BCB has announced the date and venue for its 2025 London debut as it brings the bar and beverage trade show to England’s capital for the first time.

The bar trade has paid tribute to drinks industry veteran Chris Patino who passed following a battle with cancer.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has sounded an alarm over the potential return and doubling of the EU’s retaliatory tariff on American whiskey in a new report.

Fords Gin, the London Dry Gin created by Simon Ford and tenth generation master distiller Charles Maxwell, has announced the opening of its new bar and brand home.

Australian spirits company Top Shelf International has launched its Act of Treason agave spirit in the domestic off-trade through Endeavour Group’s Dan Murphy’s.

Budweiser Brewing Group, part of AB InBev, will be the new distributor of Kopparberg products in the UK on-trade, effective from 28 May.

Edrington UK has announced the appointment of its latest UK brand diplomat for Maker’s Mark bourbon, Charlotte Pederson.

Burnt Faith has partnered with drinks specialists, Proof Drinks, to drive interest in British brandy houses across the UK.

Agile Media, owner of Drinks International, has agreed an exclusive deal with Imbibe Live to bring back The Sommelier Wine Awards for 2024.

SommCon, the San Diego, California-based conference for wine, beer and spirits education has announced the launch of its newly expanded trade show for import, distribution and on and off-premise alcohol beverage buyers. 

Rioja’s Ramón Bilbao is introducing a professional competition to find its ‘Spanish Wine Master’, as the brand continues on its mission to educate the trade about Spanish wine.

The Drinks Trust has appointed Guy Lawrence, CEO of Brockman’s Gin, as the new chair of the charity following Troy Christensen’s two-year tenure.

Estonian spirits producer, Liviko, and Conaxess Trade Beverages have signed a distribution agreement for Denmark.

Toku Saké, a new super premium saké, has announced the release of Junmai Daiginjo, its debut liquid. 

London Cocktail Week kicks off on Thursday 13 October and for 11 days it promises to be the biggest yet, involving 350 bars spread across the capital.

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has announced that planned increases in alcohol duty have been ditched in his mini-budget.

Diageo has announced its preliminary results for the year, ended 30 June 2022, with strong performance and investments into long-term growth.

With Patrón discontinuing its popular XO Café, the tequila liqueur category has opened up to other brands – and it’s a popular space, finds Shay Waterworth.

Trade disputes resulting in crippling tariffs have been lifted after four years, but will America and its export countries find a permanent peace?

Old Mout is launching its biggest campaign yet to spread awareness of its partnership with WWF by introducing limited edition cider glasses.

Having recently returned from the US visiting both Oakland and Arizona Cocktail Weeks I was amazed by the differences in approach. In Oakland there was a much bigger trade focus and it felt more relaxed, whereas in Arizona it was one massive party for consumers.

The Roma Bar Show has announced that it will return for a second edition as a two-day event on 30 and 31 May.

The announcement of Martin Green’s departure from Drinks International marks the end of an era for Agile Media and a significant loss for the wider drinks trade.

An industry expert believes that boycotts on Russian vodka across the US will have little impact on the war due to the divide between ‘control states’ and those under the three tier system.

Surging demand for premium spirits powered Pernod Ricard’s 17% year-on-year sales growth in the six months to December 31, 2021.

New Zealand Winegrowers has launched an online portal designed to support the trade in major export markets around the world.

Quintessential Brands has launched its ‘Spirit Centre’ - an innovation hub  for all channels which aims to improve customer collaboration.

The organisers of Prowein have decided to push the trade show back from March to May in response to the rapid spread of the omicron variant of Covid-19.

Camden Town Brewery aims to save Christmas from bad gift givers in its first ever festive TV ad campaign.

UK gin producers have called upon Chancellor Rishi Sunak to freeze duty on spirits after revealing that exports have plummeted 35% as a result of the pandemic.

London Cocktail Week has once again been extended to the whole month of October for 2021 and the full trade schedule has been released.

Popular trade show Cape Wine will return to Cape Town from October 5-7, 2022.

RumFest will return in person with a real life event for 2021 taking place between 15-17th October in London.

Edrington UK has announced a series of workshops and events for the London trade as part of October’s London Cocktail Week.

Following 2020’s successful hybrid events, RumFest has announced its physical return for October 2021.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has called for the UK government to swiftly remove tariffs on US whiskies.

Edrington has reported that pre-tax profit decreased 21% year-on-year to £178.4 million for the year ending 31 March 2021.

Sales of beers, wines and spirits have finally started to decline in the UK off-trade after bars were permitted to open their doors once again.

South American wine producer VSPT Wine Group posted a 27.6% sales increase during the first quarter of 2021 in spite of poor exchange rates.

A deal has been struck between the UK and US to end retaliatory tariffs on malt whiskies for five years.

Leading Caribbean and Central American drinks distributor WEBB Banks has created a subsidiary that will focus on supplying CBD and wellness products to the trade.

Nick Strangeway looks at how travel restrictions have left a permanent impression on the global bar trade.

California is the latest major wine-producing region to struggle with Mother Nature after a drought emergency gripped the Golden State.

Belvedere has stepped into the organic category with a trio of flavoured expressions that infuse the Polish rye vodka with organic fruits and botanicals.

US wine imported into the UK could become one of several American products to be levied with new tariffs as part of the ongoing trade war.

Stock Spirits Group increased volume sales by 2% to 8.3 million 9-litre cases in the six months to March 31.

A synchronised sigh of relief was heard right across the Armagnac region last year as the news broke of Donald Trump’s defeat in the US election.

Lucas Bols has reported an estimated 32% year-on-year decline in revenue for the 2020/21 financial year after widespread on-trade closures and travel restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.