Edrington appoints new master blender for The Famous Grouse

Spirits company Edrington, has announced the appointment of Craig Johnstone as master blender for The Famous Grouse.

Pernod Ricard sales increase 17% in FY22

Pernod Ricard has released its FY22 Results, showing that sales grew organically by 17% in 2022, equalling €10.7m, with sales growing by double digits across each of its regions and spirit categories.

Alex Harrison: bottling craft

Young Spirits was founded in 2019 as a small batch bottling site for craft whisky and rum producers. In three years, the business has gone from strength to strength, tripling its revenue and growing from two to 42 employees. 

Selim Bocti: the new age of fine wine

VintageCellar is a member-only fine wine investment app that launched in the UK in July. Drinks International caught up with chief executive and founder Selim Bocti to talk about his mission to bring fine wine investment into the 21st century.

White Peak auctions inaugural whisky for local charities

White Peak Distillery from Derbyshire, UK, is offering the last opportunity to own a bottle of its sell-out inaugural release of Wire Works Whisky via auction site Whisky Auctioneer.

House of Suntory announces Raffaele Di Monaco as UK brand ambassador

Edrington UK has announced the appointment of its latest UK Brand Ambassador for the House of Suntory, Raffaele Di Monaco.

Diablo announces the UK arrival of two new wines

Diablo, created by South American wine company Concha y Toro, has announced the arrival of two new wines to its portfolio.

Marcus Black: Capturing Harrogate’s spirit

Drinks International sits down with Spirit of Harrogate co-founder Marcus Black to talk heritage, sport, and how to create a gin that stands out from the crowd.

St-Rémy announces expansion into new global markets

French Brandy company, St-Rémy, is celebrating the success of its St-Rémy Signature which launched in 2020 and is showing growth in its pioneering markets of Canada, USA and Australia, as it continues to expand into new markets.

Jinro announces first Korean spirit sponsorship of major UK festival

The world’s number one selling spirit brand Jinro soju has announced it will be sponsoring Luno presents All Points East festival this month, the first time a Korean spirit brand has supported a major UK festival, making history for the global drinks market.

The UK drinks market key gin insights

The UK’s on-trade and hospitality outlets are preferring to serve leading brands of gin and tonic as their house products instead of supporting local and small-batch counterparts, as market researcher Shepper finds. 

Johnnie Walker is giving away 270,000 free drinks in the UK

Blended Scotch brand Johnnie Walker has announced a partnership with UK nightlife discovery app, DUSK, to give away 270,000 Johnnie Walker and lemonades at participating venues across the country.

Beam Suntory reports strong first-half performance driven by premium brands

A strong performance in key markets saw Beam Suntory’s net sales increase by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2022, a 25% increase on the pre-pandemic period in 2019.

Chairman’s Reserve announces four finalists in its UK Mai Tai Challenge

Spiribam UK and its St Lucian rum brand Chairman’s Reserve have announced the four finalists in its nationwide Mai Tai Challenge.

The Drinks Trust launches bartending programme for UK's north-west

From September this year The Drinks Trust’s Develop programme will offer a bartending certificate provided by Mixology School and in partnership with United Kingdom Bartenders’ Guild.

Distell International launches new Amarula African Gin

Distell International’s Amarula African Gin is set to debut in Europe next month, starting with the UK, along with its Amarula Cream Liqueur, which has entered the European market for the first time.

Glenmorangie unveils packaging redesign

Glenmorangie Highland single malt whisky has revealed its new packaging, set to be rolled out from August this year in the UK, transforming all parts of the original design. 

Rhum Agricole: Quality Guaranteed

When it comes to the production of rhum agricole, terroir is key to quality. Oli dodd meets those at the forefront of this lesser-known spirits category.

Beckie Sullivan appointed as UK brand ambassador for Courvoisier

Edrington UK has announced its appointment of Beckie Sullivan as UK national brand ambassador for Courvoisier.

Spier Wine Farm joins Freixenet Copestick’s portfolio

Spier Wine Farm, one of South Africa’s oldest wineries, has joined the Freixenet Copestick portfolio from this month.

WhistlePig announces launch of PiggyBack 100% Rye

Vermont-based rye whiskey distillery WhistlePig has announced the launch of the six years aged, 100% rye PiggyBack, created by late master distiller Dave Pickerell to showcase rye’s mixability.

Callooh Callaway announces 20-day bar takeover

This summer, bar brand Callooh Callay will be taking over 20 bars across 20 consecutive days in July, the first nationwide bar takeover rally in the UK.

Building Whiskey Bridges

Trade disputes resulting in crippling tariffs have been lifted after four years, but will America and its export countries find a permanent peace?

Old Mout launches limited edition cider glasses for WWF campaign

Old Mout is launching its biggest campaign yet to spread awareness of its partnership with WWF by introducing limited edition cider glasses.

Código 1530 announces two mezcal releases

Independent tequila brand, Código1530, has announced its entry into the mezcal category with the launch of two mezcal expressions.

