Hamish Smith

Have you tried the Class Bar Awards' Cocktail of the Year?

Of all the cocktails in all the bars around the UK, there can be only one Cocktail of the Year (sponsored by Lanique). For 2023 our Class Bar Awards panel said it was the Swift Irish Coffee.

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26 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

Hear all about the Specialist Bar of the Year

There was a Mexican air to our Specialist Bar of the Year (sponsored by Sipello) category, with Hacha from London winning once again.

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22 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

The man, the hat, the legend - the story of Ian Burrell

Outstanding Contribution winner at the Class Bar Awards, Ian Burrell, has dedicated his life to rum. Hamish Smith hears his story.

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22 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

CLASS Summer 2023 magazine launches

Access the digital magazine here. Not subscribed? Bartenders can sign up for a digital or hard copy here. INSIDE CLASS

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21 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

Review: Erik Lorincz's Kwant 2.0 takes CLASS' first 10/10 score

Erik Lorincz's award-winning Kwānt has finally reopened in a new location. Hamish Smith wasted no time in heading there to review.

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15 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

Who is the CBA's Bartender of the Year?

Our Bartender of the Year (sponsored by Savoia Americano) finalists are four of the best drinks-makers in the UK. Mia Kumari - at the American Bar at the Savoy of time of voting - and now Satan's Whiskers took the most votes of any across the country.

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13 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

The Class Bar Awards' Best Bar in the UK

The new Best Bar in the North category at the Class Bar Awards was off to a promising start with a strong list of contenders. Schofield's in Manchester prevailed, then went on to win Best Bar in the UK.

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13 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

Check out the Class Bar Awards' New Bar of the Year

Passing Fancies took our award for Best Bar in the Midlands & East Anglia (sponsored by The Busker) and also the nationwide gong for New Bar of the Year (sponsored by Hapusa Gin).

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09 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

Hear all about the CBA's Best Bar in Scotland

In the Class Bar Awards' new Best Bar in Scotland & Northern Ireland category (sponsored by The Busker), Glasgow and Edinburgh fought it out, with Hey Palu taking the honours.

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08 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

And the Best Bar in Wales and the West is....

With bars from Cardiff, Bournemouth, Bristol and St Ives in Cornwall making up our top four, this new Wales and West category at the Class Bar Awards was very competitive, with Lab 22 prevailing.

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06 June, 2023

Hamish Smith

The CBAs' Hotel Bar of the Year 2023

With so many hotel bars in the conversation to be our favourites, making a finalists’ list of four in the Hotel Bar of the Year (sponsored by Everleaf Drinks) category is an achievement in itself.

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31 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Meet our Bar Manager of the Year

To many the biggest individual award of the Class Bar Awards, Bar Manager of the Year sponsored by Italicus, was won by James Wheeler, a finalist in the category last year.

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31 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Chelsie Bailey's first Savoy menu revealed ahead of launch

The American Bar at the Savoy has launched its new cocktail menu - the first by its new head bartender Chelsie Bailey.

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24 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Class Bar Awards winners announced

CLASS magazine has announced its highly anticipated CLASS Bar Awards 2023, with bars from Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and London taking the largest share of awards.

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23 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Review: Velvet at Corinthia London

Velvet was one of the big launches of the last six months. Hamish Smith dropped by this spring to review Corinthia London's latest bar.

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23 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

World Class GB announces top 10 finalists

Diageo GB has announced the top 10 finalists of its 2023 World Class competition.

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11 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Chairman's Reserve's Spice Lab comp opens for entries

Chairman’s Reserve Rum has announced the return of its competition: The Chairman’s Spice Lab.

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11 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

International spotlight: Class explores Himkok in Oslo

Continuing our series of spotlights on pioneering international bars, Hamish Smith visits Himkok in Oslo, Norway. Bar manager Maroš Dzurus talks us through what makes this bar so different.

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10 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Julio Bermejo: how I make the Tommy's Margarita

Hamish Smith gets the full skinny on the Tommy’s Margarita from the creator himself, Julio Bermejo.

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04 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Jack Sotti partners with Watson family to launch Chablis-inspired gin

Drinks consultant Jack Sotti has partnered with Alex Watson, actress sister Emma Watson and winemaker father Chris Watson to launch the Chablis-inspired gin, Renais, this summer.

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03 May, 2023

Hamish Smith

Matthew Dakers to open 11th & Social in Norwich

London bartender Matthew Dakers is to open his first venue, 11th & Social, in Norwich.

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27 April, 2023

Hamish Smith

Fortnum & Mason's revamped bar to allow guests to create cocktails

Fortnum & Mason in London is to relaunch its third-floor bar 3’6 on May 1st, and in doing so will throw open the cocktail-making process to its guests.

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19 April, 2023

Hamish Smith

The best brandies from the BBAs 2023

Now in its sixth year, the Bartenders' Brand Award is our annual product testing - by bartenders, for bartenders. First up in our serialised results is the top-five products in the brandy category.

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20 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

The best American whiskies from the BBAs 2023

Next up in the BBAs 2023 is a big one in the bar world - American Whiskey. Here's how it went...

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20 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

The BBAs 2023 - how does it work?

The Bartenders' Brand Awards 2023 results are in but how does the competition work? Hamish Smith takes us through the bartender-led judging process.

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20 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

"The Dorchester has awoken" writes Hamish Smith in his review of the hotel's new Vesper Bar

Hamish Smith heads to The Dorchester and the grande dame hotel's new semi-themed Vesper Bar.

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17 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

Seamless: the story of Connaught Bar's quest for greatness as it turns 15

For the Connaught Bar, excellence has become the daily routine. Hamish Smith catches up with Ago Perrone, Maura Milia and Giorgio Bargiani to understand better how, after 15 years of the bar, the guest experience only gets better.

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16 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

CLASS Spring 2023 edition launches

Access the digital magazine here. Not subscribed? Bartenders can sign up for a digital or hard copy here. Inside this issue

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16 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

McCluskey leaves Bon Vivant Group

Stuart McCluskey has left Edinburgh-based Bon Vivant Group, which he founded in 2008.

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14 March, 2023

Hamish Smith

Leeds’ Hedonist Bar closes

Leeds’ Hedonist Bar has closed its doors, the venue’s social media announced on Saturday.

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13 March, 2023