Buy George… Treat Someone This Christmas With George Clooney’s Award-Winning Casamigos Tequila

TREAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY THIS CHRISTMAS TO RANDE GERBER, GEORGE CLOONEY AND MICHAEL MELDMAN’S AWARD-WINNING

CASAMIGOS TEQUILA

 casamigos-tequila-george-clooney

Brought To You By Those Who Drink It

Let the good times flow this Christmas by treating friends and family to a bottle of award-winning Casamigos Tequila. “Brought To You By Those Who Drink It,” Casamigos Tequila is privately owned by George Clooney and longtime friend, bar and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman.

 Casamigos

Casamigos is named after Gerber and Clooney’s houses in Mexico, and roughly translates to “House of Friends.”

Tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Casamigos was originally created out of Clooney and Gerber’s desire to enjoy the best-tasting, smoothest tequila and was always intended for personal use, to be shared with family and friends.

 

Casamigos is currently available in Blanco, Reposado and Añejo. These small batch, ultra-premium tequilas are made from the finest hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves, grown in the rich red clay soil and cool climate of Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for a minimum of seven years. After harvest, the agave piñas are roasted in traditional brick ovens for seventy-two hours before undergoing an extra-slow fermentation process over an additional eighty hours, nearly double the industry standard. Casamigos’ Blanco rests for two months, whilst Casamigos Reposado and Casamigos Añejo are aged 7 and 14 months respectively in the finest premium American white oak barrels, which have been carefully reconditioned after being used to age the finest premium whiskey.

top-banner-2

“Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear, with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish, Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel, and Casamigos Añejo is a perfect balance of sweetness from the Blue Weber agaves, layered with barrel oak and subtle hints of spice with a lingering smooth finish. All expressions are great served neat or on the rocks, and are the perfect base for premium cocktails,” says Gerber.

Before going into the bottle, each batch is tasted and approved by our master distiller, Gerber and Clooney, to ensure the highest quality. Each batch is then numbered and signed by Gerber and Clooney. Casamigos’ authentic minimalist design reflects the men who created it.

“We worked on the creation of Casamigos Tequila with our master distiller in Jalisco, Mexico, for years and held many blind tastings until we knew we got it right. We’ve been drinking Casamigos with friends and family for over six years,” says Clooney.

Casamigos is available in the United States, Bahamas, Canada, Hong Kong, and the UK, and has garnered the highest accolades from the spirit industry’s most well respected authority figures. Awards and ratings include the highest rated gold medals from Los Angeles International Spirits Competition, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, The Beverage Testing Institute, The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, The Spirits of Mexico Tasting Competition and many more. Additionally, Casamigos was rated “Excellent, Highly Recommend” by The Ultimate Spirits Challenge, received the coveted 5 star rating from BevX Magazine, “A perfect tequila,” A rating, from Good Spirit News, named “Best Tequila in the World” by Men’s Journal magazine and Oprah Winfrey lists Casamigos as “The Smoothest, The Best.”

Casamigos Tequila is available to purchase at Selfridges and Harvey Nichols this Christmas:

www.selfridges.com

Casamigos Blanco: £62.99

Casamigos Reposado: £69.99

Casamigos Añejo: £77.99

www.harveynichols.com

Casamigos Blanco: £62.50

Casamigos Reposado: £69.50

Casamigos Añejo: £75.00

 

For more information on Casamigos Tequila, please visit www.casamigostequila.com.

Follow Casamigos Tequila on Facebook at Facebook.com/casamigostequila, and on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @Casamigos

 

About Casamigos Tequila…

Brought To You By Those Who Drink It. Privately owned by George Clooney and longtime friend, bar and restaurant mogul Rande Gerber, and Discovery Land Company CEO & founder Michael Meldman, tequila-filled nights with friends is how Casamigos was born. Launched in the UK in March 2015, these small batch, ultra-premium tequilas are made from the finest hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agaves grown in the rich red clay soil and cool climate of Mexico’s Jalisco Highlands for a minimum of seven years. Casamigos Blanco is crisp and clear, with subtle hints of vanilla and a smooth finish, Casamigos Reposado is smooth and clean with hints of caramel. Casamigos Añejo is aged 14 months and has a beautifully pure and refined complex aroma, with soft caramel and vanilla notes.

