In the decade that we’ve asked the world’s most influential bars for their bestselling mezcal brand, the answer has always come back as Del Maguey. Well, no more. Having gradually closed the gap over the last few years, Siete Misterios can finally claim top spot. The brand has strengthened its ties to the world’s best bars since its founders, the Mestre family, partnered with…
Founded in 2007, the brand had been supported since 2015 by Diageo’s Distill Ventures accelerator program. “It’s been more than ten years since I last led Starward,” said Vitale. “With the considerable volume of work done in that time by a deeply dedicated team, this feels like a rare opportunity to scale what we know works, in a category that’s only just getting started. I…
To oversee the curation and delivery of the educational arm of the show, BCB London has also announced the arrival of hospitality consultant and co-founder of multiple UK bars including The Cocktail Trading Co, Filthy XIII and Royal Cocktail Exchange, Elliot Ball as its new director of education. Alongside a revamped educational programme, the 2026 show will feature an expanded Local Heroes showcase spotlighting “people,…
Drinks International sat down with co-founder Xavier Baker to chat about Mermaid Gin’s plans to crack the American market. DI: So, a decade since launching, why is now a good time for Mermaid Gin to accelerate its expansion into the US? XB: The timing is perfect – the American super-premium gin segment grew 57% between 2020 and 2024, reaching over 1.25 million nine-litre cases and…
In the world’s best bars, for cognac it’s long been Hennessy’s world, with the other brands simply living in it. Well, no more. The LVMH flagship has topped our bestselling table every year since we began recording in 2010 but there’s a new top dog. Rémy Martin has invested heavily in its presence at the top end of the bar world, sponsoring a…
Cheng International is on a mission to introduce China's national spirit to an international audience.
Accompanying the tasting, Peter McCombie MW will lead a masterclass exploring how Italian reds are modernising and becoming more globally relevant. “Our focus remains straightforward: facilitating productive, significant one-to-one business meetings. This is complemented by a structured tasting environment, enabling buyers to efficiently and deeply explore the wines on offer,” said office director of the Italian Trade Agency in London, Giovanni Sacchi, about the upcoming…
In 2025, Teeling celebrated a decade of distilling at its Dublin city centre home. On arrival, the brand heralded a new dawn for Irish whiskey outside of the centralised powers that had become the entirety of the category. “Timing is everything, and our timing was pretty good,” says managing director Jack Teeling, who co-founded the brand alongside his brother, Stephen. “We launched in 2012, and…
Don Julio has maintained its dominance as the bestselling tequila brand in the world’s best bars. Diageo’s flagship brand has taken poll position in the Brands Report in every edition since 2016, but it’s never been this tight at the top. This year Don Julio only held on to its position by virtue of more often being the house pour, it was the…
As the low and no space continues to evolve, producers and bartenders are turning to bitter iterations to achieve body, flavour and more sophisticated offerings.
