorincz will discuss creativity and the art involved in making that perfect drink, and finally Jack Daniel’s assistant master distiller Chris Fletcher will talk about focusing on both consistency and quality.

Discover Japanese rum with Ryoma

2 October

6.30pm-9.30pm

Location: Shochu Lounge at Roka, 37 Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia, London, W1T 1RR

Japanese restaurant Roka will play host to Ryoma, one of the oldest producers of Japanese rum. Crafted from sugar cane grown on the island of Shikoku, the distillate is aged in oak barrels for seven years. Ryoma brand ambassador Jonny Fowle will take guests though a tasting of the rum, along with a selection of cocktails.

Marian Beke on sustainability

3 October

12pm-2pm

Location: Jagermeister ‘Der Wald’ Bar, Big Chill Brick Lane, Dray Walk, London, E1 6QL

Meet The Gibson owner Marian Beke as he discusses the industry’s hot topic of the moment – sustainability. Beke will examine practical ways to move from plastic as well as tips on how to reduce waste through closed-loop cocktails.

The Ultimate Dinner Party Aussie Style

2-6 October

7pm-11pm

Location: 16 Cotton’s Gardens, London, E2 8DN

Join Australian whisky Starward for an evening of Michelin star Aussie food, cocktails and laid-back beats in a factory in the heart of London’s Shoreditch. Starward will showcase its Melbourne-inspired cocktail list and has teamed up with ex-Texture Michelin-starred chef Andrew Wandless on a five-course tasting menu.

Absolut Porn Star Martini Townhouse

3-6 October

5pm-9pm

Location: 19 Greek Street, London, W1D 4DT

Pernod Ricard-owned Absolut vodka is transforming 19 Greek Street, Soho, into a multi-sensory journey of the Porn Star Martini.

The cocktail will be brought to life through taste, aroma and sensation across four floors of the building. The journey will include a bubble-filled maze and a mist-filled vanilla forest.

Hendrick’s Gin Tini Martini Bar & Orbium Parallel Universe

3-5 October

7pm-11pm

Location: Swordtail Studios, 2083 Acton Mews, London E8 4DG

Hendrick’s is celebrating minuscule Martinis with three nights of takeovers hosted by internationally renowned bartenders from venues such as Dukes Bar, The London Edition, Employees Only, Sweet Liberty, Kinly Bar, and Schumann’s Bar.

Elements of Islay

4 October

18.30pm-19.45pm

Location: Bull In A China Shop, 196 Shoreditch High Street, London, E1 6LG

Whisky lovers can explore the Scottish island of Islay with the rare opportunity to taste through four new small-batch single malts from Elements of Islay – Bn7, Cl11, Lp9 and Pl5. Bull in a China Shop’s For Peat’s Sake cocktail will be served on arrival.