When it comes to cocktail ingredients, Italy’s contribution is both significant and wide ranging, even if the past few years have been dominated by just a few high-profile serves and the handful of brands associated with these. But with the Spritz now on every cocktail list, and the aperitivo moment an international occurrence, there are those who are discovering the broader potential of these products,…

Gin is a category in transition. The widespread opportunities that defined it during the 2014-2019 gin boom are generally behind us, but the global picture hardly tells this story. Between 2023 and 2024, global gin volumes grew by 2% according to the latest IWSR figures. So far, so unremarkable. But dig a little deeper and the landscape quickly becomes fractured. Globally, there are pockets of…

Italy’s anise-flavoured liqueur has been on the wrong side of drinking trends for some time, but there are some sambuca brands that continue to be successful, whether through innovation or by leaning into the category’s traditional side. On the whole, however, the picture isn’t particularly optimistic. “Sambuca has been in long-term decline since 2008,” says Humphrey Serjeantson, IWSR research director for western Europe, who adds…

In 1923 Suntory built the first commercial distillery in Japan, Yamazaki. For context, Scotch whisky production dates back to 1494 with its first commercial distilleries operating in the late 18th century. Not only is Japanese whisky much younger, it takes a lot of inspiration from Scotland. Martyn ‘Simo’ Simpson, owner of London’s Dram bar, points out: “The Japanese category was very much led by Scotland…

When the New World first began to disrupt the hegemony of Old World wine, among the viticultural reasons it was a clever marketing decision to have a varietal calling card. Forgive the massive generalisations here but, largely, New Zealand had its Sauvignon Blanc, Australia its Shiraz, South Africa produced Pinotage. For the unfamiliar drinker, it helped to have a specific way in. Today, there’s an…

The May cover of Drinks International read ‘Global wine in crisis’. Alarming data confirmed the dwindling of global wine consumption, yet sparkling remains a shining light. Post-pandemic celebratory moments saw a spike in fizz consumption which has more recently been muffled by global inflation, yet according to Global Market Insights the future looks bright. “The sparkling wine market was valued at US$290.1bn in 2024 and…

While whisky can be shaped by a variety of factors during its creation, from the techniques used to the barrels it’s aged in, some Scotch producers are taking things back to the beginning and concentrating on the grain it starts from. Results for rye In Islay, Bruichladdich has, for a long time, focused on barley for the production of its whiskies, typically using organic barley…