The week in pictures

Campari-owned Skyy vodka has kicked off its partnership with the New York and Los Angeles Pride marches.

As the official vodka of the LGBT+ festivals, Skyy will host activations at each march and throughout Pride month.

In honour of the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, the vodka brand has partnered with a host of performers in New York to pay tribute to the people and history that have shaped LGBTQ+ culture today.

This week, Singapore bar Native hosted a three-day takeover at London bar Lyaness.

The Singapore bar team brought a host of exotic ingredients to the London bar to mix up their signature serves and a selection of collaborative cocktails created by bartenders from Lyaness and Native.

SB headed down to the bar on Wednesday to sample the cocktails, including the Paranakan, a Native signature made with jackfruit-infused rum, laksa leaves, goat milk, candlenuts and gula melaka.

Elderflower liqueur brand St-Germain headed to Brooklyn this week to debut its third annual Maison St-Germain activation.

For this year’s activation, St-Germain partnered with design firm The Manscapers to create a floating meadow, which was unveiled in Brooklyn on Thursday (20 June).

The launch of Maison St-Germain was attended by a host of stars, including actor Maggie Gyllenhaal (pictured), Real Housewives of New York City star Barbara Kavovit and model Shanina Shaik.

SB’s deputy editor, Melita Kiely, swapped the office for Speyside this week to visit new gin and vodka distillery Glenrinnes.

Situated against a backdrop of Scotland’s rolling hills at the foot of the Ben Rinnes, the distillery officially launched its Eight Lands gin and vodka brand last week.

Over two days, distillery co-founder Alex Christou, distiller Katrina Stewart, and operations and distillery manager Meeghan Murdoch offered an in-depth look at the production process of both organic spirits, a tour of the estate and a trip to the peak of Ben Rinnes.

New London bar Gigi’s Hoxton opened its doors this week with an evening of canapés and cocktails to offer visitors a taste of the new bar.

Opened by Giovanna Hussain, the new London bar will serve up contemporary food and cocktails alongside DJ sets and live music.

Gigi’s Hoxton features an “industrial and colourful design” said to reflect the style of its owner.

English gin and vodka producer Chase hosted Rock the Farm at its Herefordshire Farm earlier this month.

The farm welcomed more than 1000 drinks industry guests and featured a lineup of live music and DJs alongside masterclasses from the likes of Fever Tree and Healthy Hospo.

Rock the Farm also featured the final of the Chase Cup, which saw George Cook of Dinner by Heston crowned the winner of the global cocktail competition.

Amaro Montenegro has launched its 2019 cocktail competition, which challenges bartenders to create drinks inspired by friendship, conviviality and the human spirit.

Bartenders hoping to enter the contest have until 15 July to submit their entries, with regional heats taking place in London and Manchester this September.

Rudi Carraro, global brand ambassador at Gruppo Montenegro, said: “The Vero Bartender Competition is our way of encouraging bartenders to celebrate the joy of sharing, through their cocktail creations, whilst recognising those bartenders who create and support their communities by pushing the boundaries of flavour and true creativity.”

last week, SB headed to the Ramsbury estate to find out more about the English gin, vodka and beer producer.

While visiting the distillery and brewery, SB was given a tour of the 19,000-acre Wiltshire estate, tried its hand at clay pigeon shooting, found out more about the farming practices at the site and learned about the brand’s gin and vodka production.

After a packed day of activities, SB was treated to a dinner at The Bell pub and restaurant that highlighted the ingredients produced on the estate.

Survivor, a new dietary supplement said to mitigate the effects of alcohol, hosted a launch event in London this week.

Hosted by drinks writer Douglas Blyde, the event saw guests sample cocktails and canapés alongside the Survivor supplement to see if they could experience its affects.

Over the course of the evening, guests were treated to drinks including the Survivor Red Bloody Mary served with truffled sausage roll and a Stroh Bomb, made with Red Bull and accompanied by a salted caramel profiterole.

A team of bartenders from Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood hotel in London travelled to New York to host a pop-up at cocktail bar The Dead Rabbit.

Bartenders from Scarfes hosted an evening of signature serves at the New York drinking den, where they mixed up four cocktails from the bar’s latest menu – including cocktails inspired by the Spice Girls and Luciano Pavarotti.  

While in New York, Scarfes mixed up the Aretha Franklin-inspired Memphis Punch, which combines “high-energy flavours” such as Bourbon, barbecue, grilled corn, kola and marshmallow

It was a busy week for team SB as it headed out to new London bar Tayēr + Elementary to find out more about the new venue from Monica Berg and Alex Kratena.

Opening in London’s Old Street, the new bar is the first solo venture from the two bartenders and is divided into two spaces; Elementary, a “casual all-day” bar serving simple drinks and snacks; and Tayēr, a “progressive bar focused on what’s inside the glass and on the plate”.

While visiting the new bar, SB was treated to cocktails in both Tayēr and Elementary, and also enjoyed a taste of the bar’s food offering, which has been created by London’s TaTa Eatery.

Amber Beverage Group’s Rooster Rojo Tequila was on hand at the premiere of new action thriller Avengement, which stars British actor and martial artist Scott Adkins.

Ahead of the film’s premiere, Rooster Rojo served up cocktails created specifically for the event, including The Avengement cocktail – a combination of Rooster Rojo Blanco, Italicus Liqueur, grapefruit, lime, sparkling water and a pinch of salt.

SB headed to The Kimpton Fitzroy Hotel in London this week to sample a selection of cocktails on the menu at its cocktail bar, called Fitz’s Bar.

While visiting the hotel bar, SB sampled the St Martins, made with Jensen’s Old Tom Gin, Bathtub Sloe Gin, Southdown Traditional Mead, Tío Pepe Fino Sherry, hops and almond; and the Orlando, made with Plantation Pineapple Rum, lime, bay leaf, cucumber, Bloomsbury Pastis and IPA.