UK premium mixer brand Franklin & Sons has partnered with Holy Grass Vodka & Angostura Bitters to give away 100 limited edition cocktail kits and a five-star stay/Michelin star dining experience in central London in the lead-up to National Vodka Day.

The competition comes as new data reveals that Vodka has rocketed in popularity across the UK, with vodka sales up +405% over the past year in UK venues.

“Vodka is at the core of many popular cocktails across the UK, from classics such as the Vodka Martini and Cosmopolitan, through to modern favourites like the Passion Fruit Martini,” said Tom Singleton, Brand Director at Franklin & Sons.

“This National Vodka Day, we’ve partnered with Holy Grass Vodka and Angostura and are thrilled to share our take on the trending hard seltzer with fans of vodka across the UK.”

UK residents will have the chance to win prizes totalling over £2,500 in celebration of National Vodka Day this Tuesday 4^th of October. 100 kits are up for grabs in an online giveaway, containing the ingredients for a premium, limited edition, vodka-based cocktail worth over £10 each.

The cocktail kit includes:

• A 50ml dram of Holy Grass Vodka
• An Angostura Orange Bitters miniature
• Franklin & Sons Guava & Lime Soda
• A dried lime wedge

These ingredients can be used to create the ‘Between a Rock and a Hard Seltzer’ cocktail, which Singleton comments is a light, rounded drink with citrus guava and lime notes, featuring the faint sweetness and smoothness of Holy Grass Vodka and depth from the tropical orange and spices of the bitters.

“To create the serve, add 50ml of Holy Grass Vodka and a dash of Angostura bitters to an ice-filled glass. Stir, and top up with Franklin & Sons Guava & Lime Soda. For the perfect serve, garnish with a wedge of lime,” he explains.

To try this limited-edition cocktail, all that participants have to do is head to the Franklin & Sons website and enter the giveaway using this form. 100 winners will be chosen randomly to receive the cocktail kits containing all the ingredients for the perfect seltzer serve.

Entrants can also celebrate National Vodka Day in true style, with the chance to win a remarkable five-star stay and Michelin star meal in Belgravia, just a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace – with this grand prize worth over £1,500 in total. To enter, simply follow @franklinandsons, tag a friend who you’d share the experience with, and like the post.

The winner will be hosted by The Goring Hotel, a luxury Belgravia hotel dating from 1910. The winner will also be given £200 to spend on the hotel’s amenities which include an upscale cocktail bar and an acclaimed restaurant.

The competition is for over 18s only, with full terms and conditions at www.franklinandsons.co.uk

Mexico City bar Handshake Speakeasy has been named the best bar in North America and the Best Bar in Mexico at this year’s North America’s 50 Best Bars.

Making history as the first bar in Mexico to be named No.1, Handshake Speakeasy narrowly beat out New York City’s Superbueno, who won The Best Bar in Northeast USA 2024 and the title of Disaronno Highest New Entry.

Toronto’s Civil Liberties, No.21, won the title of The Best Bar in Canada for the third year in a row. Puerto Rico’s La Factoría, at No.18, was also recognised as The Best Bar in the Caribbean for the third year.

Overall, the U.S. led the list with 26 bars, followed by Mexico with 15 bars, seven from Canada and two on the list from the Caribbean.

“What a momentous occasion for the Mexico cocktail scene! We give our biggest ¡Felicidades! to Handshake Speakeasy and head bartender Eric van Beek for the team’s incredible work in delivering excellence,” said Emma Sleight, Head of Content for North America’s 50 Best Bars.

“Handshake Speakeasy continues to push the boundaries of the art of cocktail creation as well as always putting service first, so we are pleased to see them crowned the first bar in Mexico City named No.1 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list.

“We also extend our congratulations to all the other incredible bars on this year’s list, which are testaments to how exciting, innovative, and dynamic the North American bar scene truly is,” Sleight continued.

New York continued its lead with the most top bars in the North America list with 12 of the 26 U.S. listees. These included Superbueno (No.2), Overstory (No.3), Martiny’s (No. 4), Double Chicken Please (No.7), Katana Kitten (No.12), Employees Only (No.15), Dante (No.20), Attaboy (No.31), The Dead Rabbit (No.33), Maison Premiere (No.41), new entry Angel’s Share (No.43), and Milady’s (No.44).

Jewel of the South (No.7) was named The Best Bar in the South USA, with Thunderbolt (No.8) named The Best Bar in themiko (No.19) from Chicago was named The Best Bar in the West USA and Ku Midwest.

San Francisco’s True Laurel (No.30), another new entry, won the Kettle One Sustainable Bar Award, with a new entry from Chicago Meadowlark (No.32) taking home the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.

Handshake Speakeasy is joined by Mexico City’s Rayo (No.5), Licorería Limantour (No.9), new entry Tlecān (No.10), Café del Nadie (No.17), Baltra Bar (No.26), Kaito del Valle (No.28), Hanky Panky (No.42) and Brujas (No.45).

Simpl Things in Toronto joins the stellar lineup as Campari One To Watch, and Grand Cayman’s Library by the Sea (No.35) earns the London Essence Best New Opening Award

To view the full list, go to theworlds50best.com

American Gin brand Aviation wants fans to marvel at its ‘ginematic’ universe with six new limited-edition Aviation American Gin bottles inspired by Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine”.

“I discovered Aviation American Gin while shooting the first Deadpool movie,” said Ryan Reynolds, Aviation American Gin’s Co-Owner.

“Back then, Aviation wasn’t big enough to tie-in to a big summer movie, and Deadpool was lucky to get any sponsors at all. A few hundred weeks and drinks later, here we are! They grow up so quickly, don’t they?”

