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What’s on this weekend

As the long Easter weekend rolls around, we’ve sourced the best online workshops, podcasts and live-streamed tastings from across the drinks world to keep you entertained.

Appleton Estate rum will host the The Experiential Tasting Club

From cocktail-making masterclasses to immersive distillery tours, the drinks industry has unveiled a host of exciting activations to keep drinkers entertained as they are forced indoors as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

With socialising now firmly in the digital realm, we round up the top online activities that could spruce up your social life this Easter weekend.

From virtual whisky tastings to a host of new podcasts, the drinks sector has a range of exciting events to keep you entertained over the coming days.

Click through the following pages to find out about some of our favourite events taking place online.

Know of another online event in the pipeline? Let us know in the comments section.

Bring a Bottle

Drinks experts Colin Hampden-White, Helena Nicklin and Adrian Smith have launched their first podcast series, Bring a Bottle.

Available to stream on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, Bring a Bottle sees The Three Drinkers share drinking secrets and stories from their careers as journalists and TV presenters.

The first series includes five episodes, which will feature tales of frost-bitten toe cocktails, crumpet beer and a game of “guess what grape this is”. Perfect listening material for the long bank holiday weekend.

Drink X

Drink X is a new podcast from drink-printing firm Ripples that aims to explore the “evolving nature of drink occasions”.

Drink X will offer different perspectives from across the drinks industry as it discusses evolving consumer experiences and the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Ripples CEO Yossi Meshulam said: “As on-trade remains at a standstill and events continue to be cancelled, we are launching the Drink X podcast to fill industry voids that have opened since the widespread outbreak of covid-19. We want to bring relevant industry stakeholders together to see how we can continue spreading positivity during this period.”

Slingsby Sofa Session

English gin brand Slingsby is continuing its Sofa Sessions series with a cocktail masterclass this evening (9 April).

Hosted by one of the brand’s resident mixologists, the Slingsby Sofa Session will feature two live cocktail-making demonstrations, including tips on how to prepare a Gin Mule and Breakfast Martini.

Taking place on Instagram and Facebook from 6pm BST, viewers will be able to ask questions through the broadcast and the required ingredients for each cocktail are available on the brand’s Facebook page.

House Lock Down

Rum and bitters producer Angostura kicked off its House Lock Down social media series this week, which airs on Instagram at 5pm CET Monday to Friday.

The House of Angostura has partnered with distributor Artisan Spirits and its global brand ambassador network to launch the campaign, which offers positive thinking tips, fitness techniques and guest appearances.

Every Friday, the House Lock Down series will also welcome a mystery guest, not one of the brand’s ambassadors but an “industry icon with a close relationship to the House of Angostura”.

At Home With Fenjiu

Cheng International, UK distributor of Fenjiu baijiu, will launch its At Home with Fenjiu series on Friday (10 April).

The eight-part series, which will be broadcast on Instagram at 1pm BST tomorrow, is designed to educate people on baijiu.

At Home with Fenjiu will include an introduction to the brand, a masterclass on how to drink Fenjiu and a cocktail-making masterclass.

Music to Make You Happy

Not-for-profit social enterprise Healthy Hospo will kick off its Music to Make You Happy series tomorrow.

Launching on the organisation’s Facebook page at 7pm BST tomorrow (10 April), the series features curated Spotify playlists from bar professionals around the world.

Featuring exclusively “music that makes you happy”, the series includes playlists curated by Nico de Soto, Metinee Kongsrivilai, Gareth Evans, Mohit Chopra and Hannah Lanfear. A new mix will be available every day at 7pm.

The Experiential Tasting Club

Campari-owned rum brand Appleton Estate has partnered with The Experimental Tasting Club to host a live-streamed rum tasting this week.

Kicking off on Saturday at 5:30pm BST, the session aims to transport viewers to Jamaica where they will taste their way through three Appleton Estate rums.

The session, broadcast on Instagram, will also feature a quick demonstration of a simple, easy-to-mix cocktail at home.

Stay Home Tasting Experience

On Saturday (11 April), English brand Manchester Gin will host a Stay Home Tasting Experience for gin lovers to enjoy from the comfort of their living room.

Kicking off on Facebook and Instagram at 8pm BST, the interactive experience will allow gin drinkers to experience the distillery’s guided tasting without stepping outside their homes.

The one-hour ‘stay home’ tasting experience will be live-streamed on Manchester Gin’s social channels for gin-lovers to learn about the process and botanicals behind the brand’s range.

Smokehead TV

Islay Scotch whisky brand Smokehead will launch its new Smokehead TV series of tastings, masterclasses and talks this week.

Kicking off on Sunday at 5pm BST, Smokehead TV will premiere with a tasting hosted by Smokehead brand ambassador Mikey Sim and custom Ducati motorcycle mechanic Tyler Lunceford, creator of The Smoker Ducati motorbike.

The broadcast will feature a tasting of the original Smokehead whisky, as well as tips on how to craft simple-to-make Whisky Sour and Boilermaker serves.

Whisky Unscripted

Family-owned Ian Macleod Distillers has a host of online offerings lined up for spirits fans this weekend, with the launch of its Whisky Unscripted podcast and an exclusive live tasting on Facebook.

The first episode of the Whisky Unscripted podcast is hosted by global brand ambassador Gordon Dundasand and offers “a fun and informative guide to the whisky industry”.

Meanwhile at the Tamdhu distillery, distillery manager Sandy MacIntyre will host an exclusive Facebook Live tasting of four whiskies in its range. Taking place on Tuesday (14 April) at 7pm BST, the tasting will feature Tamdhu 12, 15, Batch Strength 004 and the Distillery Manager’s Single Cask.

Exploring Flavour with BenRiach

After hosting the first instalment last night (8 April), BenRiach and The GlenDronach’s master blender, Rachel Barrie, and global brand ambassador, Stewart Buchanan, will return next week for a live-streamed whisky tasting.

Taking place on Wednesday (15 April) at 8pm BST, the live-streamed tasting will be a chance to learn more about the traditional whisky-making process that takes place at the GlenDronach Highland distillery

The tasting will be available to view at @GlenDronach on Instagram Live.

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