
Campari celebrates 100 years of the Negroni
Campari is celebrating the Negroni’s 100th birthday with N100 – a series of on-trade initiatives, consumer activations and social campaigns. The iconic cocktail’s story began back in 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni entered a bar in Florence and asked for an Americano with gin instead of soda water, inspired by a recent trip to Britain. …

Patrón launches search for ‘perfectionist’ bartenders
A competition has been launched for Patrón tequila seeking bartenders who are perfectionists in making cocktails. Building on the success of the inaugural Patrón Perfectionist’s Cocktail Competition in the UK last year, it is to run in six other countries around the world for 2016. The competition challenges bartenders to invent a Patrón cocktail “worthy …

Old Forester finds winning twist in bartender competition
Steve Lawson from Mash London steakhouse and bar triumphed in a competition run for Old Forester bourbon to tie in with the anniversary of the repeal of US Prohibition. Steve (pictured left) created the Spice of My Life, mixing the bourbon with spiced apricot brandy and Noilly Prat Ambré vermouth, serving it in an old …
Salvatore marks Thanksgiving with a Playboy punch
Legendary bartender Salvatore Calabrese has created a cocktail made with rye whiskey and cranberry sauce to celebrate American Thanksgiving. At Salvatore’s bar at the Playboy Club London in Park Lane, he is offering the Thanksgiving Playboy Punch – served alongside a free slice of homemade pumpkin pie from the club’s executive chef Judy Joo. Homemade …

VIDEO: The Crystal Head Cocktail Challenge 2013
Jesse Estes (pictured) of The Luggage Room at the London Marriott Hotel Grosvenor Square won the Crystal Head Cocktail Challenge 2013 with his cocktail, Mother’s Little Helper (aka the “Danhattan”). At the competition held in London in May, Jesse impressed a panel of judges including Hollywood star Dan Aykroyd, the co-creator of Crystal Head vodka. …
Negroni twist with Grey Goose vodka by Joe McCanta
Mixologist Joe McCanta, global brand ambassador for Grey Goose vodka, transforms the classic Negroni into a French Negroni, reinventing the Italian drink with French ingredients by combining Grey Goose Vodka Le Citron, Amer Picon and Noilly Prat Rouge vermouth in equal parts.
All-natural drink wins “positive” cocktail challenge
Jay ZinZan, from Covent Garden Cocktail Club in London, has become the first regional winner in the first-ever cocktail competition for AquaRiva tequila. He won the London heat with his cocktail, The Naturally, Bubbly, Happily, Troubly, which was made with AquaRiva Reposado tequila, raspberry-infused Aperol and vanilla agave liqueur, topped with Italian prosecco. The competition …
Grasovka to shake up bison-grass vodka market in UK
Premium drinks specialist Love Drinks is to shake up the Polish bison-grass vodka category in the UK after taking on leading European brand Grasovka. The spirit, made of Polish grain vodka infused with bison grass, is 100% naturally flavoured, with no artificial colour or additives, and each bottle contains a real blade of bison grass. …