This November, Brown-Forman’s Woodford Reserve will sponsor Old Fashioned Week 2018 (1st – 10th November 2018) as its official bourbon, the global celebration which gives prominence to spirit connoisseurs’ favourite cocktail and bartender’s creativity. As the bourbon of choice amongst bartenders, Woodford Reserve has become synonymous with the Old Fashioned cocktail and will be hosting a packed events scheduled throughout the week to demonstrate its natural association with the serve.
This year, Woodford Reserve is teaming up with a variety of on-trade partner bars to host an array of events, ranging from offering special signature Old Fashioned serves at top bars, including Milk & Honey, The Edition and Bar III, to live blues music nights on 7th November at the new bar in the Principle Hotel, The Fitz and Swift, which will be holding a 1950s “boudoir” style event.
Consumers will be invited to learn from Woodford Reserve’s UK and global brand ambassadors about the history of bourbon and its close relationship with the Old-Fashioned cocktail, with both The Fitz and The Ned creating videos of their bartenders making the perfect Old Fashioned for their social feeds. Loved by bartenders worldwide for its exceptional richness, depth and smooth finish, the perfectly balanced taste of this premium whiskey helps Woodford stand out in even the boldest of cocktails.
Masterclasses for trade and staff will be hosted at various bars throughout the week, including the new bar in The Fitz on 7th November, which will focus on the rarer stock, including Woodford Reserve’s master and unaged collections. The Fitz will also be partnering exclusively with Woodford Reserve to transform its menu to include Southern Style influences and speciality Woodford Reserve cocktails for the whole of November to celebrate US Whiskey Month.
As the go-to bourbon of bartenders for the Old Fashioned cocktail, Woodford Reserve has also invited acclaimed bartenders across the country to partake in various cocktail competitions as part of its initiative to support UK bartenders as they progress through their careers. This includes hosting an internal cocktail competition amongst the bartenders at The Ned to create their personal twists on the classic serve. The winning cocktail will become the house Old Fashioned for the week in the hotel.
The premium bourbon brand has also partnered with the newly launched UK Bartender’s Guild (UKBG) to run a cocktail competition from 1st November to find the top 20 “Twist on an Old Fashioned” recipes. The competition will focus on rediscovering North American Classic Cocktails through the use of Woodford Reserve Whiskey Bourbon, Rye or Double Oaked.
The ultimate prize will be a one-year UK guest bartending tour and personal mentoring program with Peter Dorelli, meeting national ambassadors across the country and winning a place at the UKBG 2019 IBA World Cocktail Competition in Chengdu – China.
Woodford Reserve’s home place at a historic distillery in Woodford County, Kentucky, balances the natural relationship between the bourbon’s classic heritage and modern aspirations. The perfectly balanced taste of its Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is comprised of more than 200 detectable flavour notes, from bold grain and wood, to sweet aromatics, spice and fruit & floral notes.
For more information on Old Fashioned Week 2018 visit:
https://old-fashioned-week.com
Special Old Fashioned Menus:
Milk and Honey, 61 Poland Street, Soho, W1F 7NU
The London Edition, 10 Berners Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 3NP
The Fitz, The Principal London, 1-8 Russel Square, Bloomsbury, WC1B 5BE
The Ned, 27 Poultry, London, EC2R 8AJ
Bar III, Spitalfields, 65a Brushfield Street, E1 6AA
Hix, 66-70 Brewer Street, Soho, W1F 9UP
Masterclass:
The Fitz will host a masterclass for trade and staff with an emphasis on rare stocks such as the master and unaged collections.
Wednesday 7th November
Key events:
Oriole Bar – Woodford presents Eric Ranzoni Trio
A night of blues music with one of the finest singers and piano players around, with a special Old Fashioned menu with three different serves.
Monday 5th November 9-11pm
Cocktail Trading Company
Woodford Reserve will host an Old Fashioned Punch Up event in collaboration with its bar in Bristol to deliver an Old Fashioned evening.
Tuesday 6th November
68 Bethnal Green Road, Brick Lane, E1 6GQ
Swift
A night of blues music in a 1950s style setting, accompanied by speciality Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned cocktails.
Thursday 7th November
12 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 4TQ
The Ned
A Bourbon and Blues night with a live band from 8.30pm.
Tuesday 6th November
The Fitz
A night of blues music and signature Old Fashioned serves.
Wednesday 7th November
The Principal London, 1-8 Russel Square, Bloomsbury, WC1B 5BE
