The week in pictures

Diageo-owned Canadian whisky brand Crown Royal was in New York this week with The Vampire Diaries actor Kat Graham to celebrate the launch of its latest expression.

Graham and Crown Royal celebrated the launch of the brand’s new peach-flavoured whisky during an event at New York’s NoMo Kitchen.

During the event, Graham and other guests enjoyed samples of the whisky and tasted a host of Crown Royal Peach signature serves.

To celebrate St Patrick’s Day (17 March), Jameson Irish whiskey gave a group of friends the “trip of a lifetime” with an expedition to Norway.

The group travelled to the most northerly inhabited area on the globe, which was marked by the co-ordinates 17° longitude 80° latitude – a tribute to the year John Jameson set up his distillery in Dublin, Ireland.

The friends, hailing from Ireland, India and Argentina, trekked over frozen terrain and took part in snowmobile races, husky rides and ice cave climbing. Once they reached their destination, the group raised a glass and toasted St Patrick’s Day

Newly-opened New York bar Mister Paradise also celebrated the patron saint of Ireland this week with an event hosted by Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey.

Global brand ambassador Tony Carroll kicked-off the celebrations at the East Village bar, where guests enjoyed Knappogue Castle cocktails and samples of the Irish whiskey.

Attendees were also able to sample the brand’s newest release from its Cask Finish Series – The Château Pichon Baron and Marsala wine cask expressions.

This week, The Spirits Business headed to The Hollywood Arms in Chelsea, London, for the latest round of The Global Spirits Masters blind-tasting competition.

A panel of experts tasted their way through expressions across the Cognac and brandy categories, awarding Silver, Gold and Master medals to the best liquids.

Keep an eye out for all the results from the competition in the May edition of The Spirits Business magazine.

Bristol-based bartender Chelsie Bailey has been named UK winner of the 2019 Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition after impressing the judges with her Rum Reverie cocktail.

Bailey, originally from Slough, used Bacardi Reserva Ocho rum, cream Sherry, apricot liqueur, lemon and orange zest to create her drink, which has earned her a spot at the global final in Amsterdam in May.

Bailey said: “I’m absolutely honoured to have been selected to represent the UK in this year’s global Legacy final in Amsterdam. To even have made it to the UK final and compete against such accomplished bartenders felt like a huge achievement so I’m really excited to have the chance to take Rum Reverie all the way.”

London bar and restaurant Brasserie of Light has celebrated the arrival of spring with the launch of a new limited edition cocktail.

Inspired by the arrival of the cherry blossom season in Japan, The Sakura cocktail has been made with Hibiki Harmony, Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur, Martini Reserva Rubino and Peychaud’s bitters; finished with a spritz of cherry blossom aromatics and garnished with cherries and edible flowers.

The London venue is also serving up its Cherry Blossom Dessert, which combines cherry parfait, candy floss and delicate flower petals.

This year’s Fife Whisky Festival has been hailed a success with more than 600 whisky lovers in attendance and two sold-out tasting sessions.

The festival, now in its second year, saw more than 30 exhibitors gather at The Corn Exchange, Cupar, including Springbank, Inver House Distillers, Adelphi and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Fife Whisky Festival, which will return in 2020, also raised nearly £500 for Age Concern in Cupar with a raffle.

SB headed to the 32nd floor of The Shard on Tuesday night to join Arbikie for a special celebratory dinner at London restaurant Oblix.

The four-course feast, paired perfectly with bespoke Arbikie cocktails – created by bartender Aaron Masonde and his team – celebrated the launch of Arbikie Highland Rye Whisky – Scotland’s first rye in more than 100 years.

Arbikie co-founder John Stirling had no shortage of knowledge and passion for the brand to share with guests, as they sipped the night away above the twinkling London skyline.

Robyn Wilkie has been appointed the new bar manager at London bar, deli and off-licence Liquorette.

New Yorker Wilkie, brings with her nearly 10 years’ experience in the bar industry, having previously held positions at The London Edition Hotel, The Curtain and London Cocktail Club.

Maggie Rouder, hospitality brand manager at Liquorette, said: “Robyn is extremely well respected in the industry and brings a lot of relevant experience to our brand. We are a relatively new concept in London and are already putting ourselves on the map in terms of offering an exceptional and accessible cocktail experience – with Robyn at the forefront, this will continue to grow.”

Yorkshire gin and whisky distillery Cooper King has donated more than £1,000 (US$1,300) to the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) to plant 115 new trees to mark International Day of Forests.

North Yorkshire-based Cooper King Distillery, which was founded by Dr Abbie Neilson and Chris Jaume, is committed to using locally and ethically sourced produce where possible.

The donation will be the distillery’s third to the YDMT as it strives to plant trees for every bottle of gin sold.