2013 marks 10 years since England’s last grand slam victory so the official hospitality we provide at Twickenham has been in high demand. Following their storming second half comeback against France ambition was high amongst the revitalised English side facing Italy this weekend.

Our corporate hospitality guests enjoyed a champagne reception on arrival, official match tickets and programmes, a sumptuous seated lunch and free bar throughout the day – allowing them to celebrate another win in style!

Now all eyes turn to the Millennium Stadium for next weekends final clash with Wales …

As part of a prestigious award ceremony for drinks industry brands and professionals, we served a selection of delicious cocktails to the delight of those in attendance.

From the fruity ‘Edinburgh Rose’ with Hendrick’s Gin or the ‘Berry Cheeky Monkey’ with Monkey Shoulder Whisky to the classic ‘Disaronno Sour’ and the subtle ‘Żubrówka Bison’, there was a cocktail for every taste as guests celebrated their award wins and networked with fellow industry insiders.

With a back bar display showcasing the full range of First Drinks’ portfolio, this was truly a wonderful night for top quality brands.

January is a great month for short-haul incentive trips, with low season rates and fewer tourists around. Last week we swapped snow in the UK for the frozen canals of the Dutch capital, Amsterdam.

This vibrant city is surprisingly compact, which is ideal when making the most of a short time away: hoping between canal cruises, cocktail masterclasses, football tours and not forgetting the classic Heineken Experience at their old brewery.

We sampled delicious cocktails at the House of Bols via an interactive drinks selector, toured the stadium home of Ajax and the national football team: Amsterdam ArenA, and of course the customary canal trip – we added a touch of elegance with an exclusive evening trip complete with local cheeses and complimenting wines.

Don’t be fooled by the cafe-culture stereotype, Amsterdam is a truly diverse destination with a myriad of incredible experiences and sights to wow your guests or motivate your team.

Thinking of a similar trip in 2013? Get in touch with us to see what inspiring packages we can offer your group.

The drapes featured various spirit brand logos enticing guests towards our team of experienced cocktail makers, whilst being a cost-effective and quick way of covering the existing mixed-brand bar.

Tonight’s diverse cocktail menu included Hendrick’s Rose Garden Punch (a delicious summery blend of lychee, raspberry and mint topped of with cucumber – as always a Hendrick’s Gin should be!), Mount Gay Rum Bridgetown Daiquiri and VSOP French Martini to name just a few.

Effective Event Solutions was proud to work with such prestigious brands and provide an unforgettable night for one of their key suppliers.

We produced a full backdrop themed bar (complete with classic stuffed stags head) which proved to be a real focal point of each and every whisky sampling session.

Glenfiddich and Balvenie Brand Ambassadors were on hand to answer all manner of whisky questions and also took to the stage to give Masterclasses in these classic malts.

These events were thoroughly enjoyable afternoons for established whisky drinkers; many of whom sampled the Glenfiddich 15yo Distillery edition for the first time, and also for new lovers of the spirit who put their noses to the test and experienced new brands.

Lisbon has a lot to offer; from stunning coastal hotels like the newly opened Myriad which offers 360 degree views across the river to a fleet of chauffeured classic VW beetles, adding a touch of nostalgia to your airport transfers.

This month we also used speedboats to travel up the coast to beautiful Cascais, which boasts an array of hotels and restaurants as well as it’s proximity to the town of Sintra. The Sintra Palaces are set high above the region, providing an awe inspiring backdrop for events, and also have beautiful winding gardens which are ideal for team-building activities (team-building challenges here can be themed to any company objective).

For a motivating long weekend out of the office, Lisbon is the perfect location at this time of year!

We worked with Mount Gay (the world’s oldest rum – and best, in our opinion!!) to produce an inviting stand with a delectable menu of rum cocktails, to showcase a slice of Barbados to thirsty visitors.

This year Mount Gay served over 2000 samples of their Eclipse and Extra Old brands with Miguel Smith – winner of UK Rum Ambassador of the Year 2012 - sharing his extensive knowledge with eager Rum fans at regular master classes.

Exploring the winding streets of Bucharest, Romania

Working with Global clients ensures our team are up to date with an enormous range of international locations, including excellent value-for-money cities and venues in Eastern Europe.

This month we brought a diverse group of product users together in Bucharest, Romania. Using the fantastic facilities at the Radisson Blu Hotel and inviting the delegates to experience more of Romania with traditional dinners and evening entertainment alongside an intriguing walking tour around the heart of this vibrant city.

Following productive conference days in the flexible hotel meeting space, we organised a dedicated tour guide, allowing everyone to get involved and taking the ‘corporate’ edge off of the business trip.

A little bit of sunshine and fascinating history alongside successful business development!

We used authentic props to bring the venue to life: chairs spanning all eras seated the media guests in the upstairs galleries for presentations, then downstairs to a mini french parlour (Cointreau) and classic red carpet leading to a real BAFTA award (Disaronno) as just some of the enticing individual brand areas in the grand hall. Custom building our own feature bar allowed us to take advantage of the awe-inspiring space, whilst ensuring brands such as Glenfiddich and Sailor Jerry’s rum were presented distinctly.

Each brand display showcased notable First Drinks brands whilst the guests mingled amongst these mini experience areas and sampled cocktail creations to suit every palate.

A triumph of a corporate event that proved again to be a ‘must-go’ date in the diary for all guests!

Welcoming guests in to sample the delectable First Drinks Brand's cocktails

Tens of thousands of passionate foodies descended on London’s Regent’s Park last weekend to celebrate the best of world-class drink and cuisine at Taste of London festival.

First Drinks took a prime position within the festival layout and we built a full bar environment to showcase their portfolio of spirit brands to the hoards of ticket holders who flooded into the event each day.

Building upon the success of the First Drinks stand year by year, for 2012 we provided a dramatic open sided canopy and built a branded entrance ramp up to imposing floral displays to draw in guests to the main bar area. The stand was themed with our artistic take on a classic chateaux interior and showcased each distinct brand along the main wall (alongside an essential Stag’s head of course!)

Our DJ played an incredible feel-good set for each of the evening sessions, which had everyone dancing on the tables and soaking up the buzzing atmosphere so much that they asked where our ‘real’ bar was … lucky for them the First Drinks brands mean they can make all those tasty cocktails at home!

Click here to find out more about this event