Jim Beam has launched its Red Stag bourbon-based drink in the UK market and in travel retail outlets across Europe.

Christie’s has conducted a 36-hour wine auction in Hong Kong and New York, with sales totalling US$11.2m.

SABMiller subsidiary company Southern Sudan Beverages (SSBL) is to invest US$15m to increase production capacity.

Prowein organiser Messe Düsseldorf has announced record attendance figures for the show held this week, 27-29 March 2011.

Jack Daniels has launched a honey whiskey – the brand’s first launch in nearly a generation.

Team Italy has won the 2011 42 Below Cocktail World Cup.

Cork producer Amorim recorded double-digit volume growth in 2010.

US distributors Glazer’s has appointed Robert Swartz as chief operating officer and Phil Meacham as executive vice president malt beverages.

Brown-Forman has sold its Fetzer wine business to Concha y Toro for US$238 million. The transaction is expected to close in April 2011.

Scotch brand Chivas Regal and designer Vivienne Westwood have collaborated to launch a new limited edition whisky.

Brown-Forman has launched Canadian 'maple wood' whisky, Collingwood, in four US states.

Diageo has reported an 4% increase in organic net sales growth for H2 of 2010, despite a drop of 3% in Europe.

Diageo aims to cut its global carbon emissions by 50% by 2015, while Bacardi has published details of its environmental advancements.

In its fourth edition, the International Cognac Summit (ICS) 2011, attempted to answer the question: can you quantify pleasure when tasting cognac?

Cognac has reported record-breaking shipment figures for 2010. The region reported the value of 2010 shipments to be €1.86 billion.

The US Spirits division of Diageo North America has appointed Mark Hubler as president of Open States and Greg Armstrong president of Control States and National Accounts.

French wine barrel manufacturer, Groupe Charlois, has expanded into the US with the purchase of Winemakers Cooperage (WC) from Treasury Wine Estates.

Saxco, a US-based group of packaging companies affiliated to Saxco International, has appointed James Hartman as quality assurance manager.

Brown-Forman, the major US drinks company, has announced a strategic review with a view to offloading its Californina-based wine assets.

Slovakian spirits group Gas Familia has launched premium vodka Goral Master.

Jameson has reached three million nine litre case sales (MAT ending October 31). According to the brand, growth in the US, Jameson’s largest export market, contributed to its milestone success, with one million cases sold.

Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) is to purchase the global rights for Kauffman vodka.

Diageo has initiated discussions to take over 50% of Guatemalan rum brand Zacapa.

Scotch whisky exports are up 17% compared with last year, with nine of the category’s top ten markets in growth.

US spirits company Proximo has entered into a UK distribution agreement with Marblehead Brand Development.

East African Breweries Limited (EABL), a subsidiary of Diageo, has completed the acquisition of 51% of the issued share capital of Serengeti Breweries Limited (SBL). EABL made the purchase from existing shareholders for a total consideration of approximately US$60.4million.

Diageo brand Smirnoff has announced ‘country pairings’ for its global nightlife exchange project.

New York is tough for a small company trying to get its brand listed and stocked in the city, according to the chief executive of Xanté, the Swedish company with the eponymous cognac and pear liqueur brand.

US: Diageo has launched a Swedish vodka in the US market.

Cognac brand Courvoisier has undertaken a global repackaging of its VS label, starting with the UK and US markets.

US: Bacardi Limited has completed the initial phase of a $250m investment into its scotch whisky brand Dewar’s.

SKyy Spirits, Gruppo Campari’s US-based subsidiary, has unveiled a new global ad campaign entitled Skyy Sexy to market its unflavoured vodka brand Skyy Vodka.

Brand marketer, The Paddington Corporation, has announced a joint venture with 3 Amigos Tequila to market its range globally.

Spanish liqueur brand Licor 43 is targeting UK growth, after up-scaling its marketing operations with the appointment of a brand ambassador.

The results of the International Cider Challenge 2010 are in. This is the first year of the competition and it attracted over a hundred entries. Drinks International recruited a panel of cider experts to blind taste the ciders, which were then awarded trophies and medals.

Chivas Brothers has launched a winter version of its Beefeater gin brand.

Bacardi has announced two new board directors, Francisco V Carrera-Justiz and Theodore C Walker, who were elected at the company’s AGM in Hamilton, Bermuda.

An arbitration panel has said that the combination of Anheuser-Busch and InBev did not violate the investment agreement between Anheuser-Busch and Mexican drinks giant Grupo Modelo.

US: Diageo has launched two new flavours for its Smirnoff vodka brand – mango and peach.

US: Diageo has launched a range of brightly coloured flavoured vodkas called Ursus. The products feature a label that changes from white to blue when chilled in a freezer.

Pernod Ricard has decided to dump the Montana brand name and re-name New Zealand’s flagship Sauvignon Blanc, Brancott Estate.

US: Heaven Hill Distilleries has launched the 21^st flavour of its Burnett’s flavoured vodka brand.

The Isle of Arran distillery is to double production to meet rising demand. Production in 2008 was 150,000LPA (litres of pure alcohol) and 130,000 in 2009. During 2010, the distillery aims to double the 2009 total.

Foster’s Group plans to create separate stock exchange listings for its beer and wine divisions.

US popularity and universal appeal have kept the Irish whiskey market buoyant, according to business analyst Datamonitor.

The Spirit of Speyside whisky festival starts this week.

Consumers are returning to premium purchases, according to global drinks giant Diageo.

US: Pernod Ricard and Russian Standard Vodka have reached a settlement of claims brought by Russian Standard against Pernod Ricard. According to Pernod Ricard, the dispute revolved mainly around the allegations brought by Russian Standard Vodka and Roust Trading Limited pursuant to which promoting Stolichnaya as "Russian vodka" resulted in false advertising.

Maker’s Mark has won a trademark infringement case against Cuervo tequila. A judgment has confirmed that the whiskey’s free-form red wax seal coating is a well-known and valid trademark.

US: Diageo’s Jose Cuervo has launched CuervoGames, an experiential marketing campaign.