Aquavit, ‘the water of life’ was all but dead in the water thanks to younger drinkers’ aversion to it. but now all that is changing, as Hamish Smith discovers

Finally getting its own craft segment, vodka is taking cues from wine and championing the terroir of its base as a flavour provider. Shay Waterworth grows the theory.

New Zealand wine exports to the US have surpassed $500m for the first time, an increase of 11% within the last year.

Scottish whisky distiller William Grant & Sons has bought Tuthilltown Spirits in New York state to expand its whisky portfolio into the US for the first time.

Nearly $500,000 was raised at the Pinot Noir Barrel Auction, a trade-only showcase of rare wines hosted by the Willamette Valley Wineries Association (WVWA).

Marie Brizard Wine & Spirits has recorded a third quarter of contrasts, with improvements in France but penalisation in the US and Poland. 

The two Spanish wine regions have come together to raise awareness of their wines in the all-important US market.

The value of direct-to-consumer shipments from American wineries increased to $1.46 Billion in 2012, and was greater than the total value of US wine exports, according to the 2013 Direct Shipping Report released by Ship Compliant and Wines & Vines.

Barbera d’Asti Lequilibrio Montalbera 2009

The US-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement has come into force, representing "significant new access in an expanding spirits market" according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the US.

Pernod Ricard launched Absolut Exposure last night at an event at TFWA Cannes.

Bartender Kim Daniel Bergersen of Norway prevailed from a field of 11 finalists at Pilsner Urquell’s International Master Bartender (IMB) competition.

Despite reports of champagne’s struggle to keep cases sales up, Lucy Britner finds that the world has far from fallen out of love with France’s famous export

US craft beer grew by double digits during H1 of 2012 despite the malaise of the US beer market, says the Brewers Association.

Gruppo Campari has announced sales growth of 5% for H1 of 2012, with strong performances in North America and Asia Pacific offsetting difficulties in Germany, Italy and South America.

Heaven Hill Distilleries has introduced Larceny, a super-premium wheat bourbon, to the US market.

The Avalon Group has announced distributor Emporia Brands will roll out its Irish Whiskey brand The Wild Geese to the UK market.

Treasury Wine Estates and Accolade Wines has announced that TWE will pack wine for Accolade in Australia with Accolade will pack wine for TWE in the UK.

Wemyss Malts has released Darnley’s View Spiced Gin to Europe and selected Asian markets, with the US to follow.

The organiser of South Africa’s famous Nederburg Auction, has announced that US economics professor and ‘wine economist’, Mike Veseth, will make a keynote speech on Saturday September 29 at Nederburg in Paarl.

Inver House Distillers, the Scotland-based spirits arm of International Beverage Holdings has reported a 28% increase in turnover for the year ending December 2011.

Despite challenging Portuguese economic conditions, Vinho Verde exports are on the increase and will become more competitive in the global market place, according to the Vinho Verde Commission (CVRVV).

The Macallan 64 Year Old Lalique Cire Perdue is world’s most expensive whisky sold at auction – that’s official.

Sales of Captain Morgan rum will one day catch up with Bacardi, according to Diageo.

Vergelegen, one of South Africa’s best wine producers, has unveiled a new wine, DNA.

Morrison Bowmore Distillers has granted Campari America exclusive US distribution rights for its McClelland’s scotch range.

Halewood International has expanded the distribution of its Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer brand into the US and Canada.

Concha y Toro, the largest wine producer in Latin America, is committed to developing and improving the Californian wine producer, Fetzer, which it bought from Brown Forman in March 2011.

Gruppo Campari has announced group pre-tax profit of €52.8 million for the quarter ending March 31, 2012. 

Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands has announced a £2m first-year investment for the launch of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey in the UK.

Rémy Cointreau's consolidated turnover for the 2011/12 financial year was €1,026.1 million, an increase of 13% (up 15.6% organically) compared with the previous year.

Diageo has opened a US$5m Captain Morgan visitors’ centre as part of of its new distillery in the US Virgin Islands.

Following its €95m purchase of Cooley Distillery, Beam will phase out the supply of third-party brands to concentrate on building its core Irish whiskeys: Kilbeggan, Tyrconnell, Connemara and Greenore.

Anheuser-Busch InBev’s Brazil-based arm AmBev and E. León Jimenes which owns 83.5% of Cervecería Nacional Dominicana (CND) are to form a 'strategic alliance' in the Caribbean.

Pierre Ferrand Cognac's orange liqueur, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao - created in collaboration with cocktail historian David Wondrich - has been rolled out to the US.

The US is to officially recognise cachaça as a spirit from Brazil. The sugar cane spirit is currently labelled Brazilian rum in the US.

Pernod Ricard USA will launch Malibu Melon Margarita in May, an addition to its off-trade-focused Malibu Cocktails pre-mixed range.

The scotch whisky category belied global economic instability in 2011 by growing sales value 23% to a record £4.2billion.

Campari America has joined the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS).

Pernod Ricard has announced the launch of Malibu Sunshine, a citrus edition of the rum and coconut liqueur.

The Champagne Bureau has reported increased shipments in 2011. Total shipments worldwide rose from 319.5 million bottles in 2010 to 323 million in 2011.

Beam Inc., the new owners of Cooley’s the Irish whiskey brand, says it has signaled its intent to build the Kilbeggan brand in the US by importing the largest case shipment ever of the blended whiskey for the St Patrick’s Day (March 17) celebrations this weekend.

Chivas Brothers is to launch a limited edition golf pack for its Ballantine’s 17 and 21 year old blended whiskies.

Danny DeVito’s Limoncello is about to be rolled out to international markets, following its US launch in 2011.

Italian drinks company Davide Campari-Milano has reported a group net profit for 2011 of €159.2m, up from €156.2m in 2010.

US: Beam has expanded its Skinnygirl range to include wine, a range of flavoured vodkas and a Piña Colada.

Travel Retail operator World of Patria International has reached agreement with Chase Distillery to offer its range of spirits and liqueurs.

Chivas Brothers has launched two 17-year old Ballantine’s expressions under the new line, Signature Distillery Editions.