Encased in sleek black glass and accented with red custom strip stamps and metallic details, the limited edition bottles have been designed by Maximum Effort and Sandstrom Partners.

Offering a nod to the iconic character, each bottle variant showcases one of six distinctive Deadpool icons, while the exterior of each gin case simulates the look of Deadpool’s signature suit fabric.

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“Our collaboration with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ to create this series of bottles is a first-of-its-kind promotion for Aviation American Gin with one of the most iconic characters in pop culture history,” said Ricky Collett, Global & US Brand Director for Aviation American Gin at Diageo.

“The custom bottle embodies the irreverent spirit of both brands and showcases our commitment to pushing cultural boundaries and redefining the gin drinking experience,” Collett continued.

Each limited-edition bottle is filled with the same perfectly crisp, smooth Aviation American Gin fans know and love. Distilled in its unique American style and crafted with a blend of botanicals delivering an approachable and balanced flavour profile, Aviation American Gin is a versatile spirit, perfect for any cocktail occasion.

“The ‘Deadpool’ film franchise has been a cultural phenomenon since its inception,” said Holly Frank, Walt Disney Studios’ VP, Partnership Management and Operations, Marvel. “We’re so excited to be collaborating with Aviation American Gin to give fans a chance to engage with the world of Deadpool in a whole new way leading up to the eagerly anticipated theatrical release of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.”

The limited-edition bottles will be available while supplies last from early summer at retailers nationwide, online, as well as the Aviation Distillery, and in select countries (US/UK/CAN/AUS).

For more information, go to aviationgin.com and follow @AviationGin on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook

Mexican Tequila brand Espolòn is celebrating 25 years since the introduction of its signature Tequila Blanco with the launch of a limited-edition celebration bottle.

A first for the brand, the limited-edition bottle was created by renowned Mexican street artist and illustrator, Edgar “Saner” Flores.

“I’m thrilled to be a part of this celebration and honoured that my art is now a part of the brand’s history,” explained Flores. “The essence of Espolòn’s journey inspires the label: the distinctive tequila-making process, iconic brand symbols, and the celebrations and traditions of Mexico.”

Depicting an irreverent tribute to Cirilo, the brand’s icon Ramon the Rooster, as well as the steps in Espolòn’s thoughtful tequila-making process. The artwork also pays homage to José Guadalupe Posada, whose iconic illustrations inspire every Espolòn bottle available today.

Additionally, Espolòn has collaborated with The National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures (NALAC) to spur the next generation of creatives by supporting the first-ever Modern Maverick Artist Grant – an award created in partnership with NALAC as an extension of the organization’s 2024 NALAC Fund for the Arts (NFA) program.

The grant, in the amount of $10,000, will be presented by NALAC to one emerging Latinx/é artist who continues to champion unapologetic originality so they can continue to pursue their artistic endeavours.

As part of the festivities, Espolòn will also be hosting private events in Los Angeles on April 25th and New York City on May 2nd to celebrate those who have inspired and supported Espolòn throughout the years.

Hosted in partnership with iconic creative partners Adrian Per (@omgadrian) and Nicolas Heller (@newyorknico), each event combines the best of the city’s Latino art, culture, music, and of course, delicious cocktails for a night of underground celebrations leading up to Cinco de Mayo.

Espolòn Tequila is the realization of the late Founder & Maestro Tequilero Cirilo Oropeza who put his dream into motion with the construction of an innovative distillery in Los Altos de Jalisco, Casa San Nicolas (NOM: 1440).

From custom-designed stainless-steel autoclaves to serenading its yeast with classical music, Espolòn’s production process combines art with science. It merges traditional and modern techniques, creating a tequila known for its exceptional quality and versatility.

“Espolòn Tequila began with a vision to turn the tequila industry on its head to create something new and different,” explained Andrea Sengara, Vice President of Marketing at Campari America.

“As we commemorate this anniversary, we continue to champion unapologetic originality and spur on creative mavericks in all that we do, always striving to keep Cirilo’s vision alive. The past 25 years have seen this brand grow into a truly global player, and we’re excited to bring this moment to life with engaging events and limited-edition launches for Cinco de Mayo and beyond.”

For more information, go to espolontequila.com

French Cognac brand Hennessy has launched its ‘Made for more’ campaign highlighting five easy, summer cocktails you can make with the brand.

Featuring multi-hyphenate US star Teyana Taylor and Breakthrough British Nigerian Actor Damson Idris, the campaign highlights how any drink or occasion can easily be made ‘more’ when you add Hennessy.

The cocktails featured in the campaign are –

Hennessey Ginger – a mix of Cognac and Ginger Ale,

Hennessy Pineapple – a mix of Cognac, Pineapple Juice and bitters,

Hennessy Berry Mojito – a mix of Cognac, Berries, Lime, Simple Syrup and Mint

Hennessy Honey Highball – a mix Cognac, Honey Syrup, Lemon Juice and Soda Water

Hennessy Margarita – a mix of Cognac, Orange Liqueur, Agave and Lime Juice

“Hennessy is well known everywhere, but people don’t always know how versatile it is – how it brings more flavour, depth and complexity to all kinds of cocktails,” explained Hennessy Global Chief Marketing Officer, Julie Nollet.

“Our new ‘Made for more’ campaign is bringing to life this notion of 1+1=3, showcasing the unlimited possibilities and introducing another side of the brand with beauty, fun and open-mindedness,” Nollet continued.

“It shakes up the brand perceptions and builds on its legacy for a new generation.”

Known for partnering with cultural icons and characters to personify the brand’s multifaceted nature, Hennessy enrolled the creative agency Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam to show the cognac’s mixability.

For more information and cocktail ideas, go to hennessy.com