Celebrating cocktails from the 1900s to the1950s Hendrick’s Gin in association with the Paris Experimental Cocktail Club regularly host ‘The Fantastic & Ridiculous Monday of The Unusual Rose and Cucumber Society’ - a series of flamboyant and exquisitely decadent Victorian events - in cities across the world. Expect the unexpected, and more, at these ‘most unusual soirees’; tales of extravagant costumes, a private bar in a horse drawn carriage and drinking gin in teacups! The next evening of nostalgic excess salutes the work of one of Britain’s greatest wits and most revered literary writers; Oscar Wilde. Held at a secret location in Cannes on May 20, this is sure to be the ‘hottest’ ticket in town.

Such is the notoriety of these gatherings that at the recent event at London’s Bungalow 8 on April 14 – a Toulouse Lautrec inspired evening - the daddy of the dandies, disgraced MPs son, Henry Conway, arrived in a 19th century horse-drawn carriage provoking paparazzi frenzy. Party guests also enjoyed performances from the strange and unusual Bearded Lady, Mr Teds the Gentleman Pig and The Horse Midget as well as moustache ‘painting’ and a shamanic spiritualist. Dressed in all their finery gallant musketeers partied in all their frock coat, frills and finery with eccentric British colonial military types, chap and chapesses and even the odd Pearly King. Drinks were served in delicate china teacups and included the Green Fairy Blazer, Hot Gin Punch (as drunk by Charles Dickens) and the Ramos Gin Fizz.

Xavier Padovani, Hendricks’ Global Brand Ambassador, says of their success, “Hendrick’s is delighted to work in partnership with the Experimental Cocktail Club introducing people around the globe to the most unusual world of Hendrick’s Gin with these fantastic Victorian themed events. What better way to communicate Hendricks’ brand values than with a string of Victorian inspired eccentric nights where Oscar Wilde is quoted, costumes are authentic and cocktails are derived from literary
works by Charles Dickens?”

In May 2008, Beefeater will launch its first major consumer promotion since the brand re-launched in January 2007. For a limited period the distinctive, recently redesigned Beefeater bottle will be showcased in a limited edition gift pack, featuring the ‘Forever London’ creative imagery used in Beefeater’s current advertising campaign. The promotion has been created to sustain the momentum behind Beefeater by driving sales in key off-trade accounts. Consumers will receive a Beefeater postcard with a unique entry code that can be entered on a promotional website.

The promotional partnership reinforces Beefeater’s London heritage and contemporary bold positioning whilst the Union Jack Mini Cooper offer reinforces Beefeater’s London heritage and contemporary bold positioning. The promotion will run in Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, Morrison’s, Thresher’s, Booths and Somerfield. The Beefeater Mini Promotion reinforces PRUK commitment to responsible drinking by providing responsible drinking messages relating to drink driving on the promotional box, brand materials and on the dedicated microsite. The microsite, which has been created to support the promotion, is available at www.beefeaterwinamini.co.uk .

Patrick Venning, Head of Marketing for Gin at Pernod Ricard UK, comments: “We saw how successful our re-launch last year was and we’re now keen to make sure we sustain that momentum with this eye-catching off-trade initiative. Using the new advertising creative is another way for us to bring the brand to life and emphasise Beefeater’s bold new contemporary London image.”

First of all a big welcome to Martin Miller’s and Westbourne Strength Gins who are the latest top gins to become Gintime gins. Hot news from Martin Miller’s is that their Gin Tour is currently storming its way around the UK and Ireland inviting bartenders to test their skills in the most challenging Gin Cocktail Competition yet. It is judged in three areas – making a classic cocktail with a twist, bringing something new to the G and T and last, but not least, speed mixing G and Ts.

The Tour got off to a flying start in Edinburgh at the end of February when the Voodoo Rooms saw five ‘Usual Suspects’ and five ‘New Faces’ battle it out with their classic cocktails and the challenging re-invention of the gin and tonic. The quality of the entrants was so high that, not one, but two Usual Suspects and two New Faces won this regional heat. The winning Usual Suspects were Ben Carlotto (Voodoo Rooms) and Joey Medrington (Tigerlily) whilst the New Faces were represented by Shervene Shahbazkhani (Voodoo Rooms) and Nuno Pires (Lulu). The London leg of the tour proved just as popular with Fifth Floor Bar at Harvey Nichols rammed for the cocktail making evening. The London finalists are Rebecca Almqvist (Lonsdale), Paul Mant (unattached) and Lino (Pinchitos). Upcoming dates for the Tour are:

