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Other than Negronis, there is an ever-so slight connection to the featured items in this week's episode and it's cities beginning with the letter 'c'… First there's our recent visit to Copenhagen where we went specifically to visit Victory, a bar that’s as cosy as it is creative and one that we think you'll be hearing much more about in the future. We’ve also got something of an Irish angle or two, thanks to a recent visit to Cork for the Jameson Hosts Global Summit. We start by opening up a bottle of the rich and oh-so-smooth Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey and continue with a chat with three of the global champions of this year's Jameson Black Barrel Bartender Series Competition . What we're drinking: Old Pal 30ml Rye Whiskey 30ml dry vermouth 30ml Campari Orange or lemon twist to garnish Method: Stir ingredients over ice. Pour into chilled cocktail glasses and garnish with an orange or lemon twist. Jameson Black Label Jameson Black Bartender Barrel Series Victory, Copenhagen Diary dates: 25 & 26 Sep: Drink Japan (London) drinkjapan.uk For trade tickets, register here (accreditation required) 25-27 Sep: Kolkata Cocktail Weekend (Kolkata) @30bestbarsin Until 27 Sep: Barcelona Hotel Bar Week (Barcelona) barcelonahotelbarweek.com Until 27 Sep: Negroni Week (Global) negroniweek.com Until 18th Oct: Artesian x Seventy One Gin Artesian Bar at The Langham (London) @artesianbarlondon Until 30 Sep: House of Negroni at Brooklands Bar, The Peninsula (London) houseofnegroni.com The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson Edited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nothing is new, not really. Things are simply reimagined, refined – given a reboot if you will, all with the aim of making our lives just that little bit easier. Or a tastier, as is the case with everything we’re talking about this week. We start by looking at two hotels that have jooshed up their cocktail cabinets with own-label products – not novel granted, but purposely created to elevate the guest experience. We have a tasting of The Krasnapolsky Thai Blend Geneva from Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam, and explore the range of bespoke products on offer at Virtú at Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Otemachi.  Eve Bar in London’s Covent Garden has done much the same by focusing on three classics: Champagne, Caviar and Cocktails – each of which they showcase in a fabulous selection of in-house products and an array of clever serves And last but by no means least, on to this week’s guests: Maura Lawrence Milia and Liana Oster. We talk to them about how what was the old American Embassy has taken on a new lease of life as the luxury five-star Chancery Rosewood and their respective roles as the dream team heading up two very distinct spaces at Eagle Bar. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: Apple Blossom 45ml calvados 45ml sweet vermouth 3 dashes Orange Bitters Dehydrated apple or slice of apple to garnish (optional) Method: Stir ingredients over ice. Garnish with the dehydrated apple or apple slice and pour into chilled cocktail glass. Anantara Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky Amsterdam Eagle Bar Upper East at Chancery Rosewood Eagle Bar Upper West at Chancery Rosewood Eve Bar Virtù at Four Seasons Otemachi Diary dates: 3 Sep-30 Oct: A Man Under The Influence: 63 Days of Steven Soderbergh’s Selects at Everyman at The Whiteley 6-8 Sep: The Cambridge Global Series at the Cambridge Public House, Paris Guest shifts at Cambridge Public House (from 5.30-8.30pm) 6 Sep: True Laurel, Donna NYC and Smoke & Bitters 7 Sep: Bar Gabriel, Mius and Tres Monos  8 Sep: Mirror Bar, Alquímico and Angelita Seminars at Bonnie Club 7 Sep: (from 12- 4pm) On Education: Bar Gabriel, Mius and Tres Monos. On Environment: True Laurel, Angelita and Smoke & Bitters, On Community : Mirror Bar, Alquímico and Donna NYC.  14-20 Sep: Aperitivo Week 21-22 Sep: Tales on Tour at the Square Washington. For tickets and details The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson Edited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s more than a dash of elegance in the mix in this episode, and we make no apologies for that. In fact, we positively applaud ourselves that we've made a feature of it. We start by opening up a very distinctive bottle to unveil the unique taste of Bitter Cedrino – a very special Italian liqueur, blended from Mediterranean herbs with a touch of Sardinian sea water. Then we head off to Ma/Na, an ever-so stylish, incredibly hot new spot in London’s Mayfair - to experience Japanese inspired precision, rhythm and heat in an exceptionally aesthetic space, serving equally exceptional cocktails. We’ve also news of cocktail glassware innovations, which are as chic as they are functional. Hardly surprising when one is the creation of Giorgio Bargiani, of the Connaught Bar. While the other comes from Lorenzo Antinori of Bar Leone, with another two from bartenders creating barware in gorgeous ceramics. And our guest is elegance personified, it's Minakshi Singh who shares her story from the challenges she faced as a young, female bartender in India 20 years ago, up to the present day, where she’s now one of the driving forces on the country’s bar scene, as the co-founder of five venues. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: Lillet Rose Spritz 50ml Lillet Rose 100ml tonic water Grapefruit wedge to garnish Method: Add the Lillet Rose to an ice-filled wine glass. Top with tonic water and gently combine. Garnish with the grapefruit wedge. Amar The Maker Ariane Fine Porcelain x Whyte Tales Barware Bar/Giani x Nude Bar Leone x BOBO Glassware Bar Stormy Bitter Cedrino Ma/Na Nine Lives Sidecar The Standard, London Diary dates: 20th August, 5pm-9pm: Sprout Sessions x A for Athens, Templeton Garden, 1-15 Templeton Place, London SW5 9NB 1st September, 5.30pm-11pm: Equal Measures Charity Auction, Nancy's Cocktail Bar, Coelchurch House, Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SX Tickets and more info available here Online auction opens 23rd August The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson Edited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re zoning in on flavour in this episode – that’s flavour with ‘ou’ as in the taste of our featured product which is the super lush Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky, and the Indian ingredients highlighted at newly-opened bar Tryst. It’s also found in the veritable smorgasbord of goodies we’re highlighting in our new news section.  Then there’s the flava with an 'a', used in hip-hop and informal speech, the kind of flavour that describes the style, vibe and distinct effervescence of our very special guest – the force of nature that is Kapri Robinson, bartender, educator, mentor and all-round bringer of good vibes. We're thrilled For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: Lagerita 45ml blanco tequila 20ml triple sec 25ml fresh lime juice Mexican Modelo Especial beer Lime wheel to garnish Method: Shake first three ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Pour into chilled tall glasses rimmed with salt (optional). Top with a light Mexican lager beer (about 100ml). Stir gently and garnish with a lime wheel. Allegory Archive & Myth Avra at the Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens Bar Stormy Bar Visconti at Castello di Casole Chocolate City's Best Emory Rooftop Bar Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky Monkey Shoulder Selects Tales of the Cocktail Tryst Guest shift: From 6pm, 26th August: Sip & Guzzle at Scarfe's Bar The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson Edited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a rather prolonged break, we’re back! Having completed season 10 with a very special 100th episode (check it out if you haven’t already), we’ve decided to shake things up – just a little mind – going forward. We’ll still be sharing our experiences of the bars we visit, at home and further afield, starting with a venue which describes its offering as 'New York style, British spirit', the recently-opened Cato in London’s Covent Garden. And we'll continue to share our views on an array of wonderful products, such as our pick this week which is the ever-so luxe L’Époque Cognac Baroque XO. We'll occasionally be reviewing books but we've added a new section which focuses on just that: news. That includes openings, menus, guests shifts and more from across the globe. And as ever, we’ll be welcoming some incredible guests from the international drinks world. And who better to get the season started with than the person who recently took the No.1 spot as the most influential bar industry figure on the Drinks International’s Bar World 100, and is soon to be recipient of The Tales Visionary Award? It's everybody's role model, Jean Trinh founder of Alquímico in Columbia. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: Spicy Watermelon Margarita 50ml blanco tequila Kazimo Spicy Watermelon Mixer Lime wedge to garnish Method: Pour tequila into a rocks glass over ice. Top with Kazimo Spicy Watermelon Mixer. Pull through and garnish with lime wedge. 1986 Steakhouse Casual By Tayer Cato Dokidoki Kazimo Mixers L'Epoque Cognac Grande Champagne XO Sample The Museum Bar & Gift Shop Tres Monos Hotel Bar at Dua Miami Hotel The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson Edited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

