Week in pictures

Barbados, George Clooney’s villa, Neil McGuigan and the IWSC all make an appearence in our latest round up of a week (and a bit) in the drinks industry.

db was lucky enough to be invited to Barbados by Mount Gay to check out its rum facility and visit the brand’s visitor centre, where we were treated to a tasting of the full range of the brand’s products.

As you can imagine, it was a particularly gruelling trip. db even had to endure the sights and sounds of white sandy beaches and clear warm seas as the Mount Gay experience continued.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, daylight eventually gave way to spectacular sunsets and the incessant humming of the local wildlife, not to mention rum punch cocktails.

Meanwhile, over on Lake Como in Italy, db took a speedboat trip past this villa belonging to none other than Hollywood silver fox George Clooney.

An approprate tipple for Mo-vember, db could only dream of drinking this bottle, which we found in the cellar of the prestigious Villa d’Este hotel on Lake Como during the World Wine Symposium

Inventor of the world’s first paper wine bottle, Martin Mayerscough showed us his lightweight creation when he popped into the office this week. The bottle is set to launch in the UK early next year.

The great and good of the drinks industry gathered at London’s Guildhall for the annual IWSC awards gala dinner.

Ebullient Aussie producer Neil McGuigan celebrates scooping a double win at the IWSC by necking Champagne from his winning trophy.

Oddbins head buyer Emma Nichols and buyer Ana Sapungiu present the rescued retailer’s newly revamped wine range at its Northcote Road branch in London.

Southern Comfort threw a raucous party for fans of the drink at its pop-up “Juke Joint” bar in Islington, London.

db‘s Alan Lodge tried to enter into the New Orleans spirit at the Southern Comfort Juke Joint by donning this rather questionable feathered hat.

And finally… what chance do the rest of us have in trying to look smart when db‘s staff writer Rupert Millar turns up for work dressed like this?