News

Spirited Awards: UK bar figures recognised / Alquímico wins world's best bar

Alquímico in Colombia was named World's Best Bar at Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards in New Orleans, while UK media, bars and figures were also recognised.

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by Hamish Smith
29 July, 2024

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Funkin Cocktails celebrates 25 years with return of Heritage Cocktail Competition

FUNKIN COCKTAILS, the UK’s number one cocktail brand, is relaunching its Heritage Cocktail competition as the brand marks its 25th anniversary in 2024.

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by Sponsored Content
29 July, 2024

News

Maison Ferrand completes acquisition of Identity Drinks

Maison Ferrand has announced that it has acquired UK-based distributor Identity Drinks marking the launch of Maison Ferrand UK.

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by Oli Dodd
25 July, 2024

News

Bex Almqvist returns to the UK with aquavit and Nordic gin

Former London bartender and brand ambassador Bex Almqvist has launched an aquavit and gin in the UK through distributor Speciality Drinks.

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by Hamish Smith
22 July, 2024

News

Andy Loudon announced director of bars at Rosewood London

Andy Loudon has become director of bars at Rosewood London, whose flagship venue Scarfes Bar is among The World’s 50 Best Bars.

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by Hamish Smith
18 July, 2024

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Introducing the GB Schweppes brand ambassador team

Schweppes understands the importance of advocacy and training at this crucial time for the industry and launches their nationwide brand ambassador program. Partnering with great bars and bartenders through collaboration, education and innovation is at the very heart of Schweppes.

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by Sponsored Content
18 July, 2024

News

Swift Borough launches South of the River menu

Swift Borough has launched its first new menu since opening in 2022, ‘South of The River’, which is available in its basement bar The Back Pocket.

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by Hamish Smith
12 July, 2024

News

London Cocktail Week becomes not-for-profit

In its 15th year, London Cocktail Week has become a not-for-profit business following a successful soft launch of the initiative in 2023.

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by Oli Dodd
12 July, 2024

News

Non-abv agave spirit Almave Blanco launches in the UK

Mangrove Global has launched Almave Blanco, an alcohol-free alternative to tequila co-created by Formula 1’s Lewis Hamilton and Mexican Spirits Group, Casa Lumbre.

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by Hamish Smith
12 July, 2024

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What to expect from Manchester Rum Festival 2024

Manchester Rum Festival takes place next month - the event's organiser Dave Marsland fills us in on what he has planned.

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by Hamish Smith
12 July, 2024

News

The UK bar industry shines in Bar World 100 list

The UK bar industry has shone in Drinks International’s recently published Bar World 100 in association with Perrier, contributing 17 names to the list of influential figures, including Monica Berg who polled in first place.

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by Hamish Smith
04 July, 2024

News

Imbibe Live to make way for BCB London

Imbibe Live takes place for the last time this week, with organiser RX announcing plans to relaunch the on-trade show under the banner of BCB.

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by Hamish Smith
01 July, 2024

News

Wacky Wombat temporarily closes

Nico de Soto's Wacky Wombat in Soho has been forced to close after its team resigned, CLASS understands.

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by Hamish Smith
01 July, 2024

News

Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston depart Swift as Coral Anderson steps up

Mia Johansson and Bobby Hiddleston, who co-founded Swift with Roisin Stimpson and Edmund Weil, are to leave the London bar group this summer, CLASS can exclusively reveal.

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by Hamish Smith
01 July, 2024

News

50 Best menu award applications open

Applications are now open for the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award for The World’s 50 Best Bars 2024.

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by Hamish Smith
28 June, 2024

News

Avallen founders launch sustainability consultancy

The founders of Avallen Spirits, the owner of Avallen Calvados, Stephanie Jordan-Balmforth and Tim Etherington-Judge, have announced a new consultancy company.

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by Eleanor Yates
28 June, 2024

News

Viajante87 to stage three international takeovers at the same time

West London’s Viajante87, the bar led by Pietro Collina and Veronica Di Pietrantonio, has announced a takeover event across three bars in three different countries on the same night.

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by Oli Dodd
26 June, 2024

News

Hoot the Redeemer to close

Edinburgh bar Hoot the Redeemer will close its doors for the final time on January 1st 2025.

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by Hamish Smith
26 June, 2024

News

UK spirits sales down, says IWSR

Spirits volumes declined by 5% in the UK last year amid excise duty changes, the cost-of-living crisis, and a trend towards moderation according to a new report from IWSR.

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by Oli Dodd
20 June, 2024

News

UKHospitality backs Labour's hospitality plan

UKHospitality has backed Labour's plans to replace the business rates system and cut energy bills should the party be elected into government in July.

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by Hamish Smith
20 June, 2024

News

Cressida Lawlor launches The Quest for Queer docu-series

Sexy Fish’s Cressida Lawlor has collaborated with Monkey Shoulder to produce a documentary that explores the experiences of LGBTQIA+ bartenders in the UK cocktail bar industry.

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by Hamish Smith
19 June, 2024

News

UK bars and bartenders among Spirited Awards' finalists

A slew of UK bars and bartenders have been nominated as finalists in Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards 2024, with Kevin Armstrong's Satan's Whiskers and Remy Savage and Paul Lougrat's A Bar with Shapes for a Name both competing for Best International Bar.

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by Hamish Smith
18 June, 2024

News

PJ Jaurre joins DrinksOne

PJ Jaurre has joined the DrinksOne team as the head of Luxury Brands working on Porte Noire Brands, the soon to be launched Papa Salt Gin and Onikishi Japanese Whisky.

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by Hamish Smith
14 June, 2024

News

Chockie Tom takes ambassadorial role

Mr Black Coffee Liqueur has appointed Chockie Tom its new UK brand ambassador.

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by Hamish Smith
14 June, 2024

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Franklin & Sons' Paloma Showdown

Franklin & Sons reports back from its Paloma Showdown.

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by Sponsored Content
12 June, 2024

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What's on at Imbibe Live 2024?

Imbibe Live, the UK's premier event for the drinks industry, promises to captivate and educate attendees with an array of newly curated content.

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by Sponsored Content
07 June, 2024

News

Gaucho's Latin-inspired drinks “finest of any restaurant group in the UK"

Gaucho has revealed its new menu, The Spirit of Argentina, claiming it to be among the best cocktail lists by a UK restaurant group.

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by Hamish Smith
07 June, 2024

News

Kiki Lounge unveils new modernist tropical cocktail menu

Tropical bar Kiki Lounge on the Isle of Man has unveiled its latest cocktail list, Menu Zine Issue 3.

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by Hamish Smith
07 June, 2024

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Master of Malt Trade announces Clubman Trophy winner

Nick Collier, bar supervisor at Brighton Rocks, has taken Master of Malt's inaugural Clubman Trophy, after receiving several nominations.

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by Sponsored Content
06 June, 2024

News

Danilo Frigulti wins World Class GB

Danilo Frigulti from Viajante87 bar in London has won the World Class GB finals, and will go on to represent Great Britain at the global finals in Shanghai in September.

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by Eleanor Yates
05 June, 2024