Armagnac is claimed to be the oldest brandy in France, and in the past was consumed for its therapeutic benefits. Christian Davis gets a prescription

The winemakers of Rioja are doing exceptional things in their attempts at diversification. Hamish Smith reports

Wray & Nephew master blender, Joy Spence, recieved the Outstanding Contribution award at the ISC 2014. Hamish Smith got her reaction.

Jamie Goode investigates the possibilities for reduced alcohol wine

The purveyors of fine absinthe are being vindicated and the category is slowly but surely earning proper respect. Dominic Roskrow looks at a category on the comeback trail

These versatile brews are growing in popularity at a rate of knots as they become a vital part of the bar call. Patience Gould investigates

The wines of Lugana around Italy’s Verona are well known in Europe, but now producers are on a mission to take them to the rest of the world. Jaq Bayles reports

Long seen as the dependable but unexciting workhorse of the wine world, Chile is starting to show new colours. Jamie Goode reports

Despite the current downturn in China, Cognac houses big and small remain convinced Asia will continue to deliver growth over the long term, writes Joe Bates

The South American grape brandy is garnering a new legion of fans worldwide on the back of a slew of  restaurant openings. Hamish Smith reports on the trend

Hamish Smith explores some of the lesser-known rum-producing areas

Jamaican rum is a reference point of the rum taste spectrum. Hamish Smith looks into its past, present and future

Mezcal is making its way into the drinking repertoires of new fans worldwide. But it’s not all plain sailing for the agave spirit. Hamish Smith reports

In the week that Pernod Ricard UK announced Campo Viejo Tempranillo has become the UK’s no.1 red wine by value, Hamish Smith travelled to Rioja to speak to Christian Barré, chairman and CEO of Pernod Ricard Winemakers Spain.

Scotch faces new challenges as some ‘emerging’ markets look to actually have emerged and even entered decline. Hamish Smith reports

Mixability is helping the Spanish-style spirit to a renaissance. Lucy Britner explores the background

North America has fallen for Canadian whisky. Hamish Smith charts the courtship rituals of the major players with eyes on the category

Visitor centres, craft distilleries – gin is upping its game globally. Lucy Britner watches the spirit get down to business

Germany is a small, mature wine producer and is also one of the largest importers of wine in the world. Christian Davis reports

Hamish Smith was a judge at the China Master Bartender Competition that took place last week at Hotelex Shanghai’s That’s Spirits exhibition

Some new faces have appeared on the Jalisco horizon but is Tequila Town big enough for all of them? Hamish Smith takes a wander over yonder

From their traditional role in the cocktail firmament, liqueurs are now being used to make spirits more accessible to the younger generation, says Patience Gould

Vermouth is an aromatised, fortified wine and some would claim it was the ‘first wine’. Yet to many, especially consumers, it is an unknown quantity. Christian Davis investigates

In our new series, Cihan Anadologlu, head bartender at Schumann’s Bar (number 23 in the World’s 50 Best Bars), gives the lowdown on the Munich scene

Lucy Britner finds top-end vodkas are flavour of the month – even if some flavours are floundering