Cocktail Masterclass

The Spirit Run is hosting a cocktail masterclass on Friday 18 December, and it's one of those nights that actually gives you a bit of a look behind the curtain. The Spirit Run isn't just a bar; it's a working gin distillery right inside Derby Market Hall on Tennant Street, and they distill their own London Dry, The Uncommon Thread, on site. That's the gin the whole evening is built around.

The session starts with a welcome drink of The Uncommon Thread to get you settled, and from there the distillery's own team takes over. They'll walk you through making three of your own cocktails, so you're actually doing the mixing yourself rather than just watching someone else do it. While you're working through the drinks, there's a cheese board and nibbles on the table to keep you going. It's a good way to spend a couple of hours if you've ever wondered how the drinks you order at the bar actually come together.

Once the masterclass part is wrapped up, the night doesn't just end there. You're invited into the distillery's speakeasy-style bar, where you can watch the team craft and present theatrical cocktails to order. It's a different side of the place from the masterclass—less about you making the drinks and more about watching them do the flashy stuff. Between the two, you get a proper sense of how the distillery works, from the gin they make on site to the drinks they serve up.

The masterclass kicks off at 7pm and runs for about two hours, so it's a Friday night thing that doesn't keep you out until the early hours. Tickets are £35, and since it's an over-18s session, it's one for the adults. If you're around the Market Hall on a Friday, it's a decent way to spend the evening.