It's another mixed and fascinating bag this week, starting with The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve, a single malt whisky with a rum finish and Sylva, an intriguing dark non-alcoholic liquid made from wood – yes, wood!

Our book choice has home tender, professional, chef, sommelier and distiller totally covered, it’s 'The Bartender's Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro' – by Toby Maloney and the bartenders of the Violet Hour, with Emma Janzen.

As for our destination, it's Town in London, the restaurant/bar that's got everyone talking, including about Stevie Parle's food and Kevin Armstrong's drinks.

And our guest Hyacinthe Lescoet, is one of the driving forces behind The Cambridge Public House in Paris. Here he talks to us about the Cambridge Global Series an innovative programme that brings nine bars from around the world for guest shifts and seminars to inspire everyone in attendance.

What we're drinking:

Whisky Sour

60ml bourbon whiskey

30ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

15ml 1:1 sugar syrup

3 dashes Australian Aromatic Bitters

1 egg white

Lemon slice/cherry to garnish

Method:

Dry shake ingredients to emulsify. Add ice and shake again. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with lemon wheel and cherry pierced onto a cocktail stick.

Sylva

'The Bartender's Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails Like a Pro' – by Toby Maloney and the bartenders of the Violet Hour, with Emma Janzen

The Cambridge Public House

The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve

Town

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We've said it before and we'll say it again, vodka is having its moment and to prove it, we’re sampling two bottles of the good stuff in this episode. We begin with the brand new offering from Jo Malone CBE – yes, THAT Jo Malone, who now lends her winning ways with fragrance to the spirit world with a trilogy of top notch vodkas bought to life through her super power, synesthesia.

Then there’s Dirty Brew, the latest expression from Belvedere, combining organic rye vodka livened with deep and delicious robusto coffee bean for your drinking pleasure.

Bookwise, we’re dipping in to the appropriately titled Distilled Knowledge – The Science Behind Drinking’s Greatest Myths, Legends and Unanswered Questions by Brian D. Hoefling, while the name of this week’s bar might need a bit more explaining, it’s All My Gods, a new take on the classic dive bar, which opened in London last week.

And on to the tonic part: we’re joined by drinks powerhouses Iain McPherson and Millie Tang talking all things Schweppes Pioneers, the new advocacy programme they’re proudly spearheading along with Vasilis Kyritsis and Simone Caporale for Schweppes.

What we're drinking

Campari & IPA or IPA & Campari (the ingredients say it all!)

45ml Campari

180ml IPA

Twist of lemon to garnish

Method:

Pour ingredients into an ice-filled Collins glass. Gently combine, spritz with lemon peel and add to glass.

In celebration of International IPA Day (7th July)

All My Gods

Belvedere Dirty Brew

Distilled Knowledge – The Science Behind Drinking’s Greatest Myths, Legends and Unanswered Questions by Brian D. Hoefling

Jo Vodka

For more information on the Schweppes Pioneers advocacy programme, see @schweppes_gb

For our review of 'The Cocktail Parlour – How Women Brought The Cocktail Home' by Nicola Nice, listen here

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And just like that, we're over half way through season nine and rather coincidentally, that brings us half way through (or thereabouts) of summer. Not that we're letting the season TOTALLY dictate our choices in this episode, although (spoiler alert) our bar review and interview sees us soaking up the rays in France…

But first, our two featured products – which couldn't be more different. On one hand, we have the joyous Seven Tails Spiced Brandy, and on the other, we taste the No 52 Martini created by Sotiris Konomi at The Spy Bar in honour of a very special friend, the late and very great journalist and author, Forest Collins of 52 Martinis.

Our book is highly recommended for those who want to gen up on all things slow, botanical and infused– it's Wild Drinks – The New Old World of Small Batch Brews, Ferments and Infusions by Sharon Flynn. Then we head off to the stunning Maybourne Riviera where we catch up with Julien Lecharpentier and Laure Ferrand to talk about the liquid delights on their new menu, Identité.

What we're mixing:

Italicus Spritz

1 part Italicus Rosalio di Bergamotto

3 parts Prosecco

3 green olives (garnish)

Method: Add Italicus Rosalio di Bergamotto and Prosecco to an ice-filled highball glass. Gently combine ingredients with a mixing spoon and garnish with 3 olives pierced on to a cocktail stick

Le300 at The Maybourne Riviera

Seven Tails Spiced Brandy

The Spy Bar at OWO

Wild Drinks – The New Old World of Small Batch Brews, Ferments and Infusions by Sharon Flynn

Forest Collins' reviews about the people and places in Paris can be appreciated at 52martinis.com

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For everything you want to know about choosing, using and infusing teas there's only one woman to call, that's Henrietta Lovell aka the Rare Tea Lady. She talks to us about her passion for teaand shares her incredible knowledge on how teas can enhance all manner of drinking experiences – in the home, restaurant and bar.

But before we hear from her, there's the business of our product reviews to attend to… We start with Witchmark Black Lime Single Origin English Gin produced in Wiltshire and follow with Sacred Triple Sec, proudly distilled in Ian Hart's north London home.

