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Cocktails, an origin story - by historian David Wondrich

David Wondrich just published The Comic Book History of the Cocktail. No better time then to ask our industry’s pre-eminent historian the most simple – and complex – of questions: which country invented the cocktail?

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29 January, 2026

Features

Competitive socialising - how the bar experience is changing

Drinking always used to be the activity but increasingly bar visitors want more from a night out, says Dan Parkinson of creative agency Love.

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29 January, 2026

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Five brandy experts choose their five not-to-be-missed expressions

Oli Dodd asks five bartenders to look outside the traditional brandy category and nominate their favourite alternatives.

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20 January, 2026

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The Explainer: Nipperkin's Black Mustard & Shiso

Tyler Zielinski gets the full story behind the evolution of one of the most creative cocktails of recent times.

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14 January, 2026

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Scotch courage - why the on-trade should be whisky's saviour

The world of Scotch whisky is facing one of its biggest challenges in a century. Now is not the time to abandon the on-trade, warns Millie Milliken, but to finally take it seriously.

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13 January, 2026

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Stick together - Bar Glue on community and a more cohesive industry

The trio behind the Class Bar Awards New Bar of the Year chart Bar Glue’s rapid ascent. Hamish Smith took notes.

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16 December, 2025

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Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown on the best of winter's ingredients

Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown share their pick of the leanest season’s finest.

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17 December, 2025

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Winter Warmers - Camille Vidal's favourite non-alc drinks

Low-no guru Camille Vidal is back with five mindful winter wonders.

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17 December, 2025

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Batching: How to control dilution and abv

Dark Bar's Patrick Fogarty is back with his third instalment on controlling the variables when batching cocktails, with his attention this time switching to dilution and abv.

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11 December, 2025

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A bartender's guide to fermentation

Guest writer Dr Johnny Drain, author of new book Adventures in Fermentation, explains what fermentation is and why it matters in drinks creation.

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27 November, 2025

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Why knowing your solvents is critical to infusion

Stuart Bale explains the intricacies of using solvents to enhance flavour, aroma and texture.

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19 November, 2025

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How to add value to your cocktails? Source locally

Ellen Manning on why you might find spirits that best add value right under your nose.

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18 November, 2025

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Signature, served - why spirits brands are looking to RTDs

RTDs are nothing new, but spirits brands are realising the value in making it easier for consumers to buy into their product. Can bartenders benefit too, asks Millie Milliken.

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11 November, 2025

Features

Five bang-for-buck brands chosen by five thrifty bartenders

The emphasis is no longer so firmly on premium for many, thanks to the current economic climate. Oli Dodd rounds up some bartender favourites that bring flavour as well as margin.

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05 November, 2025

Features

Who do you think you are? A modern history of the London bar scene

London didn’t just suddenly become the world-famous bar scene it is today, it evolved from a ragtag of starry-eyed bartenders in the 1990s. Ben Reed was one of them and tells the story of our humble beginnings.

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04 November, 2025

Features

How do you create a cocktail culture in a city that has never had one?

Stoke-on-Trent isn't known for its cocktail bars, but that didn't deter Desire founder Dereece Gardner

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12 September, 2025

Features

Jack Wakelin on his new Sheffield venue

Hamish Smith is in Sheffield to find out more about Jack Wakelin’s fast-expanding hospitality group.

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02 October, 2025

Features

Inside dive bar All My Gods - the venue that goes down not up market

All My Gods is the latest bar from Dram operators Simo Simpson, Jack Wallis and Chris Tanner, this time with tattoo artist Roxy Velvet. It's a dive bar for bikers – and bartenders. Hamish Smith reports.

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23 September, 2025

Features

Work-life balance - how to switch off 'always on' culture

With the plethora of communication channels at our disposal, it’s becoming increasingly tougher to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Merly Kammerling has some suggestions that may help restore the equilibrium.

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05 September, 2025

Features

International spotlight: CLASS visits Tres Monos, the Buenos Aires bar with a social conscious

Hamish Smith visits a bar with a vision to expand the horizons of hospitality across Buenos Aires, opening up opportunities for young people from disadvantaged communities.

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03 September, 2025

Features

Vocal about local - how bars are becoming connected to their environment

Hyper-localism isn't anything new, it's a return to how things always used to be. Ellen Manning fixes her compass to bars in all corners of Britain to see how they are finding delicious produce closer to home.

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01 September, 2025

Features

Three ways to clarify cocktails

In the first of a new series, Stuart Bale of Crucible – London’s laboratory and creative hub for bartenders –explains the techniques of clarification to make them that bit clearer.

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26 August, 2025

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Exploring...Baijiu

Benjamin Salguero, baijiu specialist and co-owner of Bristol’s Golden Crane and Jaded Dragon, provides the explainer on the colossal Chinese spirit, baijiu.

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26 August, 2025

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Blended English whisky is now a thing

Amid GI rumblings in the English whisky world, a brand new category has suddenly emerged. Millie Milliken asks why blended English whisky is on the cards now, and why it’s an exciting flavour proposition behind the bar.

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14 August, 2025

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Tyler Zielinski: Three ways to carbonate cocktails

Force-carbonated Highballs are a must-have for many these days, but choosing which system is best for a bar requires careful consideration, says Tyler Zielinski.

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31 July, 2025

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Five (unadulterated) tequilas chosen by five experts

Oli Dodd rounds up five 100% agave tequilas recommended by bartenders to show the spirit at its unadulterated finest.

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14 July, 2025

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What's in season this summer?

Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown share their pick of the season’s abundance.

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10 July, 2025

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