4 Years of Cocktails & Bars, Savoury Liqueurs, ASp Agave Spirit, Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky, Bar World 100 and more in our curated cocktail-related articles, local and international spirit and bar news, new bars and recommended reads.
4 Years of Cocktails & Bars – Photo © Cocktails & Bars
4 Years of Cocktails & Bars
On Saturday 3 August, Cocktails & Bars turned 4 years old. Since 2015, the website has grown significantly with a dedicated readership and following that span across all of Australia as well as internationally. Over 680 article have been published along with more than 475 bar directory entries, and social media has grown to over 52,000 followers across various platforms.
We have worked in paid partnership with a wide range of brands, distilleries, local and international businesses and interviewed many luminaries including Emmanuel Delafon, CEO of Chartreuse, Sonat Birnecker Hart of Koval Distillery, several Australian craft distillers, Ben Branson of Seedlip and Guillermo Erickson Sauza of Tequila Fortaleza just to name a few.
To coincide with the milestone, the website has been given its first redesign, keeping a similar clean style but with many improvements in the back end. Take a look at the front page here.
Savoury Liqueurs
Marian Beke of The Gibson bar in London has partnered with Casoni to create a new range of liqueurs designed to “add a savoury note” to cocktails. The new range consists of Amarotta for a delicate smoky flavour; Wild Berries and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena for a balance of acidity with berry notes; and Figs and Cherries and Balsamic Vinegar of Modena for a subtly sweet expression. With the spread of the No and Low movement, could savoury liqueurs be the next thing? (source)
Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky
Sydney distillery Archie Rose has released the first of its core range whiskies. Archie Rose Rye Malt Whisky is crafted using malted rye and malted barley and aged in virgin American oak casks that have been air-dried for 36 months. The result is a complex spirit with aromas of vanilla, honey, custard, spice and citrus. The palate is rich and layered with toffee, spiced, stone fruit and a hint of ginger with a long finish. The first batch is likely to have already sold out but subsequent batches will be available from September.
ASp Agave Spirit
A craft distillery in NSW is producing ASp, an agave spirit made from Australian grown Agave Americana. It can’t be called tequila or mezcal but the pit-smoked spirit by Black Snake Distillery in north west NSW is worth keeping an eye out for.
Bar World 100
Drinks International magazine has released the world’s most influential bar industry figure in their Bar World 100 List with Ryan Chetiyawardana ranked at number one. The listing celebrates individuals effecting positive change in the bar industry. Bar World 100 includes luminaries such as Hidetsugu Ueno, Nico de Soto, Dale DeGroff, Ben Branson and Sam Ross. The listing can be viewed here.
Recommended Reads
- Remember the Beefeater Pink scented campaign in a train station? It’s Hendrick’s turn as it debuts a rose-scented campaign at King’s Cross, London (source)
- Will vodka truly make a comeback? (source)
- Beyond Amaro: Exploring Europe’s Other Herbal Bitters (source)
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