James joins the firm from Pernod Ricard where he has held a variety of roles over the past two decades, most recently as global commercial director for Pernod Ricard’s gin portfolio. He also occupied various sales and brand development roles across the group’s wine and champagne portfolios. “We are delighted to welcome Lee to the Rémy Cointreau Group, and are confident that his significant experience…
The new partnership will see the Tevesa cooperage in Jerez and its two sister sawmills, Forestal Peninsular and Forestal Peninsular de Cantabria, come together to form a new company called Tevasa Forestal Group. The Macallan will own 50% of the share capital of Tevasa Forestal Group. “The Macallan has always gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure that our single malt Scotch whisky is matured in…
The export value in H1 2024 totalled £2.1 billion, while volumes fell by 10.2% – equivalent to 566 million 70 cl bottles. “The Prime Minister has promised to ‘back Scotch producers to the hilt’. These figures are a reminder that the success of Scotch Whisky cannot be taken for granted and requires government support to ease the industry through short term volatility,” said SWA chief…
While the French spirits maker hasn’t yet commented, reports indicate that it has enlisted Goldman Sachs to find a buyer for the brand in a sale that could fetch Rs 5,000 crore (roughly GBP £450 million). The brand is the group’s second bestselling Indian whisky, behind Royal Stag, having sold 22.8 million nine-litre cases in 2023 according to the Drinks International Millionaires’ Club, but despite…
Biodynamic: Cuvée Luna expands on the distillery’s regenerative farming program having launched the world’s first certified biodynamic whisky in 2021. “Controversial to some, and the ultimate in regenerative farming to others, many of the world’s greatest winemakers and award-winning wines follow biodynamic methods to produce the most expressive and vibrant natural flavours possible,” said Mark Reynier, chief executive and founder of Waterford Distillery. “Whisky has…
It’s an exciting time for cocktail fans in London’s West End. In the past 12 months, Soho has been fertile ground for marquee bar openings. The team behind Milroy’s and Silverleaf opened Dram, Nico de Soto opened Wacky Wombat, east London’s Three Sheets and Coupette both opened new venues in the neighbourhood, Jack Sotti recently opened Archive & Myth in nearby Leicester Square and last…
There was a time when rye whiskey was the king of American distilling. The grain was introduced to the continent by Dutch and German settlers around the turn of the 17th century and by 1648 an Englishman, Emmanuel Downing, was the first to commercially distil rye whiskey in his stills in Salem, Massachusetts. Downing’s attempts weren’t successful – rye mashes have a tendency to become…
The venue itself is labyrinthine. What looks from the street to be a hole-in-the-wall whisky bar opens into a multi-level, five-room drinking enfilade. Upstairs, the focus is on speed of service. Guinness and whisky flow and cocktails arrive by tap, typically carbonated, crushable and seasonal. Downstairs is where the cocktails take centre stage. Here drinks are refined and served up à la minute. “The fresh…
Also known as the Mountain Forest Distillery, the newly upgraded Yamanashi prefecture distillery has introduced floor malting and yeast cultivation processes to improve the quality of its new make whisky output. Alongside whisky-making improvements, the updated facility features an enhanced visitor experience complete with a newly constructed bridge that connects the visitor centre to a bird sanctuary, and a new restaurant. A new distillery tour…
In July, Pernod Ricard announced it had agreed the sale of its international wine brands to the Australian-based owner of Accolade Wines. The transaction included seven wineries that produce more than 10 million cases each year, including global titans such as Jacob’s Creek, Campo Viejo and Brancott Estate. The news of the sale came in the same week that the France-based multinational established a new…
