It’s done a huge amount to put Belfast on the cocktail map, so it was sad to see the Merchant Hotel host its last Connoisseur’s Club recently.

The event, sponsored by Plymouth gin, drew a massive international trade crowd to hear speakers including Jim Meehan of New York’s PDT (who showcased an ace Coriander Reviver cocktail made with Plymouth, lemon juice, Lillet Blanc, Yellow Chartreuse, coriander seed distillate and gomme), Plymouth master distiller Sean Harrison and Hidetsugu Ueno of Tokyo’s High Five Bar, who stole the show with a hilarious power point presentation on the art of good bartending.

Drinks were expertly served by The Connaught’s Ago Perrone and Kenta Goto of New York’s Pegu Club. All credit to organisers Steven Pattison and bar manager Sean Muldoon, who is now off to NY to open a new bar of his own – we shall no doubt be hearing more of him soon…

News item from Imbibe.com, 13-10-2010