Diageo World Class returns to UK

Diageo Reserve has announced that its ‘World Class’ mixology competition will be held in the UK from 28 July to 1 August.

Berrys launches Glenrothes Cask 1969 #11485

Berry Bros. & Rudd Spirits announced the release of the second in its series of single cask bottlings of The Glenrothes from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Pernod results

Pernod Ricard has reported net sales for the first semester of 2013/14 totalled €4.57 million.

Diageo launches lost whisk(e)y scheme

Diageo, the world’s largest premium spirits company and the largest producer of Scotch whisky, has launched an initiative to locate lost and forgotten barrels of whisk(e)y from around the world.

Teelings details its plans to distil in Dublin

The Teeling Whiskey Company (TWC) has announced its plans for a new whiskey distillery to be located in Dublin’s Newmarket Square in The Liberties, Dublin 8.

Diageo: Playing the numbers game

Playing the numbers game Diageo’s interim results for the six months to December 31 which were reported yesterday (January 30), make bleak reading.

Scholarship to honour Ian Murray

William Grant & Sons has launched a scholarship to honour Ian Murray, its former prestige retail manager, who died last year after a short illness.

Diageo to invest £30m in Clynelish

Diageo has announced plans for a £30 million expansion of its Clynelish distillery in Sutherland.

Charles Gordon of William Grant & Sons dies aged 86

It has just been announced that Charles Gordon, life president of William Grant & Sons, died in New York at the weekend. He was 86.

Bell joins Diageo

Diageo has announced that Georgie Bell, currently global ambassador for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, will join Diageo next month (January) as a global brand ambassador, focusing on the promotion of its new range of Mortlach single malt scotch which will be launched next year (2014).

Adnams launches English whiskies

Adnams, best known as an English regional brewer, is about to launch its first ever whiskies.

Ballantine's does a Brazilian

Ballantine’s Brasil is the name of a new lime-infused spirit drink, from the Chivas Brothers scotch and premium gin divisions of Pernod Ricard.

Label 5 goes to Karoulias in Greece

La Martinquaise, the French spirits group, has announced that WS Karoulias, one of the leading spirits distribution companies in Greece, will be the exclusive distributor of its Label 5 scotch whisky in Greece.

Kilchoman’s new warehouse

Islay’s independent farm distillery, Kilchoman, has built a new warehouse to hold more than 10,000 casks.

Latest Macallan Lalique decanter unveiled

The Macallan and French crystal maker, Lalique, unveiled their latest special decanter in the Six Pillars Collection at the TFWA exhibition in Cannes today (October 22).

Diageo to spend £7.2m on Johnnie Walker

Diageo has announced a new marketing campaign for its scotch whisky blend, Johnnie Walker, that will amount to a £7.2 million spend.

Black Bottle is relaunched

Burn Stewart Distillers has relaunched the premium blended scotch whisky, Black Bottle.

Glenmorangie announces name for new single malt

Taghta (“Tuh-ta”, Gaelic for chosen), is name chosen by Glenmorangie’s whisky fans worldwide for a new single malt.

Glenfiddich’s Malt Mastermind heads for Scotland

Glenfiddich’s Malt Mastermind competition is moving to Scotland – to Dufftown the home of the world’s number one single malt scotch whisky

Scotch by rail

A trial is being launched to deliver Scotch whisky by train from Speyside to central Scotland in a bid to cut road journeys and emissions.

Irish PM opens Irish Distillers’ €100m expansion of Midleton

The Irish prime minister or Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, yesterday (September 4) officially opened Irish Distillers’ newly expanded Midleton distillery in Cork.

Paul Walsh appointed to USL board

United Spirits board of directors has appointed former Diageo CEO, Paul Walsh, as an additional director of the company with immediate effect.

Irish Distillers release 2013 edition of Midleton Very Rare

Irish Distillers has launched the latest release of its flagship blended whiskey, Midleton Very Rare.

Macallan Select Reserve raises £4,400

The rare and special bottle of The Macallan Select Reserve, donated by Maxxium UK, sold for £4,400 at the Masterpiece Midsummer Party Auction and will benefit Marie Curie Cancer Care; a charity that cares for terminally ill patients and their families. 