 

About The Amigos…

It’s safe to say these men know a thing or two about toasting good times. As founder of the Gerber Group and Gerber Spirits, Rande has extensive experience within the restaurant and bar industries, previously owning establishments in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and around the world. George Clooney is an Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer – and now, tequila maker. Mike Meldman’s Discovery Land Company consists of 17 luxury residential private club communities and resorts including Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas and The Yellowstone Club, Big Sky Montana.

 

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Serves Gentleman’s Wager Cocktail at Mayfair’s Galvin At Windows

Screen-Shot-2015-11-02-at-16.21.32JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL has created a beautiful bespoke cocktail

‘THE GENTLEMAN’S WAGER’ 

now being served at iconic GALVIN AT WINDOWS, Mayfair

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL, the leading luxury Blended Scotch whisky, has created a bespoke cocktail with whisky at its heart, to celebrate the launch of the short film

 ‘THE GENTLEMAN’S WAGER II’

 The short film, starring Oscar-nominated actors Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini, tells the story of two men who enter a wager over a priceless vintage Delahaye 135S car.

1 2 3 4 5 9 1013 11 14 16 17

As we follow Jude’s efforts to win the wager, we see that it is only through the gratitude he shows people along his journey that he is able to succeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzME9i03PpI

Boris Ivan, Bar Manager at Michelin star London restaurant Galvin at Windows, at London Hilton on Park Lane, created the cocktail with the beautiful setting of the film – Italy, France and Monaco – in mind. Ensuring the warming flavours paid homage to the stunning European landscape and cultures.

Gentleman's Wager cocktail at Galvin at Windows 3[2] (1)

Johnnie Walker Blue Label forms the base of the drink, which is blended with Antica Formula, a particular type of vermouth from Southern Italy, and is of geographical and cultural importance to the area. The ingredient represents the location where Jude and Giancarlo start the race, and its warm and rich flavours embody the luxury and elegance of the Italian way of life.

By contrast, the nutty and sweet Creme de Chataigne represents Monaco, the principality in France where the race fishes, and evokes the flavours of wood given to whisky while aging. A touch of chocolate bitters completes the cocktail to give a round, rich finish.

Gentleman's Wager cocktail at Galvin at Windows 1[1][2]

Commenting on the launch, Boris Ivan states: “The Gentleman’s Wager cocktail is the very embodiment of The Gentleman’s Wager II and was inspired by the beautiful setting in which the short film took place. I wanted the cocktail to be warm and full of flavour, without overpowering the senses, so I drew cues from the rich and memorable tastes, sights and smells of Italy, France and Monaco, which all feature in Jude Law’s the journey to win the wager.”

The Gentleman’s Wager cocktail (£14) is available now from Galvin at Windows.

About Johnnie Walker Blue Label…

Johnnie-Walker-Blue-Label-Whisky

Johnnie Walker’s most prestigious whisky. Probably THE most famous super-premium blend, made up of the finest old-aged malt and grain whiskies. The Cristal of the blended whisky world, Blue Label’s bold, multi-layered palate and silky delivery ensure that it sits unchallenged at the top of the Johnnie Walker pile.

About Galvin at Windows…

gaw-balcony-3-table-set-up galvin-at-widows-day-skyline galvin-at-widows-salmon

Galvin at Windows has maintained a Michelin star every year since 2009. The restaurant has set the bar for French haute cuisine with Chef Patron Chris Galvin and Head Chef Joo Won at the helm in the Kitchen and is known for the outstanding service and attention to detail all overseen by General Manager Fred Sirieix. With over 30 awards to its name Galvin at Windows is one of the great success stories of recent years and a true star of the London restaurant scene.

www.galvinatwindows.com

About Boris Ivan…

14181435571_windows_1

Born in Poprad, Slovakia, Boris started his career in the bar industry whilst at University in Slovakia, working part time at different bars.  In 2004 he moved to London and took a position at the Soho Hotel. After over two years working behind the bar Boris  decided to and move to Prague where he worked as Assistant F&B manager at the Crowne Plaza. During the four months that he lived in Prague, Boris studied the art of Japanese mixology and together with Stanislav Vadrna worked as external bar consultant in award winning bar, UFO.

In August 2008 he left Crowne Plaza when he was asked to come back to the Soho Hotel as senior bartender before moving to Hush, Mayfair. At Hush Boris was part of the development team and won several awards for molecular mixology at the First Bar Show in Barcelona.

