Following on the huge success of the last year’s Masterclasses at Miller’s Residence in Notting Hill, the Martin Miller team are organising a new series of Martin Miller’s Gin Masterclasses for the Gintelligentsia in London this year. Hosted by Martin Miller himself and Brand Ambassador Craig Harper, the classes will focus on the history of the Martini and give guests the opportunity to mix their own perfect Martinis around the dining table at Martin’s boutique hotel on Westbourne Grove. And great news for those gin fans who don’t live in the Smoke, the Masterclasses are hitting the road, travelling to Bristol, Oxford, Birmingham and Edinburgh to reach out to Gintelligentsia all over the country. For details on dates, times and venuea just drop an email to: masterclass@martinmillersgin.com

Martin Miller’s Gin 10th Anniversary Strength 54% was distilled in 2009 and bottled as a Limited Edition initial run of 1,000 bottles. However the response to the new expression has been so huge, plus it won, in its first year of entry, both the gold medal in its category, and the trophy for Best Overall Gin in all categories in the ISC, that it will nowbe released as a small batch for sale in 2010. The initial Limited Edition run will be available to favoured bars who are maintaining high standards of spirits selection, no ‘pay to play’ bars, and loyal Martin Miller’s supporters. So note to bars: if you’re really really good  you’ll get one!

The first of Martin Miller’s Gin Master Classes took place last week with the redoubtable Craig Harper educating and entertaining 20 members of the Gintelligentsia at Miller’s Residence in Notting Hill, London. Martin Miller hosted the event and so successful was it that plans are now afoot for the second phase of Masterclasses where Craig will take guests through the history of the Gin Martini and teach them how to mix their own cocktails. Everyone goes home with a bottle of MM gin and the “Story of Martin Miller’s Gin” hardback for a credit crunching £10 per person so they are not to be missed. Watch out for details of this event as well as upcoming Gintelligent Masterclasses in Scotland and the rest of England next year. You can get more info here:
http://www.martinmillersgin.com/uk/news/

And book tickets here:
masterclass@martinmillersgin.com

Martin Miller’s Gin Anniversary Strength Limited Edition and Martin Miller’s Gin Westbourne Strength have both been awarded a Gold Medal at the prestigious International Spirits Challenge 2009. Craig Harper, Head of UK Sales for Martin Miller’s Gin is delighted: “We are really pleased that the high quality of Martin Miller’s Gin has been recognised by the ISC.  It’s great that in our 10th Anniversary year we’ve also produced a world-class 54% Abv version, which is distilled in England, has some of the world’s purest water added in Iceland and is limited to 1,000 unique bottles with labels hand signed and numbered by Martin Miller himself.”

Martin Miller, maverick entrepreneur and founder of his eponymous gin and Miller’s Antiques Guides, is launching the inaugural Martin Miller’s Gin Flaming Art Festival to be held on 21 June in Wookey Hole, Somerset just before The Glastonbury Festival begins. The Martin Miller’s Gin Flaming Art Festival is an opportunity for people to bring along any modern art, which they think, deserves to be thrown to the flames.  Martin Miller, the world-renowned antiques collector, will offer bidders a chance to save the art from the bonfire during a Charity Auction, but any works of art not bought will literally go up in flames. Martin is asking the public to donate any modern art for the Auction to be held at his retreat, Glencot House, Wookey Hole, on the longest day of the year and Father’s Day, Sunday 21st June.

Martin hopes he will attract work from some famous amateur artists such as The Rolling Stone’s Ronnie Wood and Queen’s Roger Taylor. “Anything not sold will be hung on a giant frame as an installation. Then we’ll throw it to the flames and have a barbecue,” says Miller. “It’s time people had an opportunity to assess whether Damien Hirst’s work is truly worthy or should face the mighty fires!”  Funds raised will go to the Nordoff Robbins Trust.

Any art suitable for the flames, or indeed to be saved, can be delivered to Miller’s Academy off Westbourne Grove in Notting Hill Gate or Glencot House Hotel, Wookey Hole, before the event, or brought with you on the evening. Tickets cost £25, which includes a buffet supper and one of three original Martin Miller’s Gin Flaming Art Festival Cocktails created by Miller’s Master Mixologist, Craig Harper. For more information on the Festival visit www.martinmillersgin.com

Following on from the success of the Edinburgh Festival’s Foodies these feasts for lovers of all things food and drink are now bursting out all over. If you fancy seeing top chefs from the best restaurants in action and the chance to tempt your taste buds with the most delicious food and drink, then Foodies is the event for you. Sip champagne in the Veuve Cliquot tent. Try a sushi, chocolate, cheese or champagne masterclass and buy fresh ingredients in the local producers market. For budding young chefs there is a chance to learn to cook in the Cooking with Kids masterclass. And Gintime will be there hosting a series of Gin Tutored Tastings. We’ll be going in depth on some top Gintime brands such as Bulldog, Hendricks, Martin Miller’s, Plymouth, Tanqueray, Tanqueray 10 and The London Gin. There will also be fantastic rum and whisky tastings hosted by industry experts. All the demonstrations, sampling and Master Classes are free and we’ve teamed up with Foodies to do a special 2 for 1 on entry to Foodies Festivals. All you need to do is call Seetickets on 0871 230 7144 and quote Foodies-2-for1-ticket offer.

The next Foodies Festivals are:

Brighton – 16th and 17th May
Hampton Court Palace, London – 23, 24 and 25 th May
Glasgow – 18th and 19th July
Edinburgh: 22nd and 23rd August

For detailed information on events in your area check out http://www.foodiesfestival.com/

Some days are just fun and being invited to join Martin Miller at Miller’s Academy, Notting Hill, London, to help him select a Limited Edition strength to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the birth of his namesake gin was a real honour. I was part of a panel that included Martin Miller himself, Alice Lascelles of Imbibe, spirits expert Ian Wisniewski and great blogger Jay Hepburn. We blind tasted five different high proof strengths of Martin Miller’s Gin, first neat, then drunk as a Gin & Tonic and finally as a Martini. We all agreed that the best one was the 54% AbV which came out as very complex with fantastic juniper and citrus notes. It will be bottled as a Limited Edition, hand signed and numbered by Martin. One thousand bottles only will be produced to celebrate the 10th Anniversary and will be given to friends and supporters of Martin Miller’s Gin. A really nice touch is that Bottle No. 1 will be auctioned at The Benevolent Drinks Industry Charity Dinner in London in June.