The Invisible Conversation Between Wood and Rum Inside Ron Matusalem with Master Blender Cynthia Vargas
Words: Albert van Beeck |Calkoen Pictures: By Rox Photography Founded in Santiago de Cuba in 1872, Ron Matusalem built its reputation on elegance rather than intensity, becoming one of the pioneers of the Solera aging system in rum production. After the Cuban Revolution, the Alvarez family rebuilt the brand in the Dominican Republic, where production […]
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From Greenhouse to your glass: Inside Suntory Roku Gin’s Botanical Journey to Kopper Cress
Flavor doesn’t start behind the bar, it starts at the source. That idea formed the foundation of a recent inspiration trip that brought together bartenders and growers to explore how ingredients shape the way we build drinks. At the heart of Suntory Roku Gin lies the principle of shun, the belief that botanicals should be […]
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Rituals in Motion: Inside Diageo World Class Netherlands – The Ketel One Coffee Challenge
Words & photos: Albert van Beeck Calkoen On April 21, inside Hotel Arena, the Dutch chapter of one of the world’s most influential bartending competitions unfolded once again. Diageo World Class isn’t just a contest. It’s a global stage, with national rounds across participating countries, all leading toward an international final where the very best […]
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CUE Amsterdam: where food, drinks & music move as one
There is a certain kind of place that does not try to fit into a category. Not because it cannot, but because it was never built that way to begin with. CUE is exactly that kind of place. Spread across two floors on the Utrechtsestraat, it brings together a Michelin-starred restaurant upstairs and a vinyl-driven […]
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Sip the Moment: From Sunrise to Moonlight with Giffard
Photos and words: Albert van Beeck Calkoen Understanding both the spirit of the brand and the theme of the competition was essential for this year’s jury, and for the bartenders stepping behind the bar. Founded in 1885 by Émile Giffard, Giffard remains a family-owned company five generations later. What began with the iconic Menthe-Pastille has […]
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Amsterdam Cocktail Week Returns with the best bars of the city Amsterdam Cocktail Week Is Bigger Than Ever
From March 27 to April 5, Amsterdam turns into one big cocktail festival. Amsterdam Cocktail Week, the event I set up 10 years ago, is back. For ten days, the city celebrates its cocktail scene and the people who make it what it is. Expect exclusive signature cocktails at 23 of the city’s best bars, […]
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Between smoke and balance: Teddy Joseph on representing Bowmore and Laphroaig
As Global Brand Ambassador for Bowmore and Laphroaig, Teddy Joseph occupies a unique position within the world of Scotch whisky. He represents two of Islay’s most iconic distilleries, both shaped by the island’s rugged coastline, peat-rich landscape, and centuries-old traditions, yet wildly different in character. Where Bowmore leans into balance and refinement, Laphroaig is unapologetically […]
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Thinking Upsidedown: How Marc Janssen Made Room for Play and Flavor at Grolsch
It almost seems inevitable, in hindsight, that Marc Janssen would one day become master brewer at Grolsch. Not only because of his love for beer and flavor, but also because of his background. Both his father and grandfather worked at the brewery in Enschede long before him. Grolsch was therefore part of his world early […]
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Flying Dutchmen Cocktails becomes Europe’s highest-ranked fully female-owned cocktail bar in the Top 500 Bars
Amsterdam’s Flying Dutchmen Cocktails has reached a new milestone — and marked it in the best possible way: with a full bar. On March 4, the three co-owners welcomed family, former staff, friends and long-time supporters back into the Singel bar to celebrate its reopening and a new chapter for the venue. The timing could […]
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