Our book sees us getting into full disco mode as we enter the spirit of Natasha David's 'Drink Lightly – A lighter take on serious cocktails, with 100+ recipes for low and no-alcohol drinks', then it's time to get serious in our bar pack of the week, which is the classic Vesper Bar at The Dorchester in London.

Then it's over to Mexico City where we talk tea with Henrietta Lovell.

What we're mixing:

Strawberry Mojito

3 straberries

10 mint leaves

60ml white rum

15ml lime juice

10ml simple syrup 1:1

Soda water to top

Mint sprig (garnish)

Method: Muddle all ingredients except soda water in a tall chilled glass. Fill with crushed ice, top with a little soda water. Pull though to combine all ingredients. Serve with a metal straw next to a sprig of mint.

Drink Lightly – A lighter take on serious cocktails, with 100+ recipes for low and no-alcohol drinks by Natasha David

Sacred Triple Sec

Rare Tea Company

Witchmark Gin

Vesper Bar at The Dorchester

Henrietta Lovell's Tea Martinis Masterclass is at El Minutito, Mexico City from 6pm on 16th July. See elminutito.com for details

The Green Rhino Bakery is at Tonalà 121, Roma Norte, Mexico City @greenrhino_mx

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Sometimes we theme our episodes, sometimes we offer a mixed bag of tastes and goodies. This episode is all about the latter…

We start with the first of our products, the unique and delicate spirit distilled from the flower of the coconut palm, Ceylon Arrack. Our second pick takes the ABVs up a few notches, it's Redbreast Single Pot Irish Whiskey, but the Cask Strength version coming in at 57.5% ABV.

There are an abundance of drinking suggestions in our book choice, How To Drink by Victoria Moore, as well as in this week's bar, none other than the exceptional establishment which sits at No 1 on The World’s 50 Best Bars list. It is, of course, Handshake in Mexico City.

Our guest is equally fabulous, it's the co-founder of Paradiso in Barcelona, the driving force behind Women and Hospitality, owner of hospitality design company MS Bar Trends, and now co-founder of flower-inspired bar Gardenias in Lisbon, the one, the only Ms Margarita Sader.

What we're mixing:

Sparkling Rita

30ml reposado tequila

15ml Cointreau

150ml grapefruit soda/sparkling grapefruit

Method: Fill tumbler with ice, pour tequila and Cointreau. Top with the soda, Stir and serve. Garnish with candied organ and lemons

From 3 ingredient cocktails – 60 drinks made in minutes by Kate Calder

Ceylon Arrack

Gardenias Lisbon

Handshake Speakeasy

How To Drink by Victoria Moore

MSBartrends

Paradiso

Redbreast Single Pot Irish Whiskey – Cask Strength

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If you know anything about us, you’ll know we love us a Martini. So with National Martini Day coming up on Thursday 19th June, followed by World Martini Day on Saturday 21st June, it would be rude of us not to give a little nod to our signature drink.

With that in mind, we’ve picked out two very different bases for our Martinis, we go high proof with Beluga Gold Line Vodka and low – not in quality, but volume – with Second Sip, a new, recently released 20% abv gin created very much with sessional Martinis in mind by industry stalwarts Leo Robitschek and Nick Strangeway.

Make Mine A Martini – 130 cocktails and canapés for fabulous parties by Kay Plunkett-Hogge, is our book choice and it does exactly what it says on the tin. That’s if you’re staying in… if you’re going out, we can’t recommend the seven-strong Martini List at Twenty8 NoMad in London highly enough.  

In the hotseat, we have Tibor Krascsenics, group beverage director at LPM Dubai. He gives us the lowdown on the brand new, extremely stylish cocktail menu, conceived and perfectly presented as a glossy fashion magazine as well as sharing his tip for the perfect Martini.

What we're mixing:

Turf Club

45ml gin (Plymouth or London Dry)

45ml dry vermouth

7.5ml maraschino liqueur

2 dashes absinthe

2 dashes orange bitters

Your choice of lemon twist /olive/maraschino cherry to garnish

Method: Stir all ingredients over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with your choice of lemon twist/olive/maraschino.

Method:

Add a handful of fresh mint leaves and the sugar syrup to a Julep cup or Rocks glass, then lightly 'muddle' together. Add bourbon, then stir, before adding plenty of crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

28 NoMad

Beluga Gold Line Vodka

LPM Dubai

LPM Restaurants

Make Mine A Martini – 130 cocktails and canapés for fabulous parties by Kay Plunkett-Hogge

Second Sip

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We're counting down the days until Simone Caporale and Lorenzo Antinori open their destined-to-be-hot, new destination bar in Hong Kong but before we hear from them on the what, why and how of their first collaboration, there's our usual housekeeping to attend to.

Starting with our product reviews… Gary gets the ball rolling with the latest expression from Johnnie Walker, Johnnie Walker Black Ruby, and Sandrae cracks open a bottle of Gin Mare Capri. Our book choice is definitely one for the bartenders out there, it's the Spirited Awards nominated Bubbles: A Guide to Carbonated Cocktails by Bart Miedeksza and Valentino Girotto.

