It may be suffering something of a slump when it comes to cocktail menus, but cognac still has presence in the world’s best bars.

There’s no change in the top three, but the lower echelons see some shifts and a new entry.

Scotch doesn’t feature too o­ften on cocktail lists but that’s no reason for cocktail bars to not find a use for it. Its most ardent fans would consider mixing the stuff sacrilege, but there are a number of classics that call for it.

The glow up that the tequila category has undergone in recent years must be the envy of the wider spirit world.

No brand has had a more dominant performance over the 13 years of the Brands Report than that of Hennessy.

The usual crowd have populated this year’s bestselling rum list. In fact, nine of the 10 brands remain a constant, with the first seven in the ranking identical to the previous year. 

There’s been little change in the best sellers, with the top brands all holding, says Hamish Smith