Macallan Select Reserve raises £4,400

The rare and special bottle of The Macallan Select Reserve, donated by Maxxium UK, sold for £4,400 at the Masterpiece Midsummer Party Auction and will benefit Marie Curie Cancer Care; a charity that cares for terminally ill patients and their families. 

Some like it… with raspberry sorbet

You don’t often go to a whisky tasting and get given raspberry sorbet, half way through.  Sniffing strawberry and getting a vanilla stick stuck up your nose, isn’t common either.

Glen Keith distillery re-opens

Chivas Brothers' Speyside distillery, Glen Keith, has re-opened, having been closed, or silent, since 1999.

George Grant appointed to J & G Grant’s board

J & G Grant, owners of the Glenfarclas distillery, has appointed George Grant to its board of directors.

Scotch exhibition opens in Glasgow

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) exhibition, Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass, has opened in the Glasgow.

Macallan 1824 - Colour me perfect

Standing listening last night to The Macallan’s brand ambassador, Joy Elliot, who was conducting a tasting of the new 1824 Series at the Whisky Shop in London’s Piccadilly, I could not resist a feeling of déjà vu.

Dron leaves William Grant

William Grant & Sons has announced that Gordon Dron, its managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has decided to leave the company.

Lakes Distillery to produce English whisky from December

The new £2.5m Lakes Distillery will become the first whisky operation in the Lake District in more than 100 years, when it opens in December.

New Indian whiskies

Two single malt Indian whiskies were unveiled in London last night (May 14).

Lillet's Twisted Vesper Cocktail Competition

The winner of the London heat of the Lillet Twisted Vesper Cocktail Competition, which was held at Bar Américain, Brasserie Zédel yesterday (May 8), was Calum Anderson from The Kenilworth Hotel, Kenilworth, Warwickshire with his cocktail 'Rhuby Summers'.

Whisky Galore

I went to two whisky launches yesterday (May 8) – Bacardi’s Glen Deveron, the Royal Burgh Collection and Pernod Ricard/Chivas Brothers’ The Glenlivet Alpha. Both interesting for different reasons and very much a case of ‘chalk & cheese’ when it comes to the brand and what they are doing with it.

Bacardi unveils Glen Deveron

Bacardi Global Travel Retail (BGTR) has launched a Highland single malt Scotch whisky collection exclusive to travel retailers, World Duty Free.

Talisker adds new whisky

Diageo has launched its second new expression of Talisker whisky this year. Port Ruighe follows Storm, which was launched in March.

Keeper of the Quaich

On Monday night I became a ‘Keeper of the Quaich’. For those of you who do not know what that it is, The Keepers of the Quaich is an “exclusive, international community of people recognised for their outstanding commitment to Scotch whisky”.

European spirits exports smash €10bn

European spirits exports were worth €10.2 billion in 2012 - 20% up from €8.5 billion in the previous year.

Scotland: Diageo to build new distillery

Diageo has named Teaninich near Alness in the Highlands as the location for its plans to build a new £50 million malt whisky distillery.

Diageo invests £1m in Talisker distillery

Diageo has invested £1 million in a visitor centre at its Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye.

Brazil recognises Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey

Brazil has officially recognised Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey as distinctive products of the United States, according to the Distilled Spirits Council.

The Dalmore Valour whisky launches in travel retail

The Dalmore distillery has launched a new expression, The Dalmore Valour, for sale exclusively in travel retail.

Johnnie Walker's The Gold Route launches

Diageo has released the second blend in the Johnnie Walker Explorers' Club range, which is a duty free exclusive.

Bowmore launches whisky and water programme

Bowmore the single malt Scotch whisky from Islay, has launched The Bowmore Water Program.

Pernod Ricard appointments

Pernod Ricard has announced the following moves, effective from July 1.

J&G Grant to release a port cask-matured Glenfarclas

J&G Grant is to release a port cask-matured single malt scotch whisky under the Glenfarclas brand.

Highland Park unveils its Warriors

Highland Park last night (February 22) unveiled The Warrior Series, which will comprise a range of six single malt whiskies.

1964 Japanese whisky launches in Poland

Number One Drinks Company has bottled a limited edition 1964 Japanese whisky exclusively for Poland.

Talisker whips up a Storm

Diageo is to launch Talisker Storm – a “more intense and smoky” expression with “vibrant maritime notes”.