[See & Be Seen] Richard Hammond's Whiskey & Gin Party @ BritCham

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Richard Hammond Lands in Shanghai

Shanghai played host to a familiar mug from British telly this week: Richard Hammond – yes, the small fast one from Top Gear and The Grand Tour. He wasn't here to powerslide an SUV down the Bund (sadly), but to introduce his new premium whisky and gin label, Hawkridge, to the China market.

The British Chamber of Commerce Shanghai rolled out the carpet on Nanjing Rd W., pulling in a lively mix of business types, media, and petrolheads curious to see what Hammond's been tinkering with besides cars.

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Caption: That's a fairly handsome bottle, that Iron Ridge Reserve...

A Spirits Brand Born in Hammond's Backyard

Hawkridge, as Hammond tells it, started in his Lake District garden overlooking (you guessed it) a ridge. No celebrity-sticker vanity project here – "I didn't want to just stick my name on a spirits brand," he said. "I wanted to actually make something delicious – and we did."

Shanghai got the first local taste of the small-batch gin and whisky. Verdict: surprisingly polished, properly British, and very sippable.

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Caption: A few glasses of gin... and the topic of car's was inevitable. What was unexpected, was Richard's excitement about cars in Shanghai.

Talking Cars… Obviously

I caught up with Hammond after the showcase. Predictably, we lasted about two questions before drifting straight into car talk.

On China's auto scene, he was blunt: "It's evolving rapidly, and it's something we don't quite know enough about in the UK. But it's something we'll hear about more and more over the next few years, I imagine."

He's also here to test-drive several Chinese models – one of which turned out to be BYD's Wangyang U9 Extreme, currently billed as the fastest production car in the world. Absolute catnip for a man whose job description is essentially "drive fast things and scream a bit."

"I'm trying three cars tomorrow," he said. "And meeting some local enthusiasts. I'm really looking forward to experiencing them firsthand."

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Caption: Some product launches in Shanghai are more exciting than others. Whisky & Gin launches are best when the bottles are opened and poured, and BritCham certainly knows how to make for a good time.

Shanghai: The Launchpad That Won't Quit

Hammond's trip is the latest case of an international brand choosing Shanghai as its first stop in China. Not too long ago, Holland & Barrett announced a huge expansion, and the Queen's chocolate maker, Charbonnel et Walker, entered China's market just a few weeks ago. Whether it's spirits, tech, fashion, or whatever lifestyle thing drops next week, Shanghai's still the middle kingdom's capital of "let's see if this flies in China."

2025 is shaping up to be a great year for expats, welcoming international consumer brands to Shanghai.

As usual... spot who you might know in this See & Be Seen Gallery: