ABVs, anniversaries, age statements, percentages, small and high volume bars… This is The Numbers Issue! In our latest issue we’re delving into the fascinating, fun, baffling, intriguing and extraordinary world of numbers in the cocktail world. From the dinkiest three-seaters to crowd-pleasing 300+ capacity bars, we’ve got your every mood covered. We lift the lid on the figures that count: how to mind your ABVs. And we try keeping up with Peter Dorelli, still shaking things up in the bar world at 82, after 60 years as a bartender. We experience the super-fun and delicious One Sip Martini. And ..read more

Plus new products, a brand new bar and great chat from Colin Dunn Yes, it’s World Whisky Day on 20th May but this episode isn’t completely whisk(e)y flavoured. We’re sampling a new non-alc botanical spirit! A brand new gin! A fabulous new bar in Hackney! And a few more bits besides. We kick things off by mixing up a Black Manhattan. No, we hadn’t heard of it either but now that we’ve tried the delicious rye and amaro based cocktail, we’re definitely keeping it in our repertoire. It sets us up nicely for our two tastings – the first of which is Botivo, a bitter and herbaceous non-alcoholic aper ..read more

A trio of London vermouths, one 21 Year-old whisky, 100s of Bloody Marys + plenty more To tie-in with the latest issue of our magazine, this episode sees us going unapologetically geeky on numbers. We start with our two products: Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-Old and a series of three gorgeous artisanal products from The London Vermouth Company. The five-star Atrium Bar at the Four Seasons hotel in Florence gets our thumbs up – not just because it fits the theme but because it’s blooming gorgeous and definitely one you should have on your list if you’re Florence-bound. We then explore Bloody M ..read more

Everyone loves a Top 10 list of anything, right? But for those who make such a list, it’s completely game-changing. As the top 10 bartenders in this year’s World Class GB 2023 will no doubt confirm. Please be upstanding for the Top 10 Finalists for World Class GB 2023: Josh Linfitt – Ugly Butterfly, Cornwall Alexander Taylor – Penny Royal, Cardiff Emanuele Mensah – Lyaness Danilo Frigulti – NoMad, London Jacob Clarke – Couch, Stirchley Katie Rouse – Couch, Stirchely Hollie Bennetts – The Greenbank Hotel, Cornwall Tom Fastiggi – Schofield’s Bar, Manchester Ryan Way – Orchid, Aberdeen Matt Arnol ..read more

There’s something different and altogether rather special about this episode’s theme. It’s all about PATRÓN Tequila and more specifically about PATRÓN Perfectionists. As the name suggests it’s a celebration of the very best in tequila, education and cocktail creation. Once again the global final took place at the home of PATRÓN, the stunning Hacienda PATRÓN in Jalisco, Mexico. And we were fortunate enough to be there to follow the action and join the judging. We talk with previous global winners Giulia Cuccurrullo (2020) and Harrison Kenney (2022) about their experiences in the competition and ..read more

What’s on our agenda over the next few days? Florence Cocktail Week, that’s what. With 46 participating bars, all with three special FCW drinks on their menus (one signature, one with Italian products and one championing sustainability), that’s reason enough to be Florence-bound in our books. BUT as the week-long calendar, running from 17-23 April, is also bursting with international and Italian guest shifts, a host of parties, masterclasses, cocktail paired lunches and tours of historical cafes, we consider it positively rude not to. On the menu at Atrium Bar at Four Seasons Firenze Highlight ..read more

PATRÓN Perfectionists isn’t just another cocktail competition. It’s a program designed to stimulate, educate and motivate everyone taking part. Which goes beyond the 15 very talented global finalists. Having been on the panel of judges and mentors for this year’s series of challenges at the global final event in Mexico, we can honestly say that we’ve been inspired, too. The setting certainly helped. As stunning as the photographs of the location are, they only tell half the story. Stimulation came from everywhere – the Hacienda PATRÓN and everyone who makes up the Familia PATRÓN – including th ..read more

There’s no particular rhyme or reason for what’s on our agenda this week, save for the fact that each item has either piqued our interest or seriously rocked our boat. Product-wise we’re championing Sake Sling, a new ready-to-drink sake-based cocktail developed by the late Wayne Collins. But if you’re in the mood for something stronger, London Rye from the East London Liquor Co should definitely do the trick. Our book choice is A Sense Of Place, a veritable treasure trove of beautiful prose and stunning photography zoning in on the lesser known delights of the whisky world – and because w ..read more

We start this week’s episode with a classic cocktail recipe and end it with a modern classic – a woman who is destined to be written about in cocktail history books… But first, our products, both a little bit different… We start with Tia Maria, not the coffee version but the more recent Matcha Liqueur, then move on to Charmed Circle Strong Waters from those clever folk at the Holyrood Distillery. Our bar review sees us enjoying the New Orleans-inspired goodies at the Alligator Bar at Louie London, and we dip into the archives for our book choice this week, Tom Sandham’s The World’s Best Cockta ..read more

Annnnnd, the results are in! The Top 50 bartenders going through to the Diageo World Class GB semi-finals can be found here https://www.instagram.com/worldclassgreatbritain/?hl=en. Congratulations to all of those who made it through, including Oskar Wozniak from Be At One Newcastle, this year’s Be At One ‘Best In Glass winner’*. The standard of this year’s competitors has been really high. For those who have not made it through, please see this as a learning process, every one of you has individual feedback available and Diageo hope to see ..read more