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The week in pictures

Bacardi headed to Colorado this week for this year’s Seven Peaks Music Festival, where the brand helped festivalgoers relax and “enjoy a taste of the Caribbean”.

Bacardi opened its Bacardi Bay activation, which brought comfortable seating, charging stations, “heartland-inspired Instagramable moments” and cocktails to the country music festival.

At the Bacardi Bay, drinkers could enjoy the Peaks Punch, made with Bacardi Lime, watermelon liqueur and lime juice; and the Lemon Squeeze, which combined Bacardi Superior rum and lemonade.

Jose Cuervo Tradicional Tequila traveled to Manchester to host a circus-themed Tequila-filled spectacle.

Taking over Spinningfields Square in the English city, Cuervo served up signature Tequila-based serves while acts from experimental theatre group Living Room Circus wowed the assembled crowds.

Visitors to the circus-themed event could enjoy signature Tequila and tonic serves, classic Margaritas and a Candy Floss Margarita.

Spiced rum brand Kraken has unveiled a fleet of branded London buses that are taking over the capital.

The RouteMaster buses feature wraps that depict the brand’s trademark tentacles wrapping around the vehicles and appearing to crush the roof and windows.

The buses will make their way across London in the coming weeks.

Pink gin brand Pinkster sponsored the press and VIP party for the West End return of Fleabag.

Taking over The Century Club in London, Pinkster’s pop-up bar poured hundreds of G&T’s for the assembled guests, including Fleabag writer and star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sherlock actor Andrew Scott and Killing Eve star Sandra Oh.

Waller-Bridge was performing Fleabag at The Wyndham Theatre, with her 30-night run sold out in just eight minutes.

Nick Gordon from Orchid in Aberdeen triumphed in this year’s Monkey Shoulder’s 2019 Ultimate Bartender Championship, walking away with £1,500 (US$1,845) and the coveted Golden Pineapple Trophy.

Gordon said: “Having been crowned the global champion of Monkey Shoulder’s Ultimate Bartender Championship last year, I was buzzing to take part in the competition this year. Winning the UK final, and being the current leader of the global leader board for a second year is an unbelievable feeling, and proves that Scottish hospitality is second to none.”

Regional heats took place in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee, Leeds, Cardiff, London, Aberdeen and Liverpool, each serving up a local winner who took home a bottle of Smokey Monkey. The regional champions then battled it out in the grand final at Salt Dog Slims in Liverpool.

Diageo-owned vodka brand Ketel One launched its One Square Mile initiative this week, which challenged bartenders to create cocktails from ingredients sourced within a one-mile radius of their bar.

The initiative launched at Nine Lives in London, before heading to bars across the UK, including Wilderness Bar + Kitchen in Manchester and Public in Sheffield.

Ketel One hopes the scheme will encourage bartenders to source local urban produce and locally made vessels to promote locally grown, natural ingredients and reduce waste in the drinks industry.

Scotch whisky brand Glen Moray hosted an Old Fashioned-making masterclass in London this week.

Hosted at the Union Club in Soho, the evening was lead by spirits experts Neil Ridley and Joel Harrison, they were joined by Kirsty Mainprize, Glen Moray UK marketing manager.

Employees from Macallan and Highland Park owner Edrington collected more than £28,000 (US$34,430) for charity after zip-lining across the River Clyde in Glasgow.

Seven Edrington employees took part in the challenge, which involved climbing up a 150ft platform before zip-lining across the Scottish river.

Funds raised as a result of the activity will be donated to Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland, which provides specialised support to children, young people and their families throughout Scotland who are affected by the lifelong conditions.

Italian liqueur brand Luxardo has partnered with bar chain The Botanist to open its Cherry Gardens Gin Bars across the UK.

The Luxardo pop-ups have opened at Botanist venues in Cheshire, Nottingham and Newcastle, serving original cocktails made with Luxardo Sour Cherry Gin or the brand’s limoncello.

Visitors to the bars will also be able to take part in cocktail masterclasses, parties and drop-in sampling sessions.

This week, SB was fortunate enough to get a sneak preview of a Michelin-starred dining experience in collaboration with Icelandic gin Martin Miller’s. From September to October, Martin Miller’s Gin will host a multisensory takeover at Scandinavian restaurant Texture, complete with tree trunks, volcanic rock, flowers, faux fur and Icelandic moss.

The dinner will pair each course with a specially curated Martin Miller’s Gin cocktail. Dishes include a starter of heirloom tomatoes, burrata, gazpacho, herbs, ‘snow’ and olives, followed by a cocktail comprising Martin Miller’s Gin, dill, lemon, fino Sherry and light tonic water.

London drinking den Fire Bar launched its September Cocktail of the Month this week, The Colour Purple.

Inspired by the novel and film of the same name, the September cocktail combines Brockmans Gin, violet liqueur, elderflower syrup and FeverTree tonic water. The cocktail has “floral notes of violet and elderflower” combined with the dark berries and botanicals flavours from the Brockmans gin.

The Fire Bar sits within Ice Bar London and offers guests a list of cocktails to enjoy with a backdrop of real flames.

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On Monday, SB headed to the Rosewood London hotel’s terrace for a preview of the latest expression from Scotch brand Glenfiddich – Grand Cru. The 23-year-old whisky is finished in French oak Grand Cuvée casks and is the first in a new series of single malts, called Grand.

Hosted by Glenfiddich’s brand ambassador for Scotland, Mark Thompson, and Glenfiddich’s England and Wales brand ambassador, Alex Walker, guests also sipped on Highballs and Old Fashioneds made with Glenfiddich Grand Cru.

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