Pernod Ricard at The Ivy

Drinks giant Pernod Ricard kicked off this week’s festive celebrations in style with a lavish Christmas lunch held at celebrity favourite The Ivy in Covent Garden for a select group of drinks trade guests. db was lucky enough to be among them.

The festivities began with welcome cocktails made with Pernod Ricard’s spirits, including French apéritif Lillet, Plymouth gin and Chivas Regal whisky.

Bottles of Plymouth gin stand to attention, ready to be cracked open

The great and good of the drinks media were in attendance, including dastardly duo Ben McFarland (left) and Tom Sandam (right), known as “The Thinking Drinkers”, pictured here with Pernod Ricard UK’s managing director Denis O’Flynn, who was sporting a fetching pair of red trousers.

db’s Lucy Shaw enjoys a flute of fizz while catching up on wine trade gossip with former Decanter editor Guy Woodward and Erin Smith of Harpers.

When Giles met Giles: wine trade stalwarts, Champagne specialist Giles Fallowfield and German wine authority Giles MacDonogh chat before lunch.

Before sitting down to lunch, guests were given the opportunity to try out a new virtual reality headset.

Snap! Our pretty blue crackers contained cute Plymouth gin miniatures, silver paper hats and an obligatory crap Christmas joke.

Olly Wehring of Just Drinks got into the Christmas spirit, and was delighted to discover his hat matched his tie.

Among the culinary delights on offer was a delicious seafood cocktail crammed with crab, avocado and prawns.

We were also treated to a cheeky twist on a Christmas pud oozing with molten chocolate

Then it was time for Old Fashioneds made with Chivas Regal

Pernod had a surprise laid on for us in the form of a cameo from English pop rock band Scouting for Girls, who performed a phenomenal half-hour acoustic set on baby grand piano and the world’s dinkiest drum kit.

Lead singer Roy Stride charmed the crowd with a mix of the band’s greatest hits, a cover of Bon Jovi’s Living on a Prayer, and Christmas carols.

Drummer Peter Ellard kept things swinging

Stealing the limelight, guitarist Greg Churchouse ended the set in a suitably rock ‘n’ roll fashion.