In 2010 he joined the Disaronno Mixing Star Competition and won 1st place in early 2011 represented UK in European Mixing star final.  After a busy year, Boris left Hush bar and accepted position in newly opened Mint Hotel, Tower Bridge, where he ran the Sky Lounge bar for the next 8 months. In August 2011 he left the Sky Lounge team and started as Bar and Club Lounge Manager in Le Meridien Piccadilly. In April 2013 he joined Galvin at Windows team as Bar Manager where he looks after every aspect of the bar and makes London’s best cocktails.

Great Christmas wines for a fiver

four quality wines

Very cheap and very good

Anyone wanting to buy good wines this Christmas is in for a treat. There’s a bit of a price war at the cheaper end of the market. Aldi has been selling its very excellent ‘Exquisite Collection’ wines for just over a fiver and recently announced that it would be selling its wines on the internet, for home delivery. All of this has created consternation among the other retailers.

Asda has responded by putting some excellent wines on sale at a fiver and labelled them as ‘Extra Special Selection’. I bought about a dozen bottles yesterday and I can tell you that the ones I opened are excellent.Most of them are well known varieties  such as Chardonnay – slightly floral and citrus – Sauvignon Blanc- flavours of tropical fruits. but there are one or two more unusual varieties such as Viognier and Fiano – which is from Sicily and has undertones of lemon and rosemary. They are superb wines and the sort of thing you might normally expect to pay about £8 or £9 for.

As part of the range there is a pouilly fume, which is a classy sauvignon blanc, which has a slightly flinty flavour. This cost £10.75 and was a decent wine and reasonably priced. It’s a well known wine, so it’s a good thing to impress your friends.

In the middle of the photo is a slightly smaller bottle. This is a bottle of sauternes, which was also a fiver. This is a dessert wine and very reasonably priced. It’s a lovely thing in the house to have over Christmas. It has a lovely, slightly resinous flavour of dried fruit. Serve it in small glasses and offer it to friends who come around. In Italy they drink it with biscotta or a slice of panetonne. But it would be equally nice with a mince pie.

Anyone for Pinot Noir? By Margaret Graham

Frost has had the great pleasure of tasting three bottles of Errazuriz’s Pinot Noir (Chile) recently, and it made us very relaxed and cheerful, let me tell you.

Pinot Noir Estate Series

Errazuriz’s Pinot Noir1

The grapes for the Estate Series Pino Noir have been rigorously selected from the Errazuriz vineyards in the Aconcagua Valley and the Mediterranean climate in this area of Chile which features warm days and fresh evening breezes. This temperature oscillation in the weeks leading up to the harvest triggers an intensification of the colour of the wines.

The Estate Pinot Noir 2014’s aroma promised all that was to come, the wine felt fresh on the palate, but wholesome, and full of the flavour of red fruits.  It suited the chicken dish we had, but would work as well with pasta, grilled fish, and any sort of seafood.

Errazuriz Estate Pinot Noir 2014 RRP £10.25, Majestic

Aconcagua Costa Pino Noir

Errazuriz’s Pinot Noir2

There’s something special about living within easy reach of the sea, and the grapes for Aconcagua Costa Pino Noir endorse this, coming as they do from the Manzanar vineyard.

It is located barely 7.5. miles from the Pacific Ocean.  The 2013-2014 weather was moderately warm, followed by a dry spring. Budbreak was delayed due to a cold spell but the cool growing conditions had the effect of a slow ripening of the grapes, leading to an intense aroma, and taste.

The grapes were hand picked, double sorted, and the final blend was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. Gorgeous. It reminded me of the best of the Margaret River wines (Western Australia). We enjoyed this wine, very much.

Errazuriz Aconcagua Costa Pinot Noir 2014 RRP £16.15, Stone Vine & Sun, Cheers Wine Merchant, Hoults, Eagle wines, Noel Young, R Campbell and Sons

Wild Ferment Pinot Noir

Errazuriz’s Pinot Noir3The grapes for this Pino Noir come from the La Escultura vineyard, located in the Casablanca Valley 32 kilometres from the Pacific Ocean. Warm summer days, morning fog and fresh evening breezes that blow in from the coast allow for a gradual ripening process. This helps to preserve the grapes aroma, flavour and acidity.

This wine was my husband’s favourite. Aromas of wild strawberries, cranberries, savory dried herbs, rosemary made it pretty sublime.

Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir 2014 RRP £14.35, Majestic, Booths and Grape Sense

 

 

 

Feeney’s Irish Cream Liqueur Review

FEENY'S BOTTLE HiRes 2Feeney’s Irish Cream is often referred to as ‘The World’s Most Luxurious Irish Cream Liqueur’. High praise indeed. But how true? Well, very. This is a smooth rich liqueur made with the freshest cream from Ireland which is then blended with the finest Irish Whisky. It is smooth with a rich buttery taste and a milky finish. It is fresh as Feeney’s proudly states that it gets from dairy to distillery in 24 hours on its bottle. Blended and bottled in the Irish countryside in Abbeyleix, County Laois; It is stylish and can give any other Irish Cream Liqueur a run for its money. Delicious and prefect for Christmas.
 Feeney’s Irish Cream is available from Tesco stores and tesco.com

 

 

A Pair of Classy wines from Chile

concha2

I know it sounds a bit pretentious, but I was having a few friends for dinner, so I got two bottles of wine – one from 2012 and one from 2013 – for a side-by-side tasting. I generally enjoy Chilean wines so I bought the two vintages of Marques de Casa Concha.

Chile used to specialise in quite good pinot noir – a bit heavier than your average Burgundy but a nice thing to have with a steak. Now the Chileans are doing some quite classy things.

These are lovely wines. They are grown on high slopes so they have a bit of complexity. The 2012 is 98 per cent Cabernet Sauvignon with 2 per cent syrah. The 2013 also has some Cabernet Franc and some petit verdot. In other words, the grapes used for making the wines are practically the same. More interestingly, the 2013 vintage was made using much bigger casks. This means that there is less oxidisation and more fruit flavour in the wine.

Of course, it is a matter of taste. I personally preferred the 2013. It was full of flavours of blueberry and blackberry and had a wonderful richness and a long finish. It was something to savour. The 2012 was also a good wine, but had less of a flourish. I suspect this might endear it to wine experts, who admire simplicity.

They are both extremely good wines, and at £12 a good thing for a dinner party. Great with steak or a traditional beef stew, or just as something lovely to sip in front of the fire with good friends. The 2012, which has a slightly lighter taste, would go well with hearty lamb dishes. Available from Sainsburys

More ideas and reviews of food and wine are available on Jack’s website

Johnnie Walker® and McLaren Honda F1 Stage Driving Spectacular In London To Deliver Anti Drink Driving Message

Header

F1 stars Mika Häkkinen, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso called on Londoners to JOIN THE PACT to never drink and drive, supporting the Department for Transport’s THINK! campaign.

In Wembley, London, on 4 December 2015, as part of its global responsible drinking programme, JOIN THE PACT, JOHNNIE WALKER®, staged a driving spectacular with the stars of the McLaren Honda Formula 1 Team to encourage people to never drink and drive.

-AV0MZhFb5OP2Q7oPimAQIZV1wZGW8jNLLnG4M_07rw clYxU_FthperfgioW5geMcQCoZjbHsS7jfqSvM96eL4 ttFDW3ShF3ByQn6sOKZ4lmJ4DzZUXJC_NsN5EIVWtq0

kntlkM8qH6X0prAuAP2pX7vypOsSeRHLYUin6YsV3go Qjl7M7Z8jqr2WSyUJUleh-38hT6Zo5TprB7VHleRgDE yt_8K_pCVT7sJPG2OCuZtA8gbpe5FFkLhT6ZKdIQ0SI

During the event, F1 Stars Mika Häkkinen, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso and fellow McLaren Honda driver and 2015 GP2 Champion Stoffel Vandoorne thrilled spectators, demonstrating their control skills in London’s Wembley Park, driving competition winners, media and special guests in a range of cars, including McLaren road cars (including the lesser-seen McLaren 570S supercar) and the Johnnie Walker supercar Caparo T1.

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 04: McLaren Hondas Jenson Button with Radio X DJ Chris Moyles before he takes him for a ride outside Wembley Stadium on December 4, 2015 in London, England. The F1 star was in London for the launch of the Johnnie Walker festive responsible drinking initiative Join The Pact, to encourage people to make the pledge to never drink and drive. As part of the campaign, the Scotch whisky brand has pledged to give away 450,000 kilometres of safe rides home around the world this festive season. In addition, this year and starting in London, some people will have the opportunity to go one step further and experience the joy of festive giving by nominating a friend for a safe ride home. Join The Pact by visiting jointhepact.com or by tweeting #JoinThePact to @JohnnieWalker_. (Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images for Johnnie Walker)

kbgW0SFmlqcDQ0grqg707cBXZFZ5D2HoKC3VRjf8kV4

Radio X DJ Chris Moyles hosted the afternoon’s event and grabbed the opportunity of Jenson Button taking him for an exhilarating ride outside Wembley Stadium.

