London Cocktail Week: 04th – 13th October, 2019
London awakes to a chilly morning, collectively wondering whether to turn on the radiators and retrieve the chunky scarf from the back of the wardrobe. This can mean only one thing – London Cocktail Week (LCW) kicks off tomorrow.
This being its 10th anniversary year, the festival’s run-time has been extended to ten days, and the programme of events is extra packed. For those wishing to streamline their LCW experience, a summary of trade-only highlights is provided below. For a full trade schedule, and links to secure your free trade festival pass, visit the Drinkup.London website.
London Cocktail Week 2019 Trade Highlights
The London Cocktail Week Pop-Up Opening Day
4th October
Returning to the place that is very special in the festival’s rich history, London Cocktail Week will be recreating their Covent Garden pop-up for this year’s festival and the team are inviting the trade down on the opening day, when they will be revealing their brand new, special-edition London Cocktail Week gin made in partnership with Portobello Road Gin, plus featuring takeovers in the downstairs speakeasy by Lost + Found Drinkery and Maybe Sammy.
5-7 Grape Street, London, WC2H 8DW | Price: Free entry with a Festival Pass | Open Friday 04 – Thursday 10 October | 12pm – 11pm | Festival Pass, FREE for the trade, available from DrinkUp.London/trade
The Hendricks’s Perpetual Midsummer Solstice After Party
6th October
Hendrick’s Tini Martini Townhouse will be transformed into a mystical Perpetual Midsummer Solstice afterparty like no other. The teams from Paris’ legendary Little Red Door and Edinburgh’s Panda & Sons will be providing the drinks as guests take in the decadent delights and tasty tipples. Guests will have to register for their free place, as the will be no tickets available on the door.
The Arches, 471-473 Dereham Pl, London, EC2A 3HJ | Price: Free | Sunday 6 October | 11pm – 2am | Register for your free ticket on DrinkUp.London/trade
Belvedere Presents: Belvebowling
7th October
Belvedere Vodka will be taking over The Croc Bowling Alley at Ham Yard Hotel, for the first ever bartender bowling competition. Bars across London can choose a team or four for an evening of bowling, live music and Belvedere drinks. The winners will take home a grand prize of a VIP trip to Poland in 2020. Players are encouraged to be from different bars and vintage bowling-wear is preferential.
The Croc Bowling Alley, Ham Yard Hotel, 1 Ham Yard, London, W1D 7HY | Price: Free | Monday 07 October | 6:30pm – 12:30am | To enter contact the team on mtracey@mtconsultancyuk.com
The Cocktail Village – Opening Night
08th October
At the heart of London Cocktail Week is The Cocktail Village, once again returning to Brick Lane – the team are inviting the tradedown on the opening day for a first look. Signature cocktails will be served from over 40 bars, all priced at £6 and food will be curated by Street Feast.
The Cocktail Village, 146 Brick Lane, London E1 6QR | Price: Free entry with a Festival Pass | Open Wednesday 09 October – Saturday 12 October: 12pm – 11pm and Sunday 13 October: 12pm – 7pm | Festival Pass, FREE for the trade, available from DrinkUp.London/trade
The B.E.A.T Bus Bar Tour
10th & 11th October
Standing for Brand Engagement Advocacy Team, the drinks development, bartender education and masterclass experts will be hosting a bar tour on a vintage Routemaster around Kings Cross, Waterloo and Shoreditch. Those working in the trade will visit Bar Elba, Barrio Shoreditch and Spirit Land to sample a range of cocktails from some of London’s most popular bars. To enter, tradepersonnel have to answer a selection of questions to be added to the WhatsApp Group, to find out where to find the bus!
Location: TBC via WhatsApp | Price: Free | Thursday 10 and Friday 11 October | Timing: TBC via WhatsApp | To enter visit https://drinkup.london/magazine/28459/trade-only-b-e-a-t-bus-tour/
Maestro Dobel Tequila Masterclass at The Lanesborough
8th October
Maestro Dobel Tequila and The Lanesborough Hotel have teamed up to create a Tequila Seminar hosted by Maestro Dobel Tequila Educator Oli Pergl and Mickael Perron from The Library Bar at The Lanesborough. Those working in the trade will uncover the history of Mexico’s favourite spirit, learning the origins and what the future holds for tequila. The Masterclass will also involve a tasting of four different styles of the revered spirit.
The Lanesborough Hotel, Hyde Park Corner, London, SW1X 7TA | Price: Free | Tuesday 08 October | 1pm – 3pm | To enter contact the team on ocastilla@proximospirits.com