Spare a thought for vodka marketers in an age when agave spirits seem to hog the headlines. Despite being much smaller than vodka in travel retail in volume terms and far less geographically spread, tequila has captured the hearts and minds of many duty free buyers. Tequila in-store ranges are expanding and moving upmarket, while the bigger brands are investing in exclusive expressions and high-pro­file…

Like tequila in the world of spirits, there’s something about rosé wine that is catnip to celebrities. There’s not much that Cameron Diaz, John Terry and Post Malone have in common with one another, but all of them have put their name to rosé brands and now supermarket wine aisles are often adorned with the faces and autographs of singers, actors, TV chefs and, of…

Drinks International caught up with Courageous Spirits managing director and founder Andy McGeoch, to talk over the landmark release for the brand. “Our team at Courageous Spirits has been tasting the liquid and watching certain casks for a while now, carefully monitoring the spirit as it slowly matures. As a team, we knew that the spirit was ready. “We’re now at a point where we…

There’s a whole movement of bartenders around the world who really care about what’s in the bottle,” says Maison Ferrand owner and creator of the French company’s Citadelle Gin, Alexandre Gabriel. As such, Citadelle has been a home away from home for bartenders visiting south west France for many years, offering education and connection with the industry at the home of its gin operations. However,…

Last month, operations commenced at the new Suntory India office in the northern Indian city of Gurgaon. A statement from parent company Suntory Holdings at the time of the announcement spoke of accelerating growth within a country with “a large population and a rapidly growing economy” for its spirits business while establishing “opportunities for soft drinks as well as health and wellness businesses”. Covering plenty…

Spare a thought for sambuca, forever on the opposite end of the latest drinking trends, at least in recent years – a digestif when we’re all enjoying an aperitivo, a late-night shot when everyone’s chilling out and moderating, and a bastion of tradition while the masses on TikTok search for the next big thing. If anything, it’s that element of tradition that’s been keeping this…

The annual Macao-based Masters of Wines & Spirits organised by DFS Group is always a must-attend event for Chinese luxury spirits connoisseurs and collectors. For its most recent 12th incarnation, however, the upmarket drinks showcase expanded in size and reach, going Stateside for the first time by staging an exclusive gala event in Los Angeles in April and a themed in-store exhibition at Los Angeles…