11913241_10156292411715015_5161395910890841423_n

The event is part of the responsible drinking festive campaign, JOIN THE PACT.  Last year, Johnnie Walker announced its intention to gather five million ‘Join The Pact’ commitments by 2018 and has since passed the half way mark, with almost 2.6 million people having made a personal promise to never drink and drive.

X3yqUs6FZzrKDEvi91aK8DBUTl7PZkisbKUr7tKQC1g WOvSpYygv5xlSJ2MJi2XjCEyl4iOvA0K7mqU-bpVe34 wBflDZa9jSzl0XZ0lt-ImZMMKIkcy-DojEVw7MP9B4o vt3TG2MqugljJnOB4n5TZB583vsp4VZ0h7WNW17Nxb4 veDq9TW5WSIKXXefe6Vh-zdeSS8SCdkPW00ixQMy1eE UTx3zZMkxsFOzdKzX5B3O7NoGX657AxWq_6e53OhjPA

U6jOoPBcN4k-BHSwtB1iZA8AR4f6mPe-H19ntlnM40k ts-lw4UTCzKau0X2is_R0IRDn6UBJDA2sCYiqUzdsv8 TGGCsgv1mryYg9p390vJ4Q2VI-eitcn_sKSD_GTz-x8 SwLwVINv5HN83iufPVRJILUs8MVb4GJ41SdkdFKb4Qw rtJc8sqvVUtK2s5sYpiV_bFjAZ5k7yIu-TiCKfDxzh8

rMMvYtuDvc9e-DfE5C_6PYARzRtjVmbJQyZ0_YNBFYo r29zcig1VK1jCLxcgDA3G-rMMJ8c3xZ82Oec2gLjJ-I r5uLQIcbwAaOWZfkG4_wzg6pd5LPYQCs049DJp5WddE QTklzIjVuaU2BVxnK399bBoWm3RU-TeBHLG327eP4WA PPcG2oIjISRBVnPe8DK2PIUtos8jx_yel0y6NeSvNjg -NBrPLlOswkFll8UN0LU5DNI7Ck1wH-hTMw5naVQkmg

Nb38V5xsJHZ3Rr1qjIectISr2L48yYLzj7l4Y3tyXfA NALR3n7wtVOJa3cBeQsPOt8aktEYHiHNdY8bBtehbcM n1XXkDowOiWFAuF9QAfKdkKgPX77Z7rdJw5ueHw4yEc lzd3EDlxzkPzSN2EchVIDbVnlbtzAOSkBZDK2s8WIdM lQHRO6iIA6nN8bsx8U_ivPvmPGohLWThIrLH-4eL0vY

kLsQ2gdFHyk8rsBMKygyBO3wZVwO1HGQDEhGevdo0rc kF7IAzFh_D7L-pl9UDCV-hpRk6MzKVXCtK8A4C6hjDk fDckCRJqRVH1R56eMASssfJmJNfVhNR3I-EIAj5UQlo ePMPJjajSZnrRONC7RvQWYXa-w58rRuVXfPT3ceRZ2M eLKatSziS-j99MBUFZYRRimTxaPHbgSWU-oBk28v4WY DIYqTUctX04BhwiiI4Mv4tF8vMrHQNsE1umovKAxKqc

clbroJubZ4p00LV7TrmqxaJjqTCEp1TUdDcEFZsenbQ c9yKNyFnfkiltY2c42xBbrcO9vRHSfeK-UOUGizsFRk BVTRSRxLbEWNjKW6p9GwCqDsJJa-HF1loEp__rFkQCs buKvknsN_JEdWw7Tk52MN-pVzJJgl02lNJelwcuA7IY 59Ou20O_lNMGX312e1OqMwNQobddI2UnDZAOOOuYgiI 7-AP7qEsAMdvefxZzlGSqbeF8OdjDR8QU8XnuYbMVt0

2jv0PNfD5W-YOezSFSLFkWGfGd697kQex5h4kq6nir0

The event was also marked by the premiere of a powerful new ‘Join The Pact’ film featuring Johnnie Walker Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador, Mika Häkkinen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOu8knYmMiY

What’s one of the best gifts you can give a friend this holiday season?

