Monkey Shoulder, a British whiskey brand, hosted a launch party at The Bedford on March 27 for media and restaurant- and nightlife-industry pros. "This being our first opportunity to officially introduce Monkey Shoulder stateside," said Cindy Wang, a senior brand manager for the London-based company, "we wanted everyone to walk away with an understanding of the brand's spirit and the originality and fun that it injects into the category. [We do] everything with a wink and a smile."
Owing to the product's mischievous mascot, monkey business was the theme of the evening. Prior to the event, an emailed invitation stated, "This is not an invite ... it's an unrivaled reason to get up to no good."
At the entrance to the bar, a doorman yelled greetings such as "Friends, the mini-goat handlers are here!" As guests descended the staircase leading to the underground lounge, models in slinky black dresses asked them to sign a wall under a written pledge that stated "I solemnly swear to embrace mischief."
Cheeky touches carried through a mixology competition that kicked off the evening. "As part of capturing the irreverent personality of the brand, we wanted to showcase the superior mixability and inherent quality of the liquid," Wang said. Under the guidance of seasoned mixologists, local editors were asked to create whiskey cocktails using Monkey Shoulder and ingredients like Kettle corn, barley syrup, and beet juice.
After the cocktails were judged, participants got prizes (including a fluffy bathrobe printed with monkeys) in categories such as "best shaker face," "worst shaker face," and "natural-born bartender."
When the professional mixologists resumed their positions behind the bar, they poured three specialty whiskey cocktails using ingredients like chocolate bitters and sweet vermouth. Alternatively, guests could shake two oversize dice printed with mixers including ostrich eggs and aloe juice, and the staffers would whip up drinks using the offbeat ingredients.
Throughout the evening, contortionists and jugglers emerged from branded whiskey barrels and climbed on tabletops to show off their party tricks. The final surprise was at checkout, where guests found two mini bottles of Monkey Shoulder whiskey shoved into the pockets of coats they'd checked.
