Porto Cruz puts focus on Portonic RTDs

Porto Cruz has launched Cruz Fresco Pink & Tonic, a ready-to-drink, low-abv drink made with Porto Cruz Pink port and tonic water with natural aromas.

WSET launches beer courses

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust has announced its first beer courses which are set to begin February 2024.

Brands Report 2024: Bartenders’ Choice

Michter’s knocks Tanqueray off the top spot as the favourite brand among those behind the stick.

Brands Report 2024: How We Did It

We’ve been running ­the Brands Report since 2010 – the year after Agile Media launched ­the World’s 50 Best Bars – and, while it has evolved since then, taking in new categories and drawing data from an ever-rotating panel of bars, it still seeks to answer the same question. Which brands do the best bars buy – and why?

Brands Report 2024 launches

The Drinks International Brands Report 2024 has launched, offering the industry insights into the buying habits of the world’s best bars.

Cosmo Pony to open in Jakarta in 2024

Jigger & Pony Group has announced the opening of Cosmo Pony in Jakarta in 2024, the company’s first overseas venture, Drinks International can exclusively reveal.

Chivas Brothers strike action suspended

Chivas Brothers has brought forward a new pay package to suspend strike action threatened by Unite, a 500-member union.

Little Red Door takes strike action

The team at Little Red Door in Paris have announced strike action due to an ongoing legal dispute between co-owner Timothée Prangé and the bar’s majority shareholders.

Malibu launches new anti-spiking campaign

Malibu has partnered with anti-spiking charity Stamp Out Spiking to train 2,000 on-trade staff and consumers about dealing with a dangerous spiking situation.

Dram opens in Soho

The team behind Milroy’s of Soho and Silverleaf have opened a new whisky bar, Dram, on London’s Denmark Street.

Britain’s licensed premises drop below 100,000

New figures from hospitality trade body UKHospitality, in partnership with CGA by NIQ, have revealed that Britain’s number of licensed premises has fallen by nearly a third (31%) in the last two decades.

The Global Bar Edition featuring The World's 50 Best Bars guide launches

Drinks International's Global Bar Edition featuring the official guide to The World's 50 Best Bars has launched in digital form. 

Barcelona's Sips takes top spot as The World's 50 Best Bars are named

Sips from Barcelona has taken top spot at The World’s 50 Best Bars sponsored by Perrier – announced in Singapore tonight - with Double Chicken Please from New York and Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City completing the top three of the annual bar ranking. 

Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy to open Schmuck

Moe Aljaff and Juliette Larrouy, formerly of Two Schmucks in Barcelona, are set to open a New York bar next year, after signing the contracts on a new site in the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Little Red Door drops conceptual menus

Little Red Door in Paris, which made its name through highly creative cocktail menus – from Remy Savage’s Evocative Menu in 2016 to the more recent Farm to Glass trilogy (2021-23) – has announced it will no longer launch thematic menus, instead focusing on seasonal serves.

Owners of the Dead Rabbit launch The Irish Exit

The team behind The Dead Rabbit has launched The Irish Exit at Moynihan Train Hall opposite Manhattan’s Penn Station.

Holly Graham to open Tokyo Confidential

Holly Graham is to open Tokyo Confidential in the Japanese capital’s Azabujuban neighbourhood tomorrow (Oct 11th).

Mezcal’s governing body accused of anticompetitive conduct

Mexico’s chief competition regulatory agency, Cofece, has accused the mezcal governing body, CRM, of previous monopolistic practices.

Jacob Martin wins Diageo World Class 2023

Jacob Martin of Canada was named Diageo World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2023 at the global finals in Sao Paolo on Thursday, 28 September.

Mr Lyan to host multi-venue takeover for 10th anniversary

Mr Lyan is hosting a takeover of Sea Containers in London to celebrate 10 years since the opening of the company’s first venue.

Glenfiddich and Aperol take top honours at the Drinks International Travel Retail Awards 2023

Glenfiddich Perpetual Collection has been crowned Supreme Champion Product at the Drinks International Travel Retail Awards 2023, the most authoritative, respected and premier drinks award for the Global Travel Retail sector.

The Fernet-Branca Barback Games returns to London

The Barback Games, Fernet-Branca’s annual obstacle course bartending competition has announced its return to London for a fifth year.

Suntory Oceania forms as region's fourth largest beverage group

Beam Suntory and Frucor Suntory have joined to form Suntory Oceania, a new AU$3bn partnership across the premium spirits and non-alcohol segments in both Australia and New Zealand.

