Plan B to headline Jack’s birthday gig
August has been a busy month for the Jack Daniel’s team. For the fifth year running, the Jack Daniel’s Birthday Cocktail Competition is upon us, and regional heats have been taking place nationwide.
This year the competition has changed somewhat, asking entrants to create a drink for sharing by 4 people. BarLifeUK went along to the South London heat at Clapham’s Venn Street Records, and was very impressed by the inventiveness of the drinks – you don’t often see whiskey in punch-style drinks and the bartenders had clearly put a lot of thought into their creations.
UK qualifiers will fly to Lynchburg in October for the grand final, which will be judged by Jack Daniel’s master distiller Jeff Arnett and master taster Jeff Norman. BarLifeUK are also on the panel and will be changing our name to Jeff in honour of the occasion.
After the comp comes the legendary Jack Daniel’s Birthday Gig, this year headlined by Plan B. In support are the New Silver Cornet Band, named in reverence to the original Silver Cornet Band, which was formed by Jack himself in 1892.
South London heat winning drink
Dean MacGregor of Sahara Bar, Reading, won the South London heat of the Jack Daniel’s Birthday Cocktail Comp with his drink, Jack N Black:
- 140ml Jack Daniel’s
- 30ml Cherry Marnier
- 30ml Opal Nera
- 120ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 110ml Cranberry Juice
- 4 heaped bar spoons of Cherry Preserve
- 4 dashes of Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters