The Week in Pictures: 27 May – 2 June

This week in pictures sees ‘Scents and Sensibility’, a Poretti beer on a Cornish beach, a flash mob in Covent Garden and an English ‘Kentucky’ Bourbon for the Epsom Derby.

In celebration of the fifteenth anniversary of The Last Drop Distillers, MD Rebecca Jago, daughter of the late drinks industry legend, Tom Jago, gathered a panel of expert blenders and distillers at The Connaught Hotel to discuss “Scents and Sensibility”.

db‘s Douglas Blyde remarked: “Hosted by Victoria Moore who ran the symposium to perfect time, “The Assembly” included Master Blender for The Last Drop Distillers, Colin Scott, Louise McGuane, founder and bonder of JJ Corry Irish Whiskey, Drew Mayville, Master Blender and Director of Quality, Sazerac, Michael D’Souza, Master Distiller and Blender, Paul John Distillery, Richard Seale, Owner, Distiller and Blender, Foursquare Distillery, and Denis Lahouratate, Cellar Master, Sazerac de Segonzac.”

“‘It is the first time all our advisors have been in a room together,’ Jago told an audience of her ‘remarkable friends and customers.’ A tasting prior showcased releases, including a toasted marshmallow scented 50-year-old blended Scotch including obsolete the wares of distilleries, an hors d’âge Petite Cognac from the 1950s bottled in 2022, which evoked the flavour of Fly Biscuits in a good way, and a remarkably balanced signature blend of fourteen Kentucky straight whiskeys including straight Bourbon and Rye by Drew Mayville, evoking an atmospheric dunnage cellar.”

Poretti on the beach

This week Italian brewing company Poretti teamed up with sustainable dining chef and author Simon Stallard at The Hidden Hut in Cornwall for an evening of beer and food. Beer editor Jessica Mason attended the event.

A flash mob in Covent Garden

A flash mob of 34 tango dancers descended on modern Argentine steakhouse, Gaucho Covent Garden to celebrate its upcoming opening tonight (2 June). The sultry and dynamic display was choreographed by BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s resident choreographers Maria Tsiatsiani and Leandro Palou with dancers from the London Tango Academy providing a taster of what diners can expect from the latest Gaucho opening and the first to open in the capital for 10 years.

English Bourbon

England’s ‘Kentucky Bourbon’, Never Say Die has expanded its collection with a new Small-Batch Bourbon that will launch at the 2023 Epsom Derby. Each batch will feature a unique and balanced blend of Never Say Die recipe barrels. It has been designed as an ‘every occasion Bourbon’ with a lower-ABV (47.5%) and mellowed spice from the high rye grain content. It is complex enough for sipping, whilst also holding up in highballs and cocktails.

The brand was recently awarded the highest accolade of Master in the acclaimed Global Masters DBSB Spring Tasting 2023