Altamura launches in the US and UK

Altamura Distilleries has announced the UK and US arrival of its flagship vodka, a product believed to be the first wholly made from Italy’s protected Altamura durum wheat.

UK government introduces new tax system on alcoholic beverages

New government regulations have been introduced in the UK from August 1 which will see alcoholic beverages now taxed on strength.

Sips named World’s Best Bar at the 2023 Spirited Awards

Sips, the Barcelona bar founded by Simone Caporale and Marc Alvarez, was named World’s Best Bar at the 17th annual Spirited Awards at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

Coa named Asia’s best bar for third year running

Coa from Hong Kong has been named the best bar in Asia for the third year in a row at the eighth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars in a live ceremony held in Hong Kong.

Asia's 50 Best Bars reveals the extended 51-100 list for 2023

Asia’s 50 Best Bars has released a third edition of the 51-100 list, one week ahead of the live awards ceremony in Hong Kong.

Agile Media acquires rights to Sommelier Wine Awards

Agile Media, owner of Drinks International, has agreed an exclusive deal with Imbibe Live to bring back The Sommelier Wine Awards for 2024.

Jinro launches series of UK activations

Korean soju brand Jinro has launched the first of three activations in Europe planned for 2023 after breaking 100m 9-litre cases.

Monica Berg tops Bar World 100 2023

Monica Berg has been named the most influential person in the bar industry, according to Bar World 100 2023 in association with Perrier.

Bar World 100: How it works

Bar World 100 in association with Perrier is a list of the industry's most influential, but how is the list assembled? Hamish Smith talks us through the methodology. 

Sago House wins Michter's Art of Hospitality for Asia's 50 Best

Singapore’s Sago House has been named the winner of the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award as part of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2023.

Global spirits volume sees 5% growth for 2022

The IWSR Drinks Market Analysis reported that the global spirits category grew 5% in volume in 2022, driven by whisky, rum and brandy. 

Diageo CEO Sir Ivan Menezes dies following short illness

Chief executive officer of Diageo, Sir Ivan Menezes, has died at age 63 after a brief illness.

Brown-Forman announces +8% net sales for FY23

Brown-Forman has reported a net sales increase of 8% to $4.2bn for the fiscal year ended April 30, 2023, with a fourth quarter performance of +5% to $1bn.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs sues Diageo over racism claims

US rapper Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has sued Diageo over racism allegations and undermining the partnership with Combs Wines and Spirits.

Monica Berg to curate and host Le Bar Rouge at Cocktail Spirits Paris with Campari Academy

Multi-award-winning bartender and operator Monica Berg will curate and host Le Bar Rouge, the educational platform at Cocktails Spirits in Paris, in her role as creative director at the Campari Academy.

Best of the UK bar scene celebrated at the Class Bar Awards

CLASS magazine has announced its highly anticipated CLASS Bar Awards 2023, with bars from Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and London taking the largest share of awards. 

The bestselling classic cocktails at the world's best bars

The result of a poll of a sample of the world's best bars, here, in descending order, is our list of the 50 bestselling classic cocktails. 

Double Chicken Please tops North America's 50 Best

Double Chicken Please has been crowned the best bar in North America following a live awards ceremony of North America’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, held on 4 May.

The Cocktail Report launches

Drinks International has launched The Cocktail Report, a sister magazine to the Brands Report

The 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship returns for 2023

The Blend by Beam Suntory and The World’s 50 Best Bars have announced the return of the 50 Best Bars The Blend Scholarship, offering its recipient the opportunity to train at two of The World's 50 Best Bars and attend the awards ceremony in Singapore this October.

Hong Kong to host Asia's 50 Best Bars 2023

The eighth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced at a live awards ceremony in Hong Kong on 18 July 2023.

50 Best Bars 2023 heads to Singapore

The annual list of The World’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be unveiled as part of a live awards ceremony in Singapore at the Pasir Panjang power station on Tuesday, 17 October 2023.

Giacomo Giannotti wins inaugural Torres Brandy Zero Challenge

Giacomo Giannotti, owner and bar manager of Paradiso, won the first edition of the Torres Brandy Zero Challenge in Barcelona on Thursday, 30 April.

Pernod Ricard buys majority stake in Skrewball whiskey

Pernod Ricard USA has announced the acquisition of a majority stake in peanut butter-flavored American whiskey brand Skrewball.

Copenhagen’s Ruby unveils takeover with Paris bars

Copenhagen bar, Ruby, will be hosting a brunch with Paris bars The Cambridge, Candelaria and Little Red Door.

North America’s 50 Best Bars announces second edition’s location and date

North America’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will return for a second edition in May 2023 in San Miguel de Allende, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Mexico.