Throughout the 18th and 19th century barrels of cognac were shipped across the world on huge sailing boats for months at a time to reach all corners of the Earth.

The case for Irish whiskey being the most exciting whiskey category globally gets stronger every year - and it is by no accident, says GreatDrams founder Greg Dillon.

The global alcoholic drinks industry will take at least four years to return to the level of volume sales seen before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to IWSR.

Language has immense power. It can start wars and broker peace; it can convey truth and espouse lies; it can lead to both understanding and misunderstanding. For rum, semantics is a particularly sore subject.

The past seven months have forced change upon every member of the hospitality industry and, as one of Australia’s brightest talents, Paige Aubort has seen almost every aspect of her life move in different directions.

Young bartenders tend to move quickly between jobs to try to climb the professional hierarchy as fast as possible. But Daniele Bresciani has taken a different approach.

I heard gunshots so I ran downstairs and the security guard at reception told me not to go out. My stepdad was badly wounded, my mum was lucky, but the driver was dead.”

With a sense of irony his industry peers call him a little posh boy. It’s ironic because Alex Lawrence is covered in tattoos, carries a thick Scottish twang and is far from what is traditionally deemed ‘posh’.