15 competitors, four judges, four mentors, seven brands, three winners – that’s the global final of SIP Supernova in numbers; in words, the stats are just as impressive.  In the true ethos of Share, Inspire, Pioneer, aka SIP, the global advocacy platform powered by Pernod Ricard, SIP Supernova is about celebrating and empowering hospitality professionals at every level, be they wait staff, managers or bartenders. The only stipulation is that they’ve been working in the industry for less than 6 years. Over four days, from May 9th to 13th, the 15 finalists from around the world will be in Tokyo and Kyoto where they’ll be tested across a variety of disciplines. In this bonus episode we hear from from Cloé Auger, Global Trade Advocacy Leader at Pernod Ricard; Hedda Bruce, one of the judges and Danil Nevsky one of the mentors to hear more about SIP Supernova from their unique perspectives. Follow SIP at join-sip.comFind out more about SIP Supernova here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this sponsored bonus episode, we’re joined by Lisa King, founder of Free AF, New Zealand’s number one non-alcoholic canned cocktail brand.  Founded in 2020, Lisa created Free AF with one goal in mind, to provide a range of alcohol-free cocktails for those who take what they drink seriously. But more than producing great tasting liquids, a range with complexity, texture and attitude, the brand was born with a greater mission – to create a movement for making non-drinking aspirational. In just 5 years Free AF has built a global following for its alcohol-free cocktails – as well as being the No.1 non-alcoholic ready-to-drink brand in New Zealand, it’s one of the fastest growing non-alc RTD’s in the USA, has been endorsed by Khloe Kardashian and Kris Jenner and is listed in Morrison in the UK. What’s all the fuss about? That's what we’re speaking to her about in this episode. For more information on Free AF, visit af-drinks.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've made it to 100 episodes and to celebrate, we're joined by Agostino Perrone and Giorgio Bargiani, Director of Mixology and Assistant Director of Mixology at The Connaught respectively. As the first guests on the very first episode of the podcast it made perfect sense to catch up with them over a Martini or two. Only this time, rather than recording remotely, we've joined them at The Connaught Bar. And rather than interviewing them, they've flipped the script and asked us the questions. Oh, and we get a turn behind that famous trolley and get to make them a Martini! With very special thanks to: Agostino Perrone, Director of Mixology at The Connaught Giorgio Bargiani, Assistant Director of Mixology at The Connaught The Connaught Bar team Produced by Laura Grassulini For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com Tune in to episode one featuring Agostino Perrone, Giorgio Bargiani and Maura Millia, here The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s not intentional but we tend to talk about people, places and products that are already out there, so for our penultimate episode of the season, we’re flipping that and going for things that may not immediately be on your radar. But should be. Like Harp of Darkness, a black Irish whiskey and Atheres Spirits, a boutique range of botanical amaro and liqueurs distilled in Industrial City, New York. Botanicals are also front and centre of Danny Childs inspiring book 'Slow Drinks', while top-notch music (live and vinyl) and no-nonsense classic cocktails are at the core of the deliciously low key, high value Bird’s in New York. And we’re thrilled to welcome Denny Kallivoka and Dimitris Alpanezos, the bright minds behind Vision, a pioneering, much needed platform they’ve created to make hospitality spaces more inclusive for people who are blind or partially sighted. