The week in pictures

Diageo-owned vodka brand Cîroc headed to Milan Fashion Week to launch its collaboration with Italian fashion house Moschino.

The collaboration includes a limited edition bottle design as well as a menu of cocktails inspired by the fashion talent leading the campaign.

As part of the campaign, Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott will head up a series of global events, in which he will be joined by fashion influencers, including models Jasmine Sanders and River Viiperi, and recording artist WizKid.

Buffalo Trace tour guide Freddie Johnson, Beam Suntory CEO Matt Shattock and the late Alltech founder Dr Pearse Lyons joined the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame this week.

Johnson left a successful career as a network/operations engineer in Atlanta to join Buffalo Trace in 2002 after promising his father he would do so, meaning three generations of Johnsons have worked at the Frankfort, Kentucky, distillery.

He is known for weaving his childhood memories together with the distillery’s extensive history during his tours.

Shaun Hall, of Vice & Co in Lincoln, has been crowned the champion of this year’s Funkin Innovation competition.

Hall wowed the judges with his Waking Reality cocktail, which combined El Jimador Tequila with Ancho Reyes Verde, strawberry purée, jalapeño syrup, lime and smoked salt.

In winning the contest, Hall has bagged himself a one-year, part-time contract with Funkin, a trip to Bar Convent Berlin and £500 in cash.

This week, bar chain Mr Fogg’s announced that Londoner Jessica Last had been chosen by explorer Levison Wood to travel around the world in 80 days.

Earlier this year, the London venue announced its competition offering one person and a travel companion the chance to follow a route inspired by Jules Verne’s fictional explorer, Phileas Fogg in his Victorian novel, Around the World in 80 Days.

Last and her travel companion Charlie Wild, who together run The Travel Project blog, were chosen by Wood due to their passion for travel’.

Black Cow vodka named Bannie Kang winner of its 2018 Gold Top Cup, a zero-waste cocktail and food-pairing competition.

Kang, of Anti:Dote Bar at the Fairmont Singapore Hotel, took the title with her winning cocktail ‘The Thinker’, combining Black Cow, fermented banana water, lemon juice and Palo Cortado Sherry, which was paired with a Banana Soufflé.

Kang said: “I was inspired to call this cocktail The Thinker as I am motivated by using the by-product in its entirety, to eliminate waste.”

Dutch vodka brand Ketel One has crowned Thomas Loosli from Original Sin, London, as the winner of its Copper to Canvas cocktail competition.

Loosli wowed the judges with his serve, Note to Self, which is made from Ketel One Vodka, avocado-washed vermouth, mastic with orange blossom foam and absinthe.

He said: “The other bartenders competing were very talented and everyone came up with incredibly creative serves so to win is such a huge honour.”

This week, spirits producer Distell hosted its Malt Gallery showcase event, which celebrated the launch of six new limited edition single malts.

The event was held at TT Liquor in Shoreditch, which was transformed into an art gallery for the evening, treating each of the new malts as exhibits within a collection.

Guests enjoyed one-to-one tastings, led by Distell’s team, including distilleries manager Stephen Woodcock and Bunnahabhain distillery manager, Andrew Brown.

SB‘s Nicola Carruthers headed to the Shangri-La Hotel’s Gŏng bar in London’s The Shard for a preview of its new cocktail menu, called A Miscellany of Inventions.

The cocktail list is inspired by the creativity of inventors and is divided into five categories.

Drinks on the menu include the cinema-inspired Director’s Cut (pictured) – a combination of buttered corn, Don Julio Blanco, elderflower, lime; and the aperitif-style Cooperman, a blend of Nikka Single Barrel Whisky, melon, Ginjo Sake-infused Mastiha, and citrus.

American whiskey brand Maker’s Mark hosted a session for bartenders to learn more about the importance of wax in its production as part of its The Makers series.

The wax workshop taught bartenders to personalise wax candles, said to represent how each bottle of Maker’s Mark is hand-dipped in red wax.

The series will continue with sessions exploring the elements that go into the creation of Maker’s Mark by delving into experiences based around wheat, wax, paper and wood.

Bacardi-owned Tequila brand Patrón crowned Nicole Sykes the UK winner of its Perfectionists Cocktail Competition.

Sykes, of Satan’s Whiskers in east London, wowed the judges with her creation, called God’s Affinity. To make the cocktail, Sykes combined Patrón Silver Tequila with Martini Riserva Speciale Ambrato, pickled dry crab apple reduction and coriander seed soda, all finished with a lime zest spray.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) hosted its Annual Conference this week.

During the event, held at The Royal Institution of Great Britain in London, speakers discussed the impact of Brexit on the wine and spirits trade in the UK and a panel discussed the evolution of the buyer.

WSTA chief executive Miles Beale said: “We are delighted with how the Annual Conference went. The event takes a great deal of planning but it’s certainly worth it when you hear members saying they have learnt something new and thoroughly enjoyed the event. ”

To celebrate National Punch Day (20 September), Punch Room at the London Edition served up its Sorrel Wine punch to guests.

Made using hibiscus-infused Banks 5 Island rum, mango and pineapple shrub, lime juice, lemongrass tea and banana liqueur, the punch is described as “a fragrant and tropical punch”.

Chiltern Firehouse bartender Claudio Lucolino has triumphed in the inaugural Bulleit Frontier Cocktail Competition, held at TT Liquor in London’s Shoreditch.

Lucolino beat five other finalists for the top accolade, which included Mattia Lufrano, head bartender at the Chiltern Firehouse; Sam Boevey, group head bartender at London Cocktail Club; Matteo Carrera, group head mixologist from the Inception Group; Cosmin Tigrosso, head bartender at Nine Lives; and Jean Vital, bar manager at Disrepute.

For winning, Lucolino will travel to Berlin for the Diageo World Class Global final to witness 57 of the best bartenders from around the globe battle it out for the title, as well as visit trade show Bar Convent Berlin.

This week, coffee liqueur brand Tia Maria announced plans to launch a Guinness World Record attempt to create the world’s largest Espresso Martini.

To create the mammoth cocktail, the team will combine 286 bottles of Tia Maria, 286 bottles of vodka and 200 litres of coffee into a 2.2m tall custom-made glass, which holds 600 litres – the equivalent of 5,000 Espresso Martinis.

The attempt will take place at Sydney’s Cruise Bar on 1 October to celebrate International Coffee Day.