• Leeds: 2, 3, 4 April
• Bristol: 29 April, 1, 2 May
• Brighton: 3, 4, 5 June
• Dublin: 1, 2, 3 July

London Gin, the quintessential British drink, has at last been recognized as a special quality beverage by the European Union. The revised EU Spirit Drink definitions, which became law recently, list the definition of London Distilled Gin for the first time. This definition will help maintain London Gin’s heritage and high standards of production and protect the drink from counterfeit products. Edwin Atkinson, the Director General of the Gin and Vodka Association, stated, "We aim to spread the definition around the world so that London Gin is recognized for the very special, high quality spirit drink that it is."

Beefeater Gin, the only major gin brand still distilled in London, has developed a 15-strong fleet of the capital’s iconic black cabs liveried in its eye-catching Forever London advertising to further raise awareness of the brand’s authentic London provenance. The Beefeater black cabs will operate out of London Heathrow and Central London until November 2008. Nick Blacknell, Brand Director for Beefeater, explains: “Black cabs are such a globally recognized London feature that it is logical to showcase our advertising in this way with a visual representation of Beefeater’s traditional heritage and its place in contemporary London”.

The cabs also feature educational messages on the tip up seats, highlighting key elements of Beefeater’s production such as the botanicals and the unique 24 hour steeping process. Branded receipts offer consumers recommendations of top London bars where they can enjoy Beefeater. Currently the featured bars are Match Bar on Margaret Street and Hawskmoor on Commercial Street, both of which have a strong association with the brand. The receipts include a signature cocktail recipe - the Anniversary Fizz for Match Bar and the Hawksmoor Julep for the Hawksmoor.

The London Gin has had a successful few weeks with listings achieved at some of London’s coolest bars like Kenza, Christopher’s Martini Bar, Light Bar (St Martin’s Lane Hotel) and Beach Blanket Babylon. It’s also now available at Drinkon.com – just click on the link to the right to order. Check out Drinks Business TV to see Andrew Sinclair of Gonzalez Byass and other movers and shakers on the gin scene discussing what’s new in Gin Trends 2008 - www.drinksbusinesstv.com

The London Gin has had a successful few weeks with listings achieved at some of London’s coolest bars like Kenza, Christopher’s Martini Bar, Light Bar (St Martin’s Lane Hotel) and Beach Blanket Babylon. It’s also now available at Drinkon.com

Here’s a virtual treasure trove for Plymouth Gin lovers and collectors of gin miscellany. Plymouth Gin Collectables sells a wide variety of the Plymouth Gin promotional items made by the company over the years.

Visit www.plymouthgincollectables.co.uk for everything from pottery jugs to lighters, martini glasses to toy vans, miniature bottles to match strikers, ashtrays to cocktail shakers. Every home should have a Gurgling Jug.

Last month’s Hendrick’s Cocktail Party was a resounding success with guests and two lucky Gintimers flocking to get the lowdown on the seamier side of life in London in the eighteenth century. Don’t miss the next Hendrick’s Cocktail Party run in association with the Last Tuesday Society, a Pataphysical organisation devoted to exploring and furthering the esoteric, literary and artistic aspects of life in London. It takes place on Monday 31st March at Bistrotheque, 23-27 Wadeson Street, London, E2 and will feature Peter Parker on Christopher Isherwood. Hendrick’s cocktails from 6.30pm, talk at 7.30pm.

Yesterday’s fire at the historic Plymouth Gin Distillery in Plymouth’s Southside Street has mercifully left the 500 year old distillery building intact. The blaze broke out in the ducting system of the kitchen of the Barbican Kitchen Brasserie, run by celebrity chefs James and Chris Tanner, which has been severely damaged. The good news however is that that the pot still and general production facility as well as the oldest part of the building, The Refectory, is undamaged and remains operational. The Black Friars Distillery is the oldest working distillery in the country and the Refectory dates back to the 15th century. It is reputed to be the place where the Pilgrim Fathers spent their last night before sailing for the New World on the Mayflower. This is the second time in Plymouth Gin’s history that the distillery has been saved from fire (the first time was during World War 2 when it was hit by German bombs). Whew, let’s raise a glass of Plymouth Gin to Plymouth Gin!