In the latest major stage in Diageo’s £1 billion programme to increase Scotch whisky production, plans have been submitted to Highland Council for the major expansion of Diageo’s most northerly distillery. The Clynelish expansion will take the on-going capital investment by Diageo in the Highland Council region alone to almost £150m, including major expansions at Glen Ord and Teaninich Distilleries and plans to build a…

The groups, which have been tied by existing distribution agreements in Asia, have entered into a deal by which Suntory will pay a 25% premium on Beam’s share price. The combined group’s portfolio will comprise brands with annual net sales of $4.3bn and will include Beam’s Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, Canadian Club, Courvoisier, Sauza, Pinnacle, and Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki, Kakubin,…

Suntory and Beam jointly announced today that a deal has been struck for $16bn. Cunnington said: “I think the major international spirits companies will try to put a counter bid together. CEOs of all the major companies will be humming with this news. Pernod Ricard in particular and a number of other companies will not give up without a fight. Pernod says they want to…

Contrary to industry speculation that Diageo would seek a replacement for volume brand Jose Cuervo, which it distributed until last year, the drinks group has opted for a second high-end tequila, to sit alongside “ultra-premium” stable-mate Don Julio. Diageo acquired the Guanajuato-produced DeLeón from founder Brent Hocking, but the terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. DeLeón is a 100% blue weber…

This year the Pre-mixed Drinks Challenge revealed a real breakthrough – tasty and authentic classic cocktails delivered in an easy-serve format.  The biggest compliment the judging panel could pay to this new band of products was that we wouldn’t have complained had they been served to us in a cocktail bar.  And our judging panel has seen the inside of a few…

The New Mexico-based company has introduced Milk Money Vodka to its home state and Colorado, with other mid-western states, including the Dairy State Wisconsin, Nebraska and Minnesota, to follow. Priced at $19.99 for a 75cl bottle, Milk Money Vodka is twice distilled and has an abv of 40% Ellis Visser, president of Leche Spirits: “Milk Money Vodka is extremely smooth, full bodied and possesses a…

The Texas-based company produces vodka that is six-times pot-distilled and made from 100% corn, giving it a “sweeter, rounder flavour than vodkas made from wheat and potatoes”, according to the UK distributor. Tito’s has an ABV of 40%, with a RSP of £29.99 for a 70cl bottle in the UK. Bert ‘Tito’ Beveridge, founder and master distiller of the vodka company said: “We are extremely…