Next we head over to Scarfes Bar in London where the works of British artist and caricaturist Gerald Scarfe are reimagined in the latest menu: Long Drawn Out Sips. Then it's time to hear from two of our favourite Italians, Simone Caporale and Lorenzo Antinori about their new joint project, Montana, which combines 1970s Miami with Cuban hospitality.

What we're mixing:

Mint Julep

60ml Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon Whisky

20ml sugar syrup (1:1)

A handful of mint leaves

Method:

Add a handful of fresh mint leaves and the sugar syrup to a Julep cup or Rocks glass, then lightly 'muddle' together. Add bourbon, then stir, before adding plenty of crushed ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Bubbles: A Guide to Carbonated Cocktails by Bart Miedeksza and Valentino Girotto

Gin Mare Capri Mediterranean Gin

Johnnie Walker Black Ruby

Montana

Scarfes Bar

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We're back with season 9 and over the next few weeks we’ll be talking to some of the fabulous people we’ve met up with during our recent travels but this episode begins, as always with our chosen products: the first of which is Be-Gin a gin celebrating all things flowers and the second, a new range from Cointreau which zones in on citrus.

Our book is spiritual wisdom, seasonality and locality personified, it’s Hyper Drinks, the debut book from Angelos Bafas aka Mr Ungarnished, and we head to Shoreditch for Waltz, the new bar from Gento Torigata.

For our first interview of the season we’re talking to Rodrigo Urraca, Marcos Di Battista and Eric Van Beek, the dream team behind Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, recently taking the top slot on North America’s 50 Best Bars List for the second consecutive year and currently number one in the world. We hear from them about the highs and lows of being number one and why they won't have their awards on the back bar.

Grand Mimosa

90ml sparkling wine

45ml orange juice

15ml Grand Marnier

Orange zest or slice to garnish

Method: Add 45ml of sparkling wine to a chilled wine glass, the add the fresh orange juice and Grand Marnier. Gently 'pull through', then top with the remains 45ml of sparkling wine. Garnish with the orange garnish or zest.

Be!Gin

Cointreau Citrus Series

Handshake Speakeasy

Hyper Drinks by Angelos Bafas

Waltz bar

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In the first of our city specials, we're in New York where we spent three nights in seven incredible bars – eight if you count the two at Sip & Guzzle. As well as trying the drinks we caught up with the movers and shakers behind them to find out more about their respective venues and what they think makes the bar scene in New York tick.

We also booked in to Great Jones, the first working distillery in Manhattan for 100 years and chatted to Hanna Lee and Michael Anstendig from Hanna Lee Communications to get their perspective on what's making the city pop right now and about hear more about their recently launched project, New York Bartender Week.

What we're mixing:

The Big Apple (serves 1)

45ml Great James bourbon

45ml cloudy apple juice

10ml freshly squeezed lime juice

10ml sugar syrup (2:1)

I egg white

Cinnamon stick/cinnamon powder to garnish

Recipe from Difford's Guide; adapted from 60 Second Cocktails by Neil Ridley & Joel Harrison

Method:

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake to emulsify the egg white. Add ice and shake hard. TStrain into chilled coupe. Garnish with grated cinnamon or cinnamon powder.

Bars visited in this episode

Bar Snack

Clemente Bar

Double Chicken Please

Great Jones Distillery

Martiny's

schmuck.

Sip & Guzzle

Super Bueno

Bars mentioned in this episode

Amor Y Amargo

Attaboy

Bar Contra

Bemelmans Bar

Dear Strangers

Eventi Hotel

Mister Paradise

PDT

Portrait Bar

Shinji's

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International Women’s Day is March 8, so we're celebrating the incredible contribution of women across the drinks industry.

Our products are Nc'nean founded by Annabel Thomas and Casa Dragones Tequila Blanco founded by Bertha González Nieves. Our book is The Cocktail Parlour - How Women Brought The Cocktail Home by Nicola Nice and we highlight a few bars founded and run by women around the world. Our guest is Marissa Johnston, Executive Director of OurWhisky Foundation who tells us about the work they're doing to empower women in whisky

What we're mixing:

Earl Grey MarTEAni

(For 2 cocktails)

Infuse one Earl Grey tea bag in 120ml London Dry Gin

50ml lemon juice

40ml simple syruo

1 egg white

Method:

Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake without ice. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a chilled Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

In this episode:

Artesian Bar

Bar Swift

Black Pearl

Brujas

Casa Dragones Tequila

Clover Club

CopperBay

Doña

Double Chicken Please

Cafe Arixi

Ego Death

Happy Accidents

Milady's

Mostly Harmless

Nc'Nean Botanical Spirit

OurWhisky Foundation

schmuck.

Selva

Tayer + Elementary

The Flying Dutchmen

The Pontiac

Tokyo Confidential

The Cocktail Parlor by Nicola Nice

Vesper Bar

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