Kokova Magazine

London has long been recognised as the world's capital of cocktail culture - and London Cocktail Week, which runs from Friday 7th to Sunday 16th October, is an opportunity for discerning drinkers to celebrate this.

In its inaugural year, London Cocktail Week welcomed trade professionals from Europe, America, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. To best accommodate all the trade visitors in 2011, the event will focus around one pop-up space in Shoreditch – the 'Trade Hub' - where all seminars, master classes, meetings and mingling can take place.

Centred around two beautiful photographic studios, Studio One will become a pop-up bar and meeting space – serving delicious drinks to all those wearing a 'trade' wristband (available online).

Studio Two will house the official London Cocktail Week seminars – just ten in total over the course of the week. These seminars will be hosted by some of the most famous faces in the drinks world and tickets will be on sale via the website from August.

Because the week is so jam packed with both consumer and trade events, last year there weren't enough days in the week so in 2011 the festival has extended to incorporate the weekend before as well.

London Cocktail Week is now partnering with The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show at Vinopolis during the opening weekend (Friday 7th - Saturday 8th October) and finishing the week in style with RumFest at Olympia (Saturday 15th - Sunday 16th October).

London is home to some of the world's best bars and most skilled bartenders who will take centre stage for ten days in October as the most respected drinks professionals - from master distillers to brand owners and global bartending greats – descend on the city for a series of events, seminars and master classes.

This year, London Cocktail Week promises to be bigger and better with consumer events supported by a high-profile PR campaign and extended Cocktail Tours to drive traffic to the 100+ partnering bars across the city. In addition we are delighted to be working alongside The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show and RumFest.

Both these events will add depth to our existing schedule and put London firmly at the centre of cocktail excellence. We believe this event will provide a great boost for the industry as a whole by encouraging high standards in cocktail bars and raising consumer interest in quality spirits and liqueurs.

Simon Difford, Founder of London Cocktail Week