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The week in pictures

London’s Hayman Distillery welcomed HRH Duke of Kent to officially open the family-owned distillery.

The London distillery, which is located just four miles from where the family started distilling more than 150 years ago, was opened by the duke, who was joined by fourth and fifth generation members of the Hayman family; Christopher, James & Miranda Hayman.

The family led a guided tour of the site, which included a visit to the laboratory, the still room and the bar, which overlooks the distillery.

Mexican tiki bar Waikiki Tiki Room celebrated its first anniversary with the first of four takeovers from some of the best bars in the world.

Mexico City’s only tiki bar hosted bartenders from The Parrot Shadow, Lima, and Licorería Limantour, Mexico, and has further pop-ups planned with bartenders from London and Puerto Rico.

Waikiki Tiki Room opened in 2019 and offers drinkers an immersive tropical environment inspired by the Polynesian islands. Since opening, it has won national and international acclaim.

On Monday, SB dipped its toes into the world of motorsport at a media briefing with Bogart’s Gin producer Rokit to find out more about its motor racing sponsorships.

Rokit currently sponsors the Williams Formula One team and the Venturi Formula E team. In the upcoming women-only W Series, the producer will be the title sponsor.

During the briefing, Rokit co-founder Johnathan Kendrick announced the group would also sponsor Colombian driver Tatiana Calderon in her entry into the Japanese Super Formula series.

In another collaboration between the world of drinks and motor racing, Halewood Wines & Spirits-owned Sadler’s Brewing Co has partnered with Ginetta race driver Declan Jones.

The partnership between the pair will see Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Whiskey sponsor Jones through the 2020 Ginetta GT4 SuperCup Championship, which kicks off at Donington Park at the end of March.

Chris Dew, marketing manager at Sadler’s Brewing Co, said: “Stepping into the fast lane with Decan Jones at the BTCC weekends provides an incredible platform to showcase Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Whiskey to a huge audience of over 40,000 trackside spectators and over a million at home viewers worldwide.”

This week, London drinking den 100 Wardour St welcomed two Barcelona cocktail bars for a series of takeovers.

The team from Paradiso and Dr Stravinsky in Barcelona popped up at the London bar for one night each, serving up one-of-a-kind cocktails to drinkers in the capital.

Serves on the night included the Aire de Jalisco, made with Tequila, micro daikon, cilantro, mustard, toasted syrup, lemon, ginger, Chamberyzette, red pimiento, Chile e Canela Bitter and apple.

English singer songwriter John Newman unveiled his exclusive concierge company this week, and liqueur brand Grand Marnier was on hand to help celebrate the launch.

The event in London’s Shoreditch was attended by guests including pop group JLS, singer Olly Murs and comedian Joel Dommett.

During the evening, guests gained a first glimpse of the company’s fleet of luxury cars and were treated to a DJ set from Rudimental while they sipped Grand Marnier cocktails.

Singapore rooftop bar Smoke & Mirrors this week unveiled its latest cocktail menu, which combines classic cocktails with unusual flavours.

The Married Pony menu, developed by head bartender Jorge Conde, offers eight cocktails served in “pony” glasses, a term that refers to a small stemmed glass that can hold 142ml rather than the traditional 220ml cocktail size.

Cocktails on the menu include the Turmeric & Spritzer, which is made with Select Venezian Aperitivo, sparkling wine and turmeric, and the Cardamom & Espresso Martini, made with Old Young’s sugar cane vodka, Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur and cardamom distillate.

Hackney drinking den The Natural Philosopher has also unveiled a new drinks list, following its takeover by bartender and bar consultant Josh Powell.

Powell, who has previously worked at venues including 68 and Boston and Ladies and Gents recently acquired the London bar and has since updated its drinks list with a new menu that utilises “clean and simple flavours”.

Drinks on the bar’s new menu include Macadamia, which combines Reyka Icelandic Vodka, Salted Strawberry and Macadamia Oil, and Turmeric (pictured), which draws its inspiration from Indian Ayurvedic medicine.

London bars Lyaness and Artesian will host an all-female bartender takeover at their venues to mark International Women’s Day this Sunday.

Heading up Lyaness on Southbank is Ambre Morin (Grey Goose), Rebecca Sides (Jack Daniel’s), Metinee Kongsrivilai (Bacardi), EmmaLi Stenhouse (Discarded), Karine Cullimore (Patrón), Amanda Humphrey (Maker’s Mark), and Sasha Filimonov (Hendricks).

The mixologists will serve up seven cocktails inspired by famous women from history.

At 8:30pm, guests will be invested to take a complimentary transfer to Artesian bar at The Langham hotel to continue the celebrations.

Luxury vodka brand Beluga is inviting bartenders to enter its Signature Bartender School cocktail competition.

The Russian vodka brand is open to bartenders from seven global markets, and features a multi-stage contest that includes a pop-up bartending school.

Bartenders from the UK, Russia, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and India are invited to enter the competition to be in with the chance of winning a spot in the global final in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in September 2020.

Luxury hotel the Barcelona Edition this week unveiled a host of experiences that highlight the city’s food and beverage scene.

The three packages include a hands-on market experience, 4×4 vineyard tour and a helicopter ride over the regions vineyards.

Each experience includes a one-night stay in one of the hotel’s state-of-the-art signature rooms or suites, along with breakfast and an English-speaking tour guide.

On Tuesday, SB was lucky enough to get a first glimpse of the latest innovation from Brewdog Distilling – Inugami Shochu.

Typically made and consumed in Japan, the Scottish distillery has put its own twist on the spirit, which features botanicals such as rhubarb and ginger.

Following a select media launch, the Brewdog Distilling team, including head distillery Steven Kersley (pictured above), welcomed an excited consumer crowd, eager to learn more about Inugami Shochu, and sample the spirit in a selection of Highballs and cocktails at London bar the Roka Shochu Lounge.

The Spearhead Group and the Instituto Europeo di Design (IED) of Turin in Italy have chosen Anita Solero and Elena Frigerio as the winners of their design and packaging competition.

For the past year, IED Turin students were challenged to create an original luxury packaging design for a new spirit brand.

Winners Solero and Frigerio will both receive a €2,000 prize and a professional immersion trip to the US this summer.

Furthermore, The Spearhead Group was so impressed by all six finalists that it has decided to acquire all six designs made by the students and will be presenting them on a proprietary basis to clients this spring.

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