Michter’s partners with Los Siete Misterios mezcal

The parent company of Michter’s Distillery, Chatham Imports, has entered into a partnership with mezcal brand Los Siete Misterios.

Covid-19 and Brexit hit UK gin exports

UK gin exports decreased by £100 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new figures from HM Revenue & Customs.

Tequila regulatory body stresses the importance of respecting Geographical Indications of origin

Picture this scenario: a world-famous alcoholic drinks brand launches what it calls a “Tequila-flavoured” product, with the aim of persuading consumers that they are enjoying a drink with the purest expression of the country of Mexico.

London Cocktail week 2021 extends to full month of October

London Cocktail Week has announced that the 2021 festival will once again be extended to the full month of October and not host The Cocktail Village.

Heineken's Pure Piraña hard seltzer expands into Europe

Pure Piraña, Heineken’s hard seltzer brand, has announced an expansion into Europe following its exports into Mexico and New Zealand last year.

Ferrari Trento plans global expansion after Formula One deal

Drinks International caught up with Ferrari Trento chief executive Matteo Lunelli to learn more about the brand’s new Formula One sponsorship deal.

World's Most Admired Wine Brands 2021 to be revealed on April 1

The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2021 will be revealed in a countdown on YouTube from 6pm GMT on April 1.

Jigger & Pony launches two new RTDs through its PONY brand

Bottled cocktail brand Pony, launched by Asia’s Best Bar, has created two new flavours including Cassis & Rose and Martini 2021.

Diageo purchases Lone River Ranch Water producer

Diageo has maintained its acquisition drive by snapping up the firm that produces the Lone River Ranch Water hard seltzer brand.

Celebrate Her to 'raise glasses' for International Women's Day celebrations

Celebrate Her, an initiative to support gender parity, diversity and inclusion in the UK hospitality industry, will virtually champion the #ChoosetoChallenge campaign for International Women’s Day.

US Covid relief a 'great starting point' says Distilled Spirits Council

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has released a statement praising the ‘great starting place’ created by the senate’s passage of a $28.6bn relief package for hospitality.

Havana Club unveils Cuban Spiced variant

Havana Club has launched a Cuban Spiced variant in a bid to bring more millennial and Generation Z consumers into the rum category.

Scotch whisky producers celebrate suspension of US single malt tariff

Scotch whisky producers are celebrating after the US government announced it would suspend tariffs on various UK goods for four months.

Kingsland Drinks champions alternative grape varieties

UK importer Kingsland Drinks is championing alternative grape varieties that have the potential to drive excitement and experimentation among consumers.

The Golden Vines Awards will raise money to fund wine education programmes for black and ethnic minority students

The Golden Vines Awards will celebrate the star performers in the fine wine industry when the inaugural ceremony takes place in London on October 7.

UK government announces duty freeze on spirits, wine and beer

The UK government has announced a second consecutive duty freeze on spirits, wine, beer and cider.

Louis Roederer crowned The World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand 2021

Louis Roederer has been crowned The World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand for the second year in a row.

I Heart Wines sales exceeded 31m bottles in 2020

More than 31 million bottles of the I Heart wine brand were sold in 2020 after it enjoyed significant growth in several international markets.

Asia's 50 Best Bars announces virtual ceremony dates

The sixth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced in a virtual ceremony on 6 May.

Bowmore targets travel retail with 31 Year Old single malt

Bowmore has launched a limited-edition 31 Year Old single malt into the travel retail channel as part of its Timeless Series collection.

BBC Spirits imports several leading British brands

French distributor BBC Spirits has bolstered its portfolio with several UK spirits brands as it bids to drive growth in 2021.

Peroni Libera 0.0% sponsors Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One team

The Peroni Libera 0.0% logo will take pride of place on Aston Martin Cognizant’s new Formula 1 car this season as part of a multi-year sponsorship deal. Drinks International caught up with Richard Ingram, global brands director at parent company Asahi Europe & International, to learn more about its plans for the partnership.

Moët Hennessy buys 50% stake in Jay-Z's Armand de Brignac

Moët Hennessy has purchased a 50% stake in Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac champagne brand for an undisclosed sum.

Diageo launches Tanqueray 0.0%

Diageo has launched a 0.0% abv version of its Tanqueray gin brand in a bid to capitalise upon soaring demand for alcohol-free drinks.

Midleton Very Rare 2021 unveiled

Kevin O’Gorman has unveiled his first Midleton Very Rare expression since taking over as master distiller at Irish Distillers.