A safe ride home.

With the festive season in full swing and friends planning nights out all around the world, Johnnie Walker®, the world’s leading Scotch whisky, is encouraging people to make sure they get home safely by pledging to never drink and drive.

Last year, Johnnie Walker announced its intention to gather five million Join The Pact commitments by 2018 and has since passed the halfway mark, with almost 2.6 million people having made a personal promise to never drink and drive.

To launch its 2015 global festive responsible drinking campaign, Johnnie Walker today promised 450,000 kilometres of safe rides home around the world, in cities from Madrid to Sao Paulo and Edinburgh at Hogmanay, for those who make a commitment to never drink and drive through its Join The Pact initiative.  In addition, this year and starting in London, some people will have the opportunity to go one step further and experience the joy of festive giving by nominating a friend for a safe ride home.

Johnnie Walker and UBER are providing £10 off rides for a limited number of existing users who Join The Pact, and UBER will also fund unlimited £10 rides for new users on top of that for the duration of the festive campaign.

1

McLaren Honda Test Driver Stoffel Vandoorne, Johnnie Walker® Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador Mika Häkkinen pictured with his Caparo T1 supercar alongside fellow F1 World Champions and McLaren Honda drivers Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso and the lesser-seen McLaren 570S supercar at London’s Westminster Parliament buildings

Johnnie Walker®, Join The Pact will deliver 450,000 kilometres of safe rides home in the following cities:

  • London
  • Birmingham
  • Bristol
  • Leeds
  • Manchester
  • Newcastle
  • Portsmouth
  • Merseyside area
  • Glasgow
  • Sheffield
  • Edinburgh
  • Madrid
  • Sao Paulo
  • Rio
  • Recife

 3806144789

Andrew Jones MP, Minister for Transport said: “Drivers know that drink driving is wrong. It can destroy families and ruin lives.  Yet some people at Christmas will still take the risk and get behind the wheel when they shouldn’t.  “Over the past thirty years drink drive deaths have fallen significantly but every death or serious injury is one too many.  The best way for drivers to keep themselves and other road users safe is simple: don’t drink and drive.  I encourage drivers to Join the Pact to not drive after a tipple this Christmas.”

Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China. Friday 10 April 2015. Jenson Button, McLaren. World Copyright: Steven Tee/LAT Photographic. ref: Digital Image _X0W5489

McLaren Honda driver Jenson Button said: “As racing drivers, we understand the importance of staying in control and never ever getting behind the wheel after consuming any alcohol.  “We’re confident that people will get the message. Millions already have, and we want to encourage millions more to make a personal commitment to get home safely and ‘Join The Pact’ by visiting jointhepact.com or by tweeting #JoinThePact to @JohnnieWalker_.”

28305_andrew-cowan

Andrew Cowan, Managing Director of Diageo GB said: “During the festive season millions of Brits will celebrate with a drink, and we are committed to encouraging people to get home safely. We are so excited to be hosting this event in London, and we hope that many Londoners and people across the country will be inspired to join the 2.6 million people globally who have already made a pledge to never drink and drive.”

image

National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for Alcohol Licensing and Harm Reduction, Commander Simon Letchford said: “We’re very pleased to have this opportunity to work together with our partners from the drinks industry to get across the important message around responsible drinking over the festive season in the run-up to Christmas.  We want people to enjoy a drink but to do so responsibly and safely, and bear in mind that anti-social behaviour and road traffic accidents put a strain on emergency services and divert them from priority calls. If you cause an offence or an accident as a result of alcohol you could also face serious penalties.”

AAEAAQAAAAAAAAJlAAAAJDg3MGEzMzNjLTI2ZGMtNDY2My1hN2FlLWZkZjczODFhZDM0MQ

Mika Häkkinen said: “The holiday season is a time when friends and families get together to celebrate and share gifts of thanks with each other. It’s a time for parties and reunions and we want to make sure that those who are out celebrating with alcohol leave their cars at home.  I strongly urge everyone to Join The Pact to never drink and drive. Some of those who make the commitment this year will be able to thank their friends with the gift of a safe ride home, thanks to a partnership between Johnnie Walker and UBER in the UK and other transport partners across the world.”

