Battling with an oversupply of spirit and a drop-off in consumption, producers are seeking to provide alternative routes to market to grow sales. Shay Waterworth reports.

In April Camila Flechas of Alquímico in Cartagena, Colombia, won the fourth edition of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge. Unlike other competitions, this challenge does not focus on cocktails.

Round two of this year’s Hennessy My Way cocktail challenge is now underway, which means a second recipe will need to be submitted. To provide insights to those bartenders involved, judge Millie Tang spoke to Drinks International.

New Zealand’s wine exports may be dominated by Sauvignon Blanc, but while it’s the biggest grape, it’s not the only one. Oli Dodd zones in on the other varieties making waves.

In September last year Bar Leone, one month before it topped The World’s 50 Best Bars list, announced a second site in Shanghai. Almost a year later Drinks International visited the second venue to meet founder Lorenzo Antinori.

The Orientalist Spirits, the all-Asian spirits brand founded by Michel Lu, has partnered with London Cocktail Week founders Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhán Payne to launch Taste The Orient.

Bratislava’s Mirror Bar has been awarded the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award ahead of the inaugural edition of Europe’s 50 Best Bars.

New York-based bar operator and Speed Rack co-founder, Ivy Mix, has announced the launch of a new Mexican-inspired restaurant and bar in Brooklyn this June.