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.comFor the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: The Truly British Hanky Panky 40ml Cygnet 22 Dry Welsh Gin 40ml Asterley Bros Sweet Vermouth 7ml Asterley Bros Britannica London Fernet Orange coin to garnish Method: Chill Martini glasses. Stir ingredients over ice. Pour into the chilled Martini glass and garnish with an orange coin. Atheras Spirits Birds NYC Harp of Darkness Black Irish Whiskey Slow Drinks – A field guide to foraging and fermenting seasonal sodas, botanical cocktails, homemade wines and more, by Danny Childs Vision by Metron Ariston Listen to the original episode featuring the Hanky Panky recipe here The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've done whisky specials before but here we are, back with another. Why? There are always plenty of mighty fine whiskies to shout about. Besides, why the hell not? We start with two whiskies born and raised in the US. One is the result of two actor friends who bonded over their love of the spirit so much they decided to create their own, aptly called Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The other is also the result of two bright minds coming together: this time it's Sirdavis created by Dr Bill Lumsden and Queen B herself, the one and only Beyoncé Knowles-Carter. Our book is a glorious road trip journal across Japan in which renowned whisky expert Dave Broom shares his very personal observations of the spirit and place in 'The Japanese Way of Whisky'.. And while we're on the subject of travel, there's certainly a whisky-based cocktail or two on the menu at Shakerato, the new bar in Amsterdam from the team behind Mexico City’s award-winning Handshake bar. And then there's our guest, the fabulous Georgie Bell-Leoni, who has been evangelising about her favourite spirit, whisky, for over 15 years. She tells us about sourcing whiskies for her company, The Heart Cut, talks about how to fully appreciate them and guides us through a tasting of one of the bottlings on offer from her award-winning company The Heart Cut. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: Matcha Highball By Jason Patz, from Food & Wine Magazine 60ml Japanese whisky (we used Hibiki) 15ml honey water 15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/4 tsp Matcha powder Chilled Club Soda to top Lemon wheel to garnish Method: Chill Collins glasses. Shake first four ingredients over ice. Pour into the chilled Collins glass, top with Club Soda and garnish with a lemon wheel. Brother's Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey Shakerato, Amsterdam SirDavis American Whisky The Heart Cut The Japanese Way of Whisky – by Dave Broom The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson Edited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got travel on our brains this week as we’ve just returned from Barcelona where we celebrated the 10-year-anniversary of Paradiso, our featured bar and book in this episode, while our interview takes us to Buenos Aires, the next stop on our itinerary, where we’ll be joining in the fun with the team at Tres Monos for the fourth Gran Corso de los Monos. We’re joined by co-founder Charly Aguinsky who tells us about the bar, its work in the community and what they have in store for Latin America’s carnival weekend. Our featured products take us on journeys of a different kind – taste. We have two very special gins, one shaped entirely by the Golden Ratio and produced just once a year, the ultra premium Aureus Vita, the other is Seatrus Gin, which promises flavours of the Mediterranean sea.  For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: What we're drinking: Between The Sheets 25ml cognac 25ml light rum 25ml triple sec 10ml freshly squeezed lemon juice Orange peel to garnish Method: Chill Martini glasses in freezer. Shake all ingredients over ice. Pour into the chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist. Aureus Vita Fibonacci Gin Paradiso 10 Year Anniversary Book Paradiso Barcelona Seatrus Gin Tres Monos Bar The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After our last few themed episodes we’re now back to our regular format – talking two bottles, a book, a bar and a very special guest… Our first product is Jin Jin – an enzymatic cordial. Chivas Regal Crystalgold. Equally intriguing, in a very different way is Chivas Regal Crystalgold, the first clear spirit from Chivas Regal… With a nod to Dry January our book tells you everything you could want to know about lighter drinking. It’s Low Alcohol Cocktails – New Frontiers in Mixology by Diego Ferrari. And to warm up on a cold winter’s evening we headed to The Winter Chalet at Rosewood London. Finally, our guest is Katie Rouse, co-owner of Couch in Birmingham, who joins us to talk about the bar’s Couch Surf programme. What we're mixing:Horse's Neck With A Kick 40ml cognac 120ml ginger ale 5 dashes of Angostura bitters long strip of lemon peel Method: Chill glasses and fill with ice. Add the cognac then top with ginger ale, add Angostura bitters. