Speyside whisky brand The Balvenie has announced the launch of French Oak 16 Year Old, marking the first use of French oak in the distillery’s 129-year history.

The Old Kent Road in south London is one of the country’s oldest and most storied. The original track was paved by the Romans and used as their principal thoroughfare between old Londinium and the coast. Geoffrey Chaucer wrote about its use as a pilgrim’s way in The Canterbury Tales and later it was the route by which King Henry V and his men returned triumphant from the battle of Agincourt.

The Old Hem was completely destroyed and two people were killed by Russian shelling on the Eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Monday, according to reports by the Kharkiv prosecutor's office.

The Macallan has launched its oldest ever singe malt called The Reach which was distilled during the Second World War.

Royal Salute master blender Sandy Hyslop has declared its new 51-year-old a “one-of-a-kind” blend.

Bushmills has appointed Alex Thomas as master blender at The Old Bushmills Distillery working across the entire portfolio and product development.

Irish whiskey producer Bushmills has unveiled a collection of 12 rare single malts aged in a variety of casks.

Glenmorangie has launched limited-edition packaging for its 18 Years Old variant to celebrate its partnership with botanical sculptor Azuma Makoto.

Diageo’s drinks accelerator arm Distil Ventures has made a minority investment in Japanese single malt producer Komasa Kanosuke Distillery.

The Last Drop has made its first foray into spirits creation with the release of its 50 Year Old Signature Blended Scotch Whisky.

Independent whisky bottlers Single Malts of Scotland has added new 11-year-old whiskies as part of its Reserve Casks range.

Glenfiddich has bolstered its Grand Series range with the launch of a 26 Year Old Speyside malt called Grande Couronne.

Bowmore has launched a limited-edition 31 Year Old single malt into the travel retail channel as part of its Timeless Series collection.

Ardbeg 25 Years Old has become the oldest expression to join the Islay distillery’s permanent range.

The Glenturret has unveiled a new core range as it plans to launch in the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland and New Zealand next month.

A private barrel selection bottling of Michter’s 10 Year Old bourbon has sold for a record £166,000 ($209,462) at a charity auction in London.

Chivas Brothers has donated its digital advertising slot at Old Trafford to a motor neurone disease charity for the upcoming clash between Man Utd and Sheff Utd.

The future of the drinks trade will feature more ecommerce and greater use of robots.

London Cocktail Week organisers have announced that it will be moving The Cocktail Village to a new bigger venue on Brick Lane.

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.

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

Yellow spot is the latest single pot still whiskey from Irish Distillers.

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

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

Jura, The Whyte and Mackay single malt, has teamed up with its coffee industry namesake to create a range of whisky and coffee pairings.

The Glenmorangie Company has announced the global launch of Artein, the third release of the Glenmorangie Private Edition range.

Morrison Bowmore has launched Bowmore Tempest Small Batch Release No. 3 to global markets.

Bas-Armagnac Francis Darroze has launched Les Grands Assemblages, a seven-strong range of armagnacs to global markets.

Kentucky-based bourbon company, Buffalo Trace Distillery, has announced the September release of its 2011 Antique Collection.

Canada: Beam Global has launched two cognacs with declared age statements. According to the company, the two marques are the “first cognacs available from any of the four major cognac makers to display a declared age statement”.

Pernod Ricard has announced the disposal, by its affiliate Pernod Ricard Europe, of its shares in Georgian Wine and Spirits LLC to JSC Marussia (Georgia).

Laithwaites, the international wine mail-order company, has released Van Ruiten Old Vine Zinfandel 2008 from California.

The Glenmorangie Company has announced the release of Pride 1981, a 28-year old single malt whisky that has been finished in Sauternes casks for ten years.

Online whisky retailer Master of Malt has launched a 40-year old whisky liqueur.

Scotch company Gordon & MacPhail has launched The Glenlivet 70 Year Old, priced at £13,000 a bottle.

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

One hundred-year old whiskies that belonged to Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton have been sent to a Whyte & Mackay distillery for testing.

Diageo has launched its autumn Special Release Series, a collection of single malt scotch whiskies aimed at the world’s top bars and whisky connoisseurs.

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, producers of Jameson, is set to introduce Redbreast 15 Year Old Irish Pure Pot Still whiskey as a permanent expression within the range in key international markets including Ireland, USA, France and Germany.

Old Forester has released the 2010 expression of its vintage-dated “Birthday Bourbon”. The drink was released in honour of George Garvin Brown, the founder of Louisville-based Brown-Forman and Old Forester. First launched eight years ago to commemorate Brown’s Birthday on September 2, Old Forester Birthday Bourbon is a limited-edition bourbon which is released annually.

Islay: Bruichladdich distillery has started to produce gin. The Islay distillery, usually associated with peaty whisky, began making its first batch of gin today (3 August).

Stock Spirits has launched a 21 year old  single malt Czech whisky. The company believes it to be the only Bohemian single malt in the world.

Travel Retail: Pernod Ricard has revamped the packaging for its Ballantine’s blended Scotch whiskies. The revised prestige range first appeared on shelf in Asia Duty Free and includes Ballantine’s 17 Year Old, Ballantine’s 21 Year Old and Ballantine’s 30 Year Old.

David Stewart, The Balvenie malt master, has crafted a 40 year old single malt scotch whisky, aged in sherry casks and refill hogsheads. A batch of 150, hand numbered bottles of The Balvenie Forty will be available at selected travel retail outlets in the world’s leading airports, from July 2010.

Portugal: Boutique port producer Andresen has released a 100 year old port.