The best London Cocktail Week 2016 events in the City

London Cocktail Week has its very own cocktail village, where different pop-up bars will be keeping punters well oiled each day. One of the UK’s foremost mixologists, Tony Congliaro, is the star attraction. He’s teamed up with CASK to offer seven twists on classic cocktails. If none take your fancy, you can always plump for one of Congliaro’s legendary bottled Negronis. drinkup.london/cocktailweek

Celebrating the launch of the Bombay Sapphire Glasshouse Project – a creative design collaboration between the brand and some of the most innovative figureheads of today’s bar industry – Bombay Sapphire is throwing an exclusive party on the roof of the ACE Hotel on Saturday 8 October. Visit the Bombay Sapphire & Cahoots bar in The Cocktail Village and tag a picture of your cocktail for a chance to win a pair of tickets to the invite-only event. 8 October; drinkup.london/cocktailweek

Enjoy the best part of the airport without any of that pesky flying business. The Jones Family Project is hosting a classic American aviation theme, with several pop-up spaces and booths to book out. The signature drink will be the Aviation cocktail – which celebrates its 100th birthday this year. jonesfamilyproject.co.uk

How much have you had? Get down to the Sailor Jerry Tattoo Shop at Cloak and Dagger on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 October (1pm-6pm) to claim a free tattoo the size of a 50p coin. Steady the nerves with some Sailor Jerry Ginger Colada slushy samples. Only LCW festival pass holders will be eligible for a free tattoo, on a first-come, first-served basis. Tattoos are subject to availability and terms and conditions apply. 7 to 8 October; cloakanddaggerlondon.co.uk

Not a chicken run so much as a chicken walk. Take a journey around London and experience some of the best southern-styled bars and restaurants offering their New Orleans-inspired cocktails and food pairings. Pick up your trail card at the Southern Comfort Chicken Shop and then check off the venues on the list. drinkup.london/cocktailweek

If there’s one thing better than drinking gin, it’s tasting several gins in one evening. Gin Journey will be taking you on a chauffeur-driven trip through some of the City’s finest bars, with a different juniper-based spirit in each. You’ll also learn more about your favourite spirit, and its fascinating history. From 4 to 5 October; ginjourney.com

So, you like your whisky, but do you really know it? Don’t sweat: we’ve got the perfect event for you. Join Alwynne Gwilt, whisky specialist at William Grant & Sons, and Viva Lenoir, head of development at Le Nez du Whisky, for an interactive tasting and hands-on nosing session that’ll teach you how to pinpoint scents and flavours in your favourite tipple. 4 October; designmynight.com

Sipsmith is reviving the proud London institution of the gin shop and taking The Sipsmith Gin Shop on tour, extolling the virtues of its handcrafted London Dry Gin – along with a selection of the latest inventions from the infamous distillery lab. sipsmith.com

Fancy a little more buzz with your booze? Attend this interactive masterclass led by Anette Moldvaer of Square Mile Coffee. (Great name, by the way…) Classes run on Saturday and Sunday from 12-2pm. 8 to 9 October; tiamaria.com

Take six of the world’s best bars, blend with bourbon cocktails and a sprinkle of good times, and you’re looking at the start of a pretty strong evening. That’s exactly what Woodford Reserve are promising from its pop up at The White Rabbit, including bartenders from Stockholm, New York, and Amsterdam. There’ll also be Old Fashioned cocktail masterclasses. From 4 to 6 October; designmynight.com

On Wednesday 5 October enjoy a screening of Bartender at Large. In 2015 Erick Castro drove 4,600 miles across the western USA, visited bars and hung out with bartenders. Along the way, he documented the craft cocktail scene in places that are too often overlooked. Q&A with Castro follows the film. 5 October; drinkup.london/cocktailweek

Ah, bourbon. Bastard cousin of whisky and smooth operator in many an excellent cocktail. This London Cocktail Week, Hackney House will play host to one of our favourites, Buffalo Bourbon, who will be taking residency of the drinks list – and offering spirit and cocktail masterclasses. buffalotrace.co.uk 

When it comes to the ultimate drinks pairing, you can’t get much better than gin martinis and oysters. City Social’s executive chef Paul Walsh, has teamed up with Fords Gin to offer exactly that. He’s crafted a three-course menu around the two complementary flavours. Add to that the location on the 24th floor of Tower 42, and things don’t get much better. 3 October; citysociallondon.com

Cognac ain’t just for sipping: it makes some of the finest boozy cocktails known to man. Shoreditch favourite NOLA has partnered with Courvoisier to celebrate the spirit in style. Fancy historic serves like The Sazerac, Sidecar or classic champagne cocktail? Here’s your best bet. From 5 to 7 October; drinkup.london/cocktailweek

Experience two of the best bars in the world in one location when The Clumsies team from Athens visit Shoreditch cocktail bar Callooh Callay. The Clumsies are renowned for serving the best cocktails in Greece and their Wednesday to Sunday visit – serving their own cocktail menu – should be a real treat. 5 to 9 October; calloohcallaybar.com

Tequila: the curse of many late nights, right? Wrong. Join El Jimador’s ambassador, Nicci Stringfellow, to dispel the spirit’s torrid reputation and to teach you everything you need to know about Mexico’s drink of choice. Finish off with a margarita, which you’ll make yourself, of course. 5 October; camino.uk.com

Dandelyan at Southbank’s Mondrian Hotel is one of London’s best cocktail bars. For London Cocktail Week it’s teamed up with Porter’s Gin at Old Spitalfields Market for delicious hi-balls, inspired by stories of hunters, gatherers and explorers. drinkup.london/cocktailweek

Bit of a mystery here. All we know about the event is it promises a “distinctly unconventional homage to the inherent inquisitiveness of the human mind”. Us neither. But it sounds intriguing, and Hendrick’s is always good value, so we suggest you investigate. From 6-8 October; drinkup.london/cocktailweek

B&H Buildings in Clerkenwell is teaming up with Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur for the week with their cocktail Sanguinetta, The B&H take on the Aperol Spritz. On Monday, B&H Buildings will host an interactive dessert and cocktail-making night: Feeding the Soul with Solerno. Tickets are priced at £25; billetto.co.uk