Sherry has every ingredient to be a hit. It has tradition, a wide range of styles from sweet to dry, it offers a low-abv aperitif, bartenders and chefs love it. Yet, in the UK – the biggest market outside Spain – sales dropped below 2019 levels in 2022. We’ve been waiting for sherry to have its moment for a long time now, so either the…

Spain is a tempestuous wine market. It has a broad spectrum of regions offering a multitude of styles which fluctuate in popularity and fortune. Cava, for example, has been enjoying a revival across Europe in recent years but a harvest loss in 2023 of up to 55% has halted proceedings, while sherry is better known today for whisky ageing than it is wine production. In…

Last year, Nemiroff­ had the unenviable honour of topping our biggest decliners list. War had arrived at the door of the Ukrainian vodka brand and the associated chaos resulted in a 57% drop in sales. But while Nemiroff­ was down, it was by no means defeated. In 2023, it grew by 40% and the brand is firmly on the road to recovery, with pre-Covid volumes…

The names of duty free retailers don’t trip off the tongue of the average international traveller. Avolta, the new corporate name for Swiss travel retail giant Dufry, which sounds more like a Tango dance step, is a case in point. Would there be a flicker of recognition with the names of other industry giants such as Gebr Heinemann, DFS Group and Duty Free Americas? I…

Over the subsequent 30 years the show expanded at Messe Düsseldorf to attract almost 6,000 exhibitors each year across more than 70,000sq m. As far as trade shows go, it’s one of the biggest success stories in the industry. “No other trade fair, either in Europe or overseas, offers such a complete product portfolio. Global market leaders as well as small, select outfits and up-and-coming…

In February 2022, a trio of bar industry veterans announced the launch of a new recognition for the world’s best bars. ­The Pinnacle Guide, created by London Cocktail Week founders Siobhan Payne and Hannah Sharman-Cox alongside Global Bartending’s Dan Dove, set out to acknowledge bars in similar fashion to the restaurant world’s Michelin Guide, with the exemplar venues awarded with one, two, or three Pin.

Tributes to the bartender poured out on social media, paying respect to a kind, gentle and talented young woman. Having first met Lexie during her time behind the bar at City of London Distillery in 2021, I can attest to all of these qualities and more – a warm welcome, beaming smile and a perfect dry Martini were never far away whenever she was behind…