Pernod Ricard has released its sales and results for Q1 FY23, with sales totalling €3,308 million and an organic growth of +11%.

Strengthening its agave portfolio, Pernod Ricard has announced the signing of an agreement for the acquisition of a majority shareholding of Código 1530 Tequila, a range of ultra-premium tequila.

The IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has released results for its 2022 Strategic Study examining and forecasting growth in the ready-to-drink (RTD) category.

Premium tequila brand Cazcabel has announced that its $37million distillery is set to open in Atotonilco El Alto in the Jalisco highlands of Mexico in 2023.

Iichiko shochu has signed an importer agreement with Shaw-Ross International Importers to expand its availability across the US.

US-based drinks group Luxco has reported a 27% uplift in annual sales across Germany and Europe.

VintageCellar is a member-only fine wine investment app that launched in the UK in July. Drinks International caught up with chief executive and founder Selim Bocti to talk about his mission to bring fine wine investment into the 21^st century.

Campari Group has acquired an initial 15% interest in Howler Head Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, after the signing and closing of an agreement with Catalyst Spirits.

A strong performance in key markets saw Beam Suntory’s net sales increase by 13% year-on-year in the first half of 2022, a 25% increase on the pre-pandemic period in 2019.

Lyaness at Sea Containers London took top honours as it was named World’s Best Bar at the 16^th annual Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards at the New Orleans Ritz Carlton Hotel.

Japanese whisky continues to go from strength to strength as shochu producers turn to the category to make their mark in international markets.

Businesses all over the world have boycotted Russian vodka in a show of solidarity with Ukraine, but what does this mean for the wider vodka market?

When it comes to the production of rhum agricole, terroir is key to quality. Oli dodd meets those at the forefront of this lesser-known spirits category.

Familia Torres has consolidated its vinicultural project in the Rías Baixas appellation of origin, with the acquisition of a new winery in the province of Pontevedra.

Shochu can now be sold under its own category name in the state of New York, US, after amendments to the Beverage Control Act allowing Japanese Shochu (24% ABV or under) to be sold under a beer and wine license.

Bollinger Group, in addition to five other estates in France and the US, has acquired the Sancerre historic estate, Hubert Brochard.

Scottish brewer and retailer BrewDog is set to open 25 more bars in India, growing its presence in the craft beer market.

The value of the global alcohol market grew by 12% to reach US$1.17 trillion in 2021, making up for the 4% covid-driven losses in 2020, new data from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis has found.

Attaboy in New York has been crowned the winer of the inaugural edition of North America’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier.

Barcelona-based cocktail bar Two Schmucks has announced a four-week US tour that will take the team to five of America’s most renowned bars across five states.

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 Dubliner Irish Whiskey has announced the launch of a new cinnamon and chilli flavoured whiskey liqueur variant.

Scotch whisky brand Dewar’s has announced the latest release in the brand’s Cask Series, Japanese Smooth, an 8-year-old blended Scotch finished in Japanese Mizunara oak casks.

Super-premium gin Brockmans has announced that one million bottles were sold within a 12-month period, a milestone for the brand.

The Wine Intelligence Global Wine Brand Power Index 2022 has reported that Yellow Tail is again the world’s most powerful wine brand with Casillero del Diablo meaning an unchanged top two.

Diageo has announced the acquisition of super-premium flavoured Tequila brand 21 Seeds.

United Spirits Limited (Diageo India) has announced an investment of INR 31.5 crores (US$ 4.1m) to acquire a strategic minority stake in Nao Spirits.

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.

London Cocktail Week founders Siobhan Payne and Hannah Sharman-Cox, alongside Global Bartending’s Dan Dove, have announced the launch of the Pinnacle Guide, a new one, two and three ‘Pin’ recognition system for the world’s best bars.

Strong demand from the UK, the US and China helped South African wine exports increase by 12.1% in value to R10.2bn in 2021.

Pernod Ricard UK has expanded its American whiskey portfolio with Rabbit Hole making the UK the first European market to launch the brand.

The World’s 50 Best Bars reflects travel restrictions and spotlights neighbourhood bars, says Nick Strangeway.

Sales of no and low alcohol beverages in 10 key global markets reached almost $10 billion in 2021 up from $7.8 billion in 2018, according to a new IWSR report.

Online sales of alcoholic beverages in 16 key global markets will increase by 66% over the next five years, according to projections from IWSR.

In 2020, craft spirits in the US volume gains of almost 8%, growing to a 5% volume share and 7% value share of the total US spirits market, according to IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

Lucas Bols has announced a return of revenues to pre-Covid times for the first half of the 2021/22 financial year.

Villa Massa has launched Vermouth Giardino, a pair of super-premium vermouth designed with the professional bartending community in mind.

Axia spirit, the world’s first extra-dry Mastiha spirit, has been released in the UK following launches in Greece and the US.

Central banks are coming under increasing pressure to hike interest rates after inflation soared across the globe.

Diageo has revealed plans to build a US$75m malt whisky distillery in southwestern China.

Both parties have expressed their delight by Saturday’s announcement that the US and EU have agreed to lift retaliatory tariffs on American whiskey.

Manachain Monaghan from the UK has been crowned global champion of Flor de Caña Rum’s Sustainable Cocktail Challenge with his ‘Steamship’ cocktail.

Demand for ready-to-drink (RTD) products continues to grow amongst consumers, with the category expected to account for 8% of total beverage alcohol by 2025 according to a new report from IWSR Drinks Market Analysis.

New York-based media company NBTV Studios has announced the UK launch of streaming platform, Spirits Network, and is inviting UK bartenders to audition for its inaugural programme, Shake Off.

DoorDash is taking on Uber and Instacart by launching an alcohol delivery service in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Boston Beer Company saw its share price plummet by almost 10% yesterday after weak demand for hard seltzer forced it to pull its earnings guidance.

The United States has once again topped the list of the most attractive wine markets in the world,  according to a new report from Wine Intelligence.

Absolut Vodka has announced a new bottle, the brand’s biggest design update since 1979.

The Covid-19 pandemic has inspired drinks producers across the world to significantly ramp up their focus on direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales.

For many drinkers outside of its native Brazil, cachaça is a largely mysterious category, perhaps known as the star of a Caipirinha and nothing more. In its homeland, however, cachaça’s popularity borders on religious.