The week in pictures

The 8th annual Arizona Cocktail Weekend kicks off today (15 February).

The annual cocktail celebration features a host of informative seminars, exclusive tastings, pool parties and more.

Events taking place over the weekend include the final of the Last Slinger Standing cocktail competition, plus tastings and parties from Grey Goose and House of Suntory.

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, London bar and restaurant 100 Wardour Street created two signature cocktails that were served to diners at the venue.

100 Wardour Street mixed up the Cupid’s Arrow, made from Belvedere Lake Bartezek, Ratafia Fortified Berry Wine, Maraschino Liqueur, absinthe and Peychaud’s bitters with homemade citric foam, and the Chocolat, which combined Belvedere Smogory Forest, Tia Maria, Mozart Dark Chocolate Liqueur, Angostura, tonka bean and chocolate bitters, smoked salt with popping candy dusting.

Staying in the Valentine’s spirit, botanically brewed mixer Fentimans partnered with Duck & Dry to create its Love Yourself menu.

First Dates bartender Merlin Griffiths was at the Oxford Circus hair salon mixing up the Fentimans Rose Spritz, which is made with Fentimans Rose Lemonade, Prosecco and strawberries served in a wine glass filled with ice.

Diageo-owned Captain Morgan has partnered multi-sensory design agency Bompass & Parr to launch its Lost Lagoon experience in London.

The “boat-based rum quest” has taken over a space in London’s Shepherds Bush and offers imbibers the chance to explore an underground lake.

The experience, which runs for three months, also features a host of rum-based cocktails created by renowned London bar Scout.

London-based No. 3 Gin has launched its third annual cocktail competition, with an all-expenses-paid trip to Hong Kong up for grabs.

Round one of this year’s challenge invites the UK’s best bartenders to create a modern twist on a 20th century cocktail using No. 3 Gin.

Bartenders hoping to compete in the competition should contact their local FMV representative before 28 February.

Diageo-owned Irish whiskey brand Roe & Co has launched its Spirit of Reinvention competition, which offers bartenders in Ireland the chance to become an honorary Roe & Co brand ambassador for one year.

To enter the competition, bartenders should upload an image of a Roe & Co highball serve to Instagram, listing the ingredients and method in the caption. They should also tag @RoeAndCoWhiskey and use the hashtag #SpiritToReinvent before 8 March 2019.

The top five serves across Ireland will go through to city heats taking place across Dublin, Cork, Galway and Belfast before the finals take place in Cork and Dublin on 14 and 15 April 2019.

Renowned London cocktail bar Duck & Waffle announced it would be opening 24/7 this week.

The bar, perched on the 40th floor of Heron Tower, has become well known for its innovative cocktails developed by Duck & Waffle’s head of cocktail development, Rich Woods.

Although the restaurant at Duck & Waffle has operated 24-hours a day since it opened, the bar did not – until now.

This week, London bar Skylon unveiled a new menu of sparkling cocktails, called Cloud9. Created in partnership with Champagne brand Laurent-Perrier, the menu features three sparkling cocktails including the the Cotton Cloud, which is made with wild berry cordial, rose perfume and Laurent-Perrier La Cuvée served in a Champagne coupe with a pink cotton candy ball.

Alongside the menu of cocktails, Skylon has unveiled an “uplifting” installation of illuminated cloud formations, sun spheres, paper peonies and lanterns suspended from the central bar.

This week, Scottish crystal producer Glencairn hosted Jackson Carlaw, Conservative MSP for Eastwood and interim leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, and Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland.

The visit was organised as part of the brand’s drive to discuss opportunities and challenges faced by the family-owned businesses.

Carlow and Simpson were given a tour of the Glencairn workshop, whilst talking about tackling Glencairn Glass counterfeiting and the need for government assistance with export opportunities.

This week, SB’s deputy editor Melita Kiely headed to Soho to sample the latest cocktail shake-up at award-winning bar Swift.

Designed to evoke emotions, the new cocktail list is split into four sections: Bright, Delicate, Stiff and Rich.

New offerings include the Jackdaw, made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Clos Martin Armagnac, Swift Jamaican rum, honey and allspice, and the Casbah, made with Amrut single malt Indian whisky, Longrow peated Scotch whisky and eastern spiced carrot syrup.

This week, Bacardi-owned Bombay Sapphire reimagined famed New York bar Max’s Kansas City with the star-studded opening of its new pop-up.

The pop-up, called Frieze LA aims to emulate Max’s Kansas City, which was frequented by stars including late singer David Bowie.

At the bar’s opening night, singer-songwriter Rita Ora and Titanic star Billy Zane were on hand to celebrate the launch of the immersive new venue.

SB‘s Amy Hopkins travelled to Dublin this week to visit Jameson Bow Street to celebrate the launch of the second batch of the Irish whisky maker’s cask strength 18-year-old whisky.

While in the Irish capital, SB learned about the history of Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson and its production process. The trip also included a chance to sample a number of Jameson expressions paired with different cheeses from Dublin cheesemonger Loose Canon.