Bénédictine cocktail masterclass celebrates long standing ties with Burnley

Bénédictine brought a touch of alchemy to Burnley at a cocktail masterclass that celebrated the liqueur's storied history with the town.
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The masterclass, which was held at Illuminati in Hammerton Street, saw expert cocktail mixologist Georgi Petrov guide guests through a number of easy-to-recreate recipes all of which incorporated the French liqueur.

These included the Singapore Sling, the Benedict and the Bed and Breakfast, and while guests were honing their cocktail making skills they were informed about the history of the brand and how Burnley came to be one of its biggest fans.

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A spokesman for Bénédictine said: "Bénédictine was first made in 1510 and named after its creator, a Bénédictine monk.

Bottle of Benedictine with a cocktail. Photo: Kelvin StuttardBottle of Benedictine with a cocktail. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard
Bottle of Benedictine with a cocktail. Photo: Kelvin Stuttard

"Burnley has been one of Bénédictine’s biggest fans since the early 1900s, when East Lancashire Regiment soldiers stationed at the birthplace of Bénédictine in Fécamp, Normandy, drank the liqueur with hot water to keep warm in the trenches.

"The regiment loved the liqueur so much they brought home crates to the town, which has been enjoying Bénédictine ever since.

"Bénédictine is typically most popular in East Lancashire as a straight Béné or with a dash of hot water. Quite a few people are not aware that it is a really good cocktail ingredient, which is why we are hosting this cocktail night at Illuminati.

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"A lot of younger people enjoy cocktails, they enjoy making them at home and so this is a good chance to show them how versatile Bénédictine can be."

Guests on the night were gifted a cocktail shaker kit along with a bottle of Bénédictine.

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