Absolut has announced new designs for its range of flavoured vodkas.

Diageo has announced what it claims to be one of its most innovative products for a decade - Baileys Chocolat Luxe.

Christmas is £4 billion worth of business for beer, wines and spirits, according to Pernod Ricard UK.

Edrington has launched its Brugal rum at Delhi International airport.

The CEO of SPI Group has written an open letter to the gay community in response to a boycott of its Stolichnaya vodka.

Italian sparkling wine Gancia is to be distributed by The Wine Group in the US.

Wemyss Malts has released another batch of single cask, single malt Scotch whiskies to Europe and Asia.

Treasury Wine Estates  announced the signing up of former England cricket captains and Ashes legends Andrew Strauss and Michael Vaughan - on the first day of the much anticipated Ashes cricket series.

The 20 finalists for the Peter F. Heering Sling (by country, cocktail name, bartender name and bar) are:

Blackdown Artisan Spirits debuted its vodka, gin and vermouth range at Imbibe Live this week, having launched the company just a few days earlier.

Georg Riedel and Angelo Gaja – two famous names in the wine world – are celebrating the 40th anniversary of Riedel’s Sommeliers collection in London in September.

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. 

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. 

Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that it intends to expand the Woodford Reserve distillery to meet expected growing global demand.

A US vodka brand has appointed music star Chris Brown as its creative director.

Nomacorc has announced the launch of  what it describes as a “breakthrough next generation oxygen analyser system”.

Peter Lehmann, one of the founders and giants of the modern Australian wine industry has died, aged 82

Stoli gets UK ambassador

25 June, 2013

SPI has appointed its first UK brand ambassador for the Stolichnaya vodka brand. Bartender Matthew Dakers (pictured)  is to work with Maxxium UK’s sales team to help drive the brand in the on-trade.

The United Kingdom Vineyards Association has announced the results of this year’s English & Welsh Wine of the Year competition.

SABMiller plc and Kopparberg Brewery AB have announced that they have entered into a cooperation agreement for the long term licensing of Kopparberg cider products in selected markets.

Tequila and Mescal have a poor image and there is a lack of understanding, according to a Mexican government body.

Amorim and O-I, two global leaders in wine packaging, have unveiled a new ‘twist-to-open’ cork stopper and bottle, called Helix.

Calvados Boulard has launched Boulard Auguste and Boulard Extra to the UK market, through UK agent Cellar Trends.

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

Armagnac house Janneau has decided to double its capacity to distil in-house.

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

Patrón Spirits has announced that Dave Wilson is its president of its new international operations and global COO, effective June 10.

Bénédictine has announced that it will be sponsoring this year’s UK Bartenders’ Guild National Cocktail Competition.

McGuigan Wines’ senior winemaker Peter Hall is Hunter Valley Winemaker of the Year.

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) has announced that it has signed up its Wolf Blass brand as partners of Sky Sports broadcast of the next two Ashes cricket series between England and Australia.

Glenfarclas whisky and Hine cognac have launched joint 1953 vintages.

Diageo has launched Pimm’s in Greece. This is the UK-centric product’s first export market.

Pernod Ricard USA has added two dessert-flavoured additions to its rum and coconut liqueur brand Malibu.

Rusty Cerven, of the UK’s Connaught Bar, won the seventh annual Bols Around the World competition, beating 11 other finalists in a hard-fought competition at Amsterdam’s Escape nightclub.

New Indian whiskies

15 May, 2013

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

UK: Russian Standard vodka is to invest £7 million on promotional activity over the summer. 

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

The Glenlivet, the world’s second best selling single malt Scotch whisky by volume behind Glenfiddich, has launched The Glenlivet Alpha (50%) ABV.

The global Gin sector is low price, low growth and extremely uninteresting, according to a top City of London analyst.

Ardbeg launches Ardbog

02 May, 2013

The next limited edition of Ardbeg is to be called Ardbog. The 52.1%abv whisky's name is inspired by the peat bogs of Islay.

Purity Vodka has appointed a US director of marketing. Meg Bruno is to be responsible for all of the company’s programmes and lead Purity’s marketing efforts in the US.

Nyetimber, probably England’s most well known sparkling wine producer, has announced its first export partnership with Tokyo-based distributor Enoteca.

Pernod Ricard has announced the launch of Beefeater Burrough’s Reserve, an oak-rested gin, meant for sipping. 

Talisker adds new whisky

19 April, 2013

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

Diageo has launched Pimm’s Blackberry and Elderflower in the UK in time for the summer.

Jacob’s Creek, the Pernod Ricard-owned Australian wine brand, has launched a wine specifically designed to complement Japanese cuisine.

Jacob’s Creek, the Pernod Ricard-owned Australian wine brand, has launched a wine specifically designed to complement Japanese cuisine.

The generic body representing the famous Rioja win-producing region in north west Spain has announced that it is to spend  8 million Euros on promoting its wines this year.

US: Beam has launched two new flavours under its Cruzan rum brand. Key Lime and Passion Fruit are described by the company as "trend forward". 

Maison Lillet, the French apéritif producer, has announced that Thursday May 16 is National Apéritif Day in the UK.

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