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a long strip of lemon wound in and over the top of the glass. Links to bars mentioned in this episode: Couch Stirchley Chivas Regal Crystalgold Low Alcohol Cocktails – New Frontiers in Mixology – by Diego Ferrari Jin Jin The Chalet at Rosewood London The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first trip of the year took us to Milan for the launch of Coqtail magazine’s winter edition (grazie mille for the invite Penelope and Chiara). Which gave us just enough time to soak up the atmosphere and revel in that famous Italian hospitality in four very distinct bars. First up, Camparino in Galleria, not only a symbol of the aperitivo but also the history of art and culture in Milan; then we headed to 1930, once a speakeasy, now open to discerning drinkers with an appetite for creative culinary cocktails; on the hotel bar front, we were thrilled to experience the magic of the Maestro Salvatore Calabrese at his latest collaboration with the Rocco Forte group at The Carlton hotel and lastly, we headed to Moebius Milano to find out why, not only was it the highest climber in this year’s 50 Best Bars list at No. 7, but also the proud owner of a coveted Pin from The Pinnacle Guide as well as Michelin Star. But as well as visiting the bars, we talk to the people behind them, so this is a longer episode than usual but with inspiring chat from Salvatore Calabrese, Benjamin Cavagna, Lorenzo Querci & Tommaso Cecca, we hope you won't mind. What we're mixing: Negroni Sbagliato 30ml Campari 30ml sweet vermouth 60ml dry prosecco Method: Chill glasses and fill with ice. Add the Campari and sweet vermouth then top with prosecco. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with an orange slice nestled in the side of the glass.. Links to bars mentioned in this episode: 1930 Camparino The Carlton Bar at The Carlton Hotel Moebius Milano The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the first episode of the New Year so before we jump fully into 2026 we want to take a moment to look back and celebrate 2025. During the year we were once again fortunate enough, both here in the UK and further afield, to have enjoyed an array of incredible cocktail experiences, visited some wonderful bars and best of all, meet some of the fantastic people in the drinks world. So here, in no particular order, are some of our most memorable moments from the last year. What we're mixing: Chin Chin created by Tony Conigliaro at Isola, Knightsbridge, 2002 (from Difford's Guide) Half a barspoon of honey 15ml apple juice 30ml blended Scotch whisky Champagne to top Method: Chill your flute glasses. Stir the honey and whisky in the base of your shaker to dissolve honey. Add apple juice then shake ingredients over ice. Fine strain into your chilled flute. Top with chilled sparkling wine or Champagne. Links to interviews/reviews mentioned in this episode Dante x Maybourne with Linden Pride – interview Hawksmoor Martini Bar – review Lorenzo Antinori – interview New York Special – interviews/reviews The SG Shochu – review Town – review The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There’s exactly one week to go until Christmas and If you’re still stuck for ideas for what to get the cocktail lover in your life, we’re here to help. We’ve trawled through the stores, physically and virtually, sifting through the duds so you don’t have to. Our mission? To select our pick of gifts that will ensure you score more brownie points than the fat bearded bloke in red ever could. You're welcome! What we're mixing Classic Champagne Cocktail Brown sugar cube 7-8 dashes aromatic bitters 25ml chilled cognac Champagne to top Garnish with fresh orange peel Method: Chill glassware and ingredients. Soak sugar cube with aromatic bitters then add to the bottom of your Champagne flute. Top with Champagne and garnish with orange peel. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com For the products featured in this episode, see websites below: Aperol Spritzwear Gloves, £30 Aureus Vita Fibonacci Dry Gin, £169 Claridges Mixology Edition Gift Set, £225 Classic Whisky Pairing Chocolates, £42.95 Cocktail Panama Notebook, £70 Dram5 Gift Box, £95 Fords Gin Negroni Sessions Bundle, $24.99 Hawksmoor Martini Bar Experience, £100 I Am Bartender Jewellery, from £35 Martini Lovers Jewellery Dish, £32.99 MOTH Festive Snacking Selection Box, £59 Rimowa x Robbe & Berking Cocktail Case, £4.310 Scarfes Bar x Hibiki Limited-Edition Cocktail Box, £140 Seventy One Gin Night Readings, £188 SirDavis Gift Bag, £79 Tayer + Elementary Xmas Essentials 2.0 Christmas Cocktail Gift Set, £35 The Connaught Bar – A Year of Cocktails, £5,000 The Connaught Bar Gin Hamper, £395 The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.