New York-based Castle Brands has asked the man who launched Absolut into the Caribbean and Latin American markets to do the same for its Boru vodka brand. Castle has appointed Miami-based Godoy Wine & Spirits, headed by Raul Godoy, to handle Boru along with Clontarf Irish whiskey, Brady’s Irish Cream and the Celtic Crossing liqueur brand. Godoy launched Absolut into the same market in 1978…

The International Wine Challenge, which celebrates its 24th anniversary as the largest blind tasting in the world, attracted 9,358 entries this year. It took 465 winemakers, merchants and writers, alongside a panel of more than 40 Masters of Wine from around the world, two weeks to judge this prestigious competition. Up to 1,500 wines were assessed daily. The nine top wines were revealed at…

, world number 12 and former US Masters and US PGA Champion is making his fourth appearance in the Johnnie Walker Classic, Asia’s premier luxury golf event, which is being played in India for the very first time at the DLF Golf & Country Club, New Delhi from February 28 to March 2.

A successful joint acquisition of Scottish & Newcastle would see Carlsberg become the most powerful brewer in France and Heineken transform its fortunes in the UK. For most observers the surprise was the Danish and Dutch brewers forming a consortium to break up the UK’s last remaining national brewer, which also has market leadership in France. Carlsberg would get the French Kronenbourg business, which claims…

West coast USA fine wine and spirits importer AV Imports intends to add to its portfolio after being bought by Spanish wine producer Codorníu. The importer is being renamed AV Brands and will be headed by Mike Kenton as chief executive. Kenton was president of Napa Valley winery Artesa, also owned by Codorníu. “AV Brands does not strive to be the biggest marketing company,” said…

A Dutch bar and café owners association is su ing brewers Heineken, Grolsch and Bavaria for compensation related to price fixing in the 90s. The brewers were fined a combined E273 million by the EU Competition Commission earlier this year, after it found them guilty of running a cartel to increase prices. Heineken was handed the lion’s share of the fines with a E219.3…

Brazil’s Leblon cachaça has increased its potential for future growth in international markets in a deal which sees Bacardi take a stake in the company. The size of the investment has not been disclosed , but access to Bacardi’s distribution network will give Leblon a leg-up against rivals in major markets. The brand claims to be the first super-premium cachaça – the spirit…