Campari Group reports profit decline for 2020

Campari Group has reported that net adjusted profit decreased 24.4% year-on-year to €202.1 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Tuscan Tree offers alcohol-free aperitivo moments

A new non-alcoholic drink that taps into growing consumer trend for enjoying “aperitivo hour” has launched in the UK and international markets.

Bitcoin payments boost sales at Paris Cellar

Drinks International caught up with Gabriel Bidault of online retailer Le Millésime Paris to learn more about the impact that accepting Bitcoin as a payment method has had upon the business during the prolonged bull run of 2020 and 2021.

White Claw Mango enters UK market through Tesco

Hard seltzer brand White Claw has launched its Mango variety in the UK through supermarket chain Tesco.

Moët Hennessy rolls out Eminente rum brand

Moët Hennessy has launched Cuban rum brand Eminente in the UK, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

UK port sales soar in 2020

Port sales in the UK saw impressive category growth throughout 2020, with the largest volume of off-trade sales since 2015.

Canvas launches as premium cocktail delivery service

A new premium cocktail delivery service called Canvas has launched across the UK this February in partnership with a series of top end bartenders.

Class Bar Magazine launches new website

Class Bar Magazine has launched a new website which will provide the latest news and insights into the UK bar industry.

Regal Rogue launches training series for furloughed UK bartenders

Australian vermouth brand Regal Rogue has launched a new bartender training initiative in collaboration with The Liana Collection, the brand’s newly appointed UK distributor in 2021.

Heineken to cut 8,000 jobs after sales decline by 11.9%

Heineken has announced plans to cut 8,000 jobs as part of an organisational restructuring effort designed to save €2 billion by 2023.

UK distillery numbers hit record high in 2020

New HMRC figures show that a record number of distilleries were registered in the UK in 2020, growing by more than 100 in 12 months to surpass 560.

Tales of the Cocktail joins Hospitality Recovery Coalition in US

The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has joined the Hospitality Recovery Coalition, which advocates for legislation to support the on-trade in light of the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Tanqueray launches Blackcurrant Royale variant

Tanqueray has kicked off a raft of innovation by launching a Blackcurrant Royale variant made with French blackcurrants, vanilla and black orchid.

Martin Miller's Gin launches "From Madness To Genius" campaign

Martin Miller’s Gin has unveiled a new ad campaign that tells the story of the brand’s “transformation from a mad idea to a genius gin”.

UK hard seltzer market could reach £75m by 2023 says new report

The UK hard seltzer market is expected to reach a value of £75m by 2023 according to a report commissioned by DRTY.

Freixenet Copestick celebrates strong Christmas trading

Freixenet Copestick cemented its status as the UK’s leading supplier of sparkling wine by increasing sales 21% over the Christmas trading period.

McQueen Gin unveils augmented reality labels

A Scottish gin producer has used augmented reality in a bid to create the “world’s coolest labels” for its range.

Worshipful Company of Distillers focuses on diversity with new education scholarships

The Worshipful Company of Distillers has announced a new programme of scholarships and bursaries for more than 100 students over the next three years.

William Grant & Sons chairman becomes UK's second highest taxpayer

William Grant & Sons chairman Glenn Gordon was Britain’s second highest taxpayer in the last financial year, according to the Sunday Times Tax List.

Stock Spirits activist investor mounts fresh boardroom coup

An activist investor in Stock Spirits has once again called for chairman David Maloney and senior independent director John Nicholson to be removed.

Foncalieu trains focus on rosé, ecommerce and innovation

Premium rosé, ecommerce and innovation in packaging will form the bedrock of Foncalieu’s strategy as it bids to enjoy a strong commercial performance in 2021.

UK hospitality lost almost £200m a day in 2020 reveals new figures

The latest edition of the UKHospitality and CGA Quarterly Tracker has revealed a 54% drop in sales for 2020 from £133.5bn in 2019 to £61.7bn.

Diageo tops up interim dividend after organic sales increase

Diageo managed to grow organic sales by 1% in the six months to December 31 despite suffering from restrictions on the on-trade and travel retail.

Indian bars send signature serves to customers' homes

In May 2020, when the lockdown was still at its strictest in India, Sidecar bar in New Delhi received the good news that it was the only Indian bar to have made it to the coveted 50 Best Bars in Asia list.

BTC Wine sees demand spike following Bitcoin bull run

A luxury online wine retailer has enjoyed a surge in demand after the value of Bitcoin increased by around 1,000% between March 2020 and January 2021.