The week in pictures
Nine teams of bartenders flocked to Moscow for the Mamont Mission II – a cocktail and food pairing competition. Tasked with creating a unique vodka cocktail to pair with a dish inspired by Mamont’s Siberian heritage. Teams boasted wetsuits, explorers’ goggles, spear guns, tents, wilderness soundtracks and a huge block of ice transported from the UK to Russia.
A magic wand was waved over Clerkenwell’s favourite gastropub, The Well, on Wednesday at the opening of Ypióca’s exotic Brazilian beach pop-up, AbraCachaça, Expert garçoms served up spellbinding cocktails with fresh and fruity flavours including including The Illusionist, made from Ypióca Prata, watermelon and sugar syrup, and Cloak & Daggers, a combination of Ypióca Prata, lychee, lime and fresh chilli. Pop down and try one for yourself, it’s open until the end of September.
As it continues to celebrate its 250th year, Hennessy launched a “virtual time capsule” installation at London St Pancras Station, inviting travellers from around the world to offer messages for the future over the course of one week. The activation – called at Time Barrel – is designed to imitate one of Hennessy’s Cognac barrels. Messages given in the capsule will be revealed in 50 years’ time, in 2065.
Further details of a new distillery on the tiny Hebridean island of Raasay were also revealed this week. The project, by Edinburgh-based R&B Distillers, was first unveiled in January this year, but the company has recently disclosed its multi-million pound plans. The company’s managing director Alasdair Day (pictured) said the development would become the island’s first legal distillery and is expected to generate employment for 11 of the island’s 120 residents.
To launch the summer series of Aperol Spritz Socials in the UK, actress and DJ Jaime Winstone surprised lucky commuters who decided to be spontaneous by boarding a mystery ‘321 Bus’ that arrived at an East London bus stop. Passengers were whisked to the Aperol Spritz Social launch event at Canary Wharf and rewarded with a DJ set from the Made in Dagenham star. More of the pop up bars will shortly arrive in Manchester, Brighton and Bristol, with a further surprise DJ yet to be announced.
William Grant & Sons awarded its UK Scholarship prize to The Whisky Shop employee Craig Moody, who works at the retailer’s Stoke branch. The scholarship, which was set up in 2014, will allow Moody to develop his knowledge through the WSET Level 2 qualification, courses to help with communications and presentation skills, event support and a visit to one of the William Grant & Sons UK distilleries.
Bombay Sapphire launched a series of travel retail activations in partnership with duty free retailer Gebr. Heinemann to promote its new brand extension Star of Bombay. Rolling out across Sydney, Frankfurt and Copenhagen before 12 additional airports, the activation will encourage shoppers to sample the bottling’s signature serve with Fever Tree Indian Tonic Water.
Alizé fruit liqueur, recently acquired by Quintessential Brands, was one of the product placements on UK reality TV show Made in Chelsea. Here, Sam Thompson makes a couple of cocktails to impress love interest Millie using Alizé Bleu, which he describes as a “beaut”.
Grey Goose vodka revealed pictures from the Cannes Film Festival, which it sponsored last week. The brand served cocktails to Hollywood stars including Naomi Watts, Sienna Miller, Matthew McConaughey, Kate Blanchett and Rooney Mara during the after parties for screenings of A Sea of Trees and Carol.
Sweet-toothed cocktail lovers celebrated the launch of Ice & Slice – an ice cream “bar” offering Prosecco, Negroni and Aperol Spritz-flavoured gelato. The Fulham venue was opened y the team from independent coffee shop Shot Espresso, which is located directly opposite the bar.
SB headed over to The Tardis event space in London for a special tasting of The Glenlivet’s new “core” travel retail, a three-strong extension of The Glenlivet Master Reserve Distiller’s Reserve. Rolling out across global duty free stores, the range includes Master Distiller’s Reserve, new Master Distiller’s Solera Vatted, and new Master Distiller’s Reserve Small Batch. Treated were treated to a tutored tasting of the range, and a delicious three-course pairing menu.
Campari made final preparations for the launch of its annual Negroni Week, starting 1 June and running until 7 June. More than 3,100 establishments from 43 different countries will participate in Negroni Week, a global philanthropy effort to raise money for a number of different charities. During the celebration of the bittersweet cocktail, participating accounts will donate a portion of proceeds to a local charity of their choice for every Negroni or Negroni-related item sold. Additionally, Campari America will donate $10,000 to the top fundraising establishment’s charity.
