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The week in pictures

On Monday, Katie Renshaw of Chicago, Illinois, was named the 2019 US Bartender of the Year at the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) World Class Finals, sponsored by Diageo.

The competition saw 15 finalists from around the country go head-to-head in a two-day, five-part challenge, which culminated at the soon-to-open Bulleit Distilling Co visitor centre in Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Renshaw will represent the US in Glasgow, Scotland, this September at the global final to compete for the 2019 World Class Bartender of the Year title.

Beam Suntory-owned Hornitos Tequila has partnered with American singer-songwriter Prince Royce to “inspire fans to take a shot at moving their music career forward”.

The competition, part of the brand’s A Shot Worth Taking campaign, is in collaboration with fundraising platform Prizeo.

Aspiring musicians aged 21+ have the opportunity to win one of three mentoring experiences with Prince Royce, including an in-studio session in Miami.

To enter, fans must visit www.prizeo.com/hornitostequila before 12 July and donate US$10 or more to LULAC, the largest and oldest Hispanic organisation in the US.

Bartenders Adam Day of Wilderness in Manchester and Scott Addison of Beast in London have won the Southern Showdown 2019 cocktail competition.

The grand final of the Southern Showdown, held on board the Dixie Queen riverboat on the Thames, saw four finalists prepare and serve their cocktails for the judges and around 300 industry guests.

For winning, Day and Addison will receive a VIP trip to New Orleans, birthplace of Southern Comfort and home of the soon-to-be-launched Sazerac House immersive cocktail experience. The winners will be guests of the brand’s distributor Hi-Spirits in July for the Tales of the Cocktail festival.

Fever-Tree is celebrating the British pub garden by rejuvenating outdoor drinking spots across the UK for the summer months as part of its G&T Garden campaign.

The brand has collaborated with 250 pubs, kitting out their outdoor spaces with pastel deck chairs and parasols, fresh herb pots and garden-themed bar tools.

In addition, Fever-Tree is bringing back the G&T Garden Tour, with a mobile G&T greenhouse bar scheduled to tour 15 of the nation’s biggest and best pub gardens.

Beam Suntory-owned Sipsmith has launched a global travel retail activation with Heinemann at Sydney International Terminal.

The activation features a English-style shop front where travellers will be able to sample Sipsmith expressions. It also includes a virtual tour of the Sipsmith distillery.

To celebrate the launch of the activation, shoppers will have the opportunity to sample and purchase Sipsmith’s Sloe Gin, which will be offered exclusively at the Heinemann Tasting Bar in Sydney for a limited time. The activation is open until 3 July.

Diageo’s single malt Scotch whisky The Singleton has launched a series of supper clubs, called Supper with a Side of Humour.

The series kicked off yesterday at Hackney Coffee Company in east London. The event will bring together The Singleton cocktails with live comedy from Jack Barry and a bespoke three-course menu prepared by Holborn Dining Room’s executive chef, Calum Franklin.

Described as a first for the brand in the UK, the series aims to “encourage consumers not to be bound by old traditions” and to consider whisky “in new ways”.

A limited number of tickets are available for the next supper club on 26 June.

Last weekend, Australian gin Brookie’s made its UK debut at the Junipalooza festival at Tobacco Docks.

Brookie’s founder Eddie Brook (pictured) manned the stand, providing samples of his Brookie’s Byron Dry and Brookie’s Byron Slow Gin to gin enthusiasts across the weekend. Brookie’s was one of five Australian gin brands at the festival.

This year marks the 6th edition of Junipalooza, where more than 60 gin distillers were in attendance, with more than 200 gins on offer between them.

Diageo’s Roe & Co Distillery in Dublin, Ireland, began production this week.

The €25 million (US$28m) distillery is based in the renovated Guinness Power House in Thomas Street, in Dublin’s historic Liberties district.

The distillery will distil 14,000 litres of whiskey in every run, with an annual maximum capacity of 500,000 litres of alcohol. The site has three copper pot stills and can run both double and triple distillation.

SB headed to Northern Ireland to visit Irish spirits producers as part of a trip organised by economic development agency Invest Northern Ireland.

A group of buyers and journalists visited the Echlinville Distillery, Northern Ireland’s first licensed distillery in more than 125 years, on Tuesday. The site produces Dunville’s Irish whiskey, Echlinville Gin, Jawbox Gin and Bán Poitín.

The group also visited the Rademon Estate Distillery in County Down, where Shortcross Gin is produced. Last year, the site tripled its production capacity following the completion of a £2.5 million (US$3.5m) expansion.

Fiona Boyd-Armstrong founded Rademon Estate Distillery in 2012 with her husband, David. The distillery is located at the couple’s historic family estate near Crossgar, County Down.

The space includes a new visitor centre, bar, gift shop and event space. SB tasted the full Shortcross Gin range, which included the brand’s new pink expression, called Rosie’s Garden Gin.

This week, The Spirits Business paid a visit to the Beaufort Bar at luxury London hotel The Savoy to sample cocktails from its latest menu.

The bar’s Music, Magic & Drama menu was launched last year and is divided into three sections, each inspired by WS Gilbert, Arthur Sullivan & Richard D’Oyly Carte – who helped build the reputation of The Savoy.

Drinks on the menu include Heard It On The Grapevine, made from Cîroc Vodka, aloe vera, Martini Ambrato vermouth, grape cordial and Rathfinny Blanc de Blancs, and Light Bulb Moments, which combines Star Of Bombay Gin, rose and strawberry kombucha, Martini Bitter, Champagne cordial and Electric Bitters.

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