Paul Symington awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List

Paul Symington has been awarded a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Diageo announces partnership with the UK’s first LGBTQ+ museum

Diageo has announced a two-year partnership with Queer Britain in London, the UK’s first national LGBTQ+ museum.

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey announces launch of Fiery Irish

The Dubliner Irish Whiskey has announced the launch of a new cinnamon and chilli flavoured whiskey liqueur variant.

Fountain hard seltzer announces partnership with UK’s ASM Global venues

Hard seltzer Fountain, has announced a partnership that will see the brand launch bars at some of the UK’s largest venues, including OVO Arena Wembley and AO Arena in Manchester.

Graham’s Port launches global bartending competition

Graham’s Port has launched its first-ever bartending competition, in which seven bartenders from around the world will convene in Porto to compete for a €1000 cash prize and six months’ supply of Blend N º5 and Blend N º12.

Dewar’s launches Mizunara oak cask finished Scotch in the UK

Scotch whisky brand Dewar’s has announced the latest release in the brand’s Cask Series, Japanese Smooth, an 8-year-old blended Scotch finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks.

Brockmans Gin sales hit one million bottles in 12 months

Super-premium gin Brockmans has announced that one million bottles were sold within a 12-month period, a milestone for the brand.

Keith Motsi: Heart and Seoul

Keith Motsi has carved a truly unique path through the hospitality industry. Having been born in Zimbabwe and raised in Leeds, UK, he now finds himself at the reins of one of Asia’s top luxury hotel bars.

Mijenta Reposado launches in the UK

Super-premium tequila brand Mijenta, has launched Mijenta Reposado Tequila, the second UK launch from the brand following the release of Mijenta Blanco Tequilla in June 2021.

Three Spirit launches two non-alcoholic wine alternatives

UK-based functional drink brand Three Spirit has announced the launch of a range of non-alcoholic alternative wines, Blurred Vines.

The Single Malt Shop launches in the UK with WhistlePig exclusive

Dublin-based online whisky store, The Single Malt Shop, has announced that they will now deliver to the UK and to celebrate the launch, delivery costs to the UK will be free until the end of May. 

Keith Motsi wins Altos Bartenders' Bartender for Asia's 50 Best

Keith Motsi, head bartender at Charles H in Four Seasons Seoul, has won the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2022.

Leisure Wine: South London's first natural winery

The Old Kent Road in south London is one of the country’s oldest and most storied. The original track was paved by the Romans and used as their principal thoroughfare between old Londinium and the coast. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote about its use as a pilgrim’s way in The Canterbury Tales and later it was the route by which King Henry V and his men returned triumphant from the battle of Agincourt.

Vodka Zelensky launches in the UK with all profits going to Ukrainian aid

Premium vodka brand, Vodka 4 Peace, has launched in the UK pledging to donate 100% of profits until 2026 and £5 per bottle to NGOs in Ukraine.

Destilería Serrallés launches Don Q in UK and Europe

Puerto Rican rum producer, Distillería Serrallés has launched its portfolio of aged Don Q Rums in the UK and European markets.

Premium sales drive growth for Viña Concha y Toro in 2021

Viña Concha y Toro has reported that profits rose by 26.7% in 2021 with sales of premium wines accounting for more than half of company revenues for the first time.

Kenya’s Procera Gin announces partnership with Axiom Brands

Kenyan ultra-premium spirits producer, Procera Gin has announced a partnership with Axiom Brands to accelerate growth in the UK on- and off-trade.

Vodka brand Dima’s to donate 100% of cocktails sales to Ukrainian charities

Ukrainian vodka brand Dima’s has launched a fundraising initiative to support British-Ukrainian Aid and Come Back Alive, which see all proceeds from the purchase of four bottled cocktails going to charity.

Hendrick’s launches limited-edition Neptunia gin

Hendrick’s have launched Neptunia, a limited-edition gin using Scottish coastal botanicals and the latest release from master distiller Lesley Gracie’s Cabinet of Curiosities collection.

Cardrona Distillery announces inaugural cocktail comp

Cardrona Distillery has opened entries to UK bartenders to its inaugural cocktail competition, Cardrona Club.

A 'Michelin' for the bar industry, The Pinnacle Guide launches

London Cocktail Week founders Siobhan Payne and Hannah Sharman-Cox, alongside Global Bartending’s Dan Dove, have announced the launch of the Pinnacle Guide, a new one, two and three ‘Pin’ recognition system for the world’s best bars.

South African Wine Rebounds

Strong demand from the UK, the US and China helped South African wine exports increase by 12.1% in value to R10.2bn in 2021.

Lyre’s founder joins Ful advisory board

Co-founder and chief exec of non-alcoholic spirit brand Lyre’s, Mark Livings, has joined the advisory board of Ful, a producer of climate-positive, sparkling spirulina drinks.

Pernod Ricard UK expands its portfolio with new super-premium Kentucky whiskies

Pernod Ricard UK has expanded its American whiskey portfolio with Rabbit Hole making the UK the first European market to launch the brand.

Rishi Sunak calls new Guinness microbrewery "a vote of confidence" in London

Diageo is investing £73 million in a Guinness microbrewery and “culture hub in the heart of London.