hqdefault

Johnnie Walker Global Brand Director, Guy Escolme, said: “We’re delighted to have Mika, Jenson, Fernando and Stoffel here today. Formula 1 is one of the most progressive and thrilling sports in the world – one that has proven, time and again, that those who bring passion, commitment, and a genuine love for the circuit will achieve the most.”  He added: “More than 400 million fans tune in to F1 races worldwide. For ten years, our partnership with McLaren Honda has allowed us to reach this audience with our responsible drinking message and strongly urge people to Join The Pact to never drink and drive. Some of those who make the commitment this year will be able to thank their friends with the gift of a safe ride home, thanks to a partnership between Johnnie Walker and UBER in the UK and other transport partners across the world.”

 

People can make their pledge to never drink and drive by visiting www.jointhepact.com or by tweeting #JoinThePact to @JohnnieWalker_.

About Diageo…

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories.  These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.  Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.  Enjoy Johnnie Walker responsibly.

@DiageoGB

About ‘Join The Pact ‘…

Johnnie Walker places great importance on Responsible Drinking and tackles this issue through the Join The Pact campaign, with Mika Häkkinen as the Global Responsible Drinking Ambassador. Join The Pact asks consumers everywhere to make a commitment to never drink and drive through signing a pact. Since 2006 Mika has led this call-to-action initiative, which has been activated worldwide, collecting over a million signatures.

Mika has visited over 40 countries on five continents, spoken to countless media, government officials, stakeholders and consumers delivering important messages through unique Johnnie Walker experiences.

The JOHNNIE WALKER and JOIN THE PACT words, the Striding Figure device and associated logos are trademarks © John Walker & Sons 2015.

 

Images © Shane Finn at Visual Devotion and Getty

Good Food Show – Birmingham NEC Review By Tracy Baines

This was my first trip to the BBC Good Food show but it was obvious from the outset that many of the clientele had been to previous events. In they poured, armed with substantial shopper trolleys and crates on wheels to depart much later with a hoard of goodies.

Photo-1Good_Food_Medfoods.

I’d accompanied my son and his wife who were working on the World Cheese Awards and was left in charge of my two year old grandson, Huxley. We arrived when it opened and were still there when it closed so I had a great overview of the general flow of the day (as well as sore feet).

Good Food Show  - Birmingham NEC                                                                      Tracy Baines2cheese

I wasn’t sure what I expected to find there, food obviously, and demonstrations, but it was so much more than that and I can see why people come back again and again. There was an entire warren of stands from the big names like Hotpoint and Stoves to small, individual family businesses launching new products.

Photo-3-Good_Food_Show_Phil_Vickery

As well as food you could also buy anything from a dining table and chairs to a bed, a massage chair and a Lexus should you be so inclined. There really was something for everyone. Many of the stalls though offered fantastic food and drink products. I never knew there were so many brands of gin and craft beer available. It was quite an eye opener.

Good Food Show  - Birmingham NEC   Tracy Baines4

I wandered up and down the aisles watching demonstrations of garlic graters and miracle mops, and enjoyed sampling everything from sausages to ice cream. You could purchase a new set of pans and something to clean them with if you burnt them. It was a great place to buy Christmas presents and I was particularly taken with the 50s style aprons at The Sunday Girl Company. Fabulously fun aprons for mother and daughter – and Grandma!

Good Food Show  - Birmingham NEC   Tracy Baines5

And of course, you could take out a subscription to Good Food magazine.

If you were to overindulge your credit card Guide Dogs for the Blind offered a shop and drop service to offload your haul to save carrying it around. They were one of many charities represented in the show.

Many of the demonstration areas were ongoing so you could drift around from one to another. Phil Vickery, Lisa Faulkner and Lorraine Pascal all took to the various stages on the first day and Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and the Hairy Bikers were appearing over the weekend.

Photo_6_Good_Food_Hairy_Bikers.

The best time to go is early when it first begins or late afternoon when the crowds have gone and people are drifting away anxious to avoid the traffic. It was easier to access the stands and you had more time to chat to the exhibitors about their products – and taste them of course.

If you haven’t been to the NEC before it’s a great venue, easy to park with frequent shuttle buses to

​ and from​

the exhibition centre. For those with mobility scooters and wheelchairs and yes, baby buggies, it was easy to get in and out of doors and facilities.

Various Good Food events are held around the country for most of the year so if you do go along be prepared: take a trolley and a credit card.

www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com