What's on in November - The Spirits Business
From honouring the departed to celebrating the festive season, November has it all when it comes to spirited events. Here, we’ve highlighted our top 10 that are a must for your diary.
With many of the world’s best bars popping up at other global venues, now might be your chance to tick some off your bucket list without racking up the Air Miles.
Meanwhile, there is no shortage of Day of the Dead celebrations happening this month, so if you love Tequila, marigolds and celebrating life, you’re in luck.
Keep reading to find out what else is on the agenda throughout November.
Día de los Muertos 2024What: A selection of global Day of the Dead celebrations
Where: London and Mexico City
When: 1-3 November
Bringing the spirit of the traditional Mexican festival Día de los Muertos to the UK this November is Cazcabel Tequila, which is partnering with 100 bars across the UK, who will each create their own Día de los Muertos altar, which will be traditionally adorned with photos, flowers and food to honour the dead.
Nate Sorby, global brand ambassador at Cazcabel Tequila said: “Día de los Muertos is such a special celebration of life (and after life) and we wanted to bring this special tradition to the UK to give everyone the opportunity to celebrate loved ones and toast a delicious Cazcabel cocktail in their honour. ”
Meanwhile, the team behind Maestro Dobel Tequila has teamed up we the esteemed Lanesborough Hotel to host an exclusive multi-sensory experience on Friday 1 November, where guests will be guided through a tasting experience and encouraged to use all five senses to discover the world of cristalino Tequila, break down misconceptions of agave, and discover their new favourite Tequila serve.
For those in the west London neighbourhood of Notting Hill, local gem Viajante87 will host an unmissable Day of the Dead party on Saturday 2 November, sponsored by Patrón Tequila. Kicking off at 8pm, the bar will offer a special three-drink menu crafted exclusively with Patrón Tequila, and using unique ingredients brought all the way to the bar from Oaxaca, Mexico.
Or, you could head to rooftop bar Savage Garden in the City of London, where the bar invites you to an otherworldly party in partnership with Casa Don Ramón on Friday 1 November from 8pm to 2am. The space will be transformed into a vibrant Day of the Dead celebration, complete with a live DJ, Mariachi band, and authentic cocktails crafted with premium Tequila and mezcal from the Mexican brand.
Meanwhile over in London’s Mayfair, The Dorchester’s Vesper Bar is delighted to be hosting an exclusive Día de los Muertos event on Friday 1 November in collaboration with Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy and Tequila Enemigo.
Vesper Bar’s manager Lucia Montanelli will team up with Handshake’s top bartenders for a night of unique, handcrafted cocktails and Mexican-inspired dishes. Guests can enjoy these in Vesper Bar’s luxurious setting while a Mariachi band and DJ enhance the festive atmosphere.
Then over in North America, New York’s trailblazing Mexican-American cocktail bar Superbueno is heading to Mexico City for its first international pop-up, hosted by one of the country’s most iconic mixology institutions, Rayo. On Sunday, 3 November, the two award-winning teams will join forces in honour of Día de los Muertos, bringing guests a one-night only experience fuelled by some of the world’s greatest Mexican-inspired cocktails.
Licorería Limantour takeover
What: Licorería Limantour heads to Mayfair
Where: Quaglinos, London
When: 30 October – 2 November
Quaglino’s, the iconic restaurant in Mayfair renowned for its live music and celebratory vibe, is set to host an exciting four-day bar residency, welcoming Mexico City’s legendary bar Licorería Limantour from Wednesday 30th October to Saturday 2nd November.
Licorería Limantour will bring its signature magic to London, with renowned bartenders Pablo Mangialavori and Ángel Rodríguez shaking up a menu of their most iconic and inventive cocktails, in partnership with Casamigos. The menu will be continuing until 17 November.
Athens Bar ShowWhat: A celebration of the on-trade in the Greek capital
Where: Athens, Greece
When: 5-6 November
The Athens Bar Show has become a cherished event for the global bar community, dedicated to education, industry networking, and sharing knowledge, ideas, and inspiration for all professionals who attend. Now, it returns for 2024, and is once again a must-attend event for all professionals in the spirits & beverages industry.
Offering a great opportunity to network, learn and exchange ideas with like-minded professionals, with talks and seminars hosted over the two-day event.
Speciality SessionsWhat: A spotlight on Japanese whisky
Where: Bristol, Edinburgh and London
When: 6 November
After continual success throughout 2024, drinks industry education event Speciality Sessions is back and ‘bigger than ever’, heroing Japanese whisky, with the spirits knowledge competition hitting three of Britain’s ‘most loved’ cocktail cities, Bristol, Edinburgh and London, on 6 November 2024.
Speciality Sessions is the flagship category education and competition series from wholesaler Speciality Drinks, which aims to inspire those behind the bar to uplift their spirits knowledge and pits some of the UK’s best bars against each other for the chance to win unforgettable experiences and prizes, including a trip to renowned distillery Kanosuke.
Each event focuses on a specific drinks category, curated by Speciality Drinks’ advocacy manager Hannah Lanfear, a renowned industry educator and trailblazer when it comes to training and education.
What: A Christmas miracle comes to Canada
Where: Third Place (875 Bloor St West), Toronto, Canada
When: 14 November – 29 December
Can you hear those sleigh bells jingling? That’s the sound of the most magical Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar Miracle Toronto returning for the 2024 holiday season.
Hosted by the award-winning team behind Civil Liberties, Miracle will once again transform Third Place into a winter wonderland – complete with kitschy holiday decor, a delightful array of holiday-inspired cocktails, visits from Santa and cheerful events.
Also new this year, Santa will be traveling from the North Pole to Miracle Toronto to mingle, bring joy and snap pictures with guests. Throughout the pop-up, Miracle will host a range of holiday themed events, from drag performances to family-friendly workshops.
Jingle Jangle by The Dead RabbitWhat: The Dead Rabbit’s festive pop-up
Where: Austin and New York
When: 19 November – 5 January
Iconic Irish pub The Dead Rabbit is set to both introduce its beloved Christmas bar pop-up, Jingle Jangle, to Austin, Texas and bring it back to lower Manhattan, New York in November, with the entirety of both pubs transforming into winter wonderlands between November 19 and January 5.
Jingle Jangle features nostalgic decor, a 14-drink deep cocktail menu that celebrates the season, and a carefully-curated playlist featuring Irish Christmas classics. Additionally, the team will be serving up holiday-inspired dishes like Turkey Pot Pie, Shepherd’s Pie, and Brussels Sprout & Sweet Potato Salad.
As crafted by beverage director Aidan Bowie, the cocktail menu offers new and returning favourites, all of which play on holiday nostalgia and highlight wintery ingredients like baking spices, seasonal fruit, and chocolate.
Ajabu spirits and cocktail festivalWhat: An international celebration of cocktails
Where: Cape Town, South Africa
When: 20-24 November
Africa’s first bi-annual international cocktail and spirits festival will return to Cape Town, South Africa from 20-24 November.
Following its debut in March, Ajabu will bring bartenders from some of the best bars from around the world, including Milady’s (New York), True Laurel (San Francisco), Jewel of the South (New Orleans), Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City), Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal), Front/Back (Accra), Hero Bar (Nairobi), Jigger and Pony (Singapore), and Library by the Sea (Turks and Caicos).
Each of these global bars will collaborate with Cape Town’s outstanding local bars to deliver festival attendees exceptional cocktail experiences over three nights.
English Whisky Festival 2024What: A festival dedicated to England’s whiskies
Where: Birmingham, UK
When: 23 November
The English Whisky Festival is set to make its return to Birmingham in November for its third year.
Featuring more than 30 English whisky brands, this is the only gathering featuring this many English whisky distilleries, making it a unique opportunity to experience the whole category under one roof, just once a year.
With hundreds of spirits to sample, guests can taste their way around England and learn something new about the English whisky industry along the way. It’s a sociable day – best enjoyed with your whisky partner or a group of like-minded friends.
Pappy Van Winkle tastingWhat: A tasting of one of the world’s most coveted Bourbon brands
Where: The K Bar, Kensington Hotel, London
When: 27 November
Step into the sophisticated ambience of The K Bar at The Kensington Hotel for an incredibly rare and exclusive Bourbon tasting, learning all about the legendary Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, from the world’s most award-winning distillery Buffalo Trace.
Discover the magic behind one of the world’s most coveted Bourbons, which has been described as ‘more of a folk tale than a whiskey’ due to its rarity. Bourbon lovers will sample five 25ml pours from Pappy Van Winkle, considered the most sought-after Bourbon in the world that is almost impossible to find, due to its very low production and high demand.
Bourbon connoisseurs will have the opportunity to try 25ml pours, including the Pappy Van Winkle 20 – crowned the World’s Best Bourbon at the World Spirits Championship – and Pappy Van Winkle 23, a rare treat usually priced at £135 per pour at The K Bar.
The Lobby Bar Macallan Tasting LoungeWhat: A tasting lounge dedicated to The Macallan
Where: Las Vegas
When: Through to the end of December
The Lobby Bar at Aria Resort & Casino has been completely reimagined to create the new The Macallan tasting lounge, with moody lighting, refined finishes and a bright red tonal colour palette that stands out against the action of the surrounding casino floor. Raw textures of natural materials such as wood, rocks and plants, in addition to subtle curved elements, will connect back to the distillery while spiky shapes of futuristic and origami patterns bring in motifs from specialty bottles as part of The Macallan collection.
The venue highlights some of the brand’s most sought-after bottles and vintages, previously only reserved for private buyers and collectors, including Time: Space – an exceptionally rare 1940 vintage matured over eight decades and the oldest whisky ever released by the prestigious brand.
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