If the name’s Grant and the place is Scotland, the chances are the game’s whisky. Lucy Britner meets a Grant at Glenfarclas

The Scotch Whisky Association has launched a report, which outlines the number of jobs supported by the scotch whisky industry. 

Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) has signed a five-year exclusive agreement to distribute Beam brands in Poland.

William Grant has launched a new expression of its Glenfiddich whisky brand: Glenfiddich Malt Master’s Edition.

Central European Distribution Corporation (CEDC) has signed an exclusive distribution agreement with La Martiniquaise to distribute Label 5 whisky in Russia. La Martiniquaise announced the tie-up in December 2011.

Pernod Ricard will release Irish whiskey Redbreast 12 Cask Strength to the US in February, following the expression’s September launch to Ireland, Germany and France.

Beam Inc has announced an agreement to purchase Irish whiskey producer Cooley Distillery.

Indian malt whisky brand Amrut has launched a whisky matured in port barrels, named Portonova, to global markets.

Diageo has opened a £10 million cooperage in Scotland.

Following a collaboration with whisky bloggers and journalists, Master of Malt has released St Isidore.

UK: Diageo GB is re-positioning its Bell’s blended scotch whisky brand via a £1.35m TV ad campaign.

Drinks International is delighted to announce that Patience Gould, its former editor and a well known figure in the drinks industry, is returning to write a regular column.

A minimum unit price for alcohol set out in today’s (November 1) Scottish government Bill is unlikely to reduce alcohol misuse, will threaten the £3.4 billion whisky industry and will punish moderate drinkers, according to the trade. 

Chivas Brothers is to roll out a Christmas edition of it Ballantine’s scotch whisky. Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve is available until December in ‘key markets’ including Spain, France and Taiwan.

Jack Daniel's has crowned the UK champion of its Tennessee-based Birthday Cocktail Competition 2011.

Online spirits merchant Master of Malt has extended its line of yesteryear spirit-based expressions with the launch of Proprietary Barley Spirit Drink.

The first whisky from Japanese craft distillery Chichibu has been launched. Chichibu The First is three years old, 61.8% abv and limited to 7,400 bottles. The whisky is not chill-filtered.

Whyte & Mackay has announced a partnership with Russian Standard vodka owner Roust. The deal is for the distribution and promotion of the Glasgow-based company’s spirits portfolio in Russia.

The Edrington Group is to launch a smokier expression of its Black Grouse whisky. 

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has announced that the value of scotch exports for the first half of 2011 is up 22%

Beam Global is to launch Teacher’s Origin in global travel retail. The product has already launched in India, where, according to Beam, Teacher’s is the number one blended whisky.

Diageo has cited ‘emerging markets’ as a reason for its positive results – including 16% growth in scotch whisky in emerging markets. 

Malaysia: Ian Macleod Distillers has set a new sales record for the company and the Malaysian Travel Retail industry.

UK: Glenfiddich has launched the 2011 Glenfiddich Malt Mastermind competition. The aim of the game is to find the “trade’s most passionate malt enthusiasts”.

The Glenmorangie Company has released a £2,500 whisky matured in Chateau d’Yquem sauternes casks.

Morrison Bowmore has unveiled two new Auchentoshan expressions. 1999 Bordeaux Cask Matured and Valinch, a small batch release of the Classic expression bottled at cask strength and non-chill filtered.

Scotland: Diageo is to invest £20 million in its Speyside whisky facilities.

Chivas Brothers has launched a US$200,000 whisky as a tribute to the oldest crown jewels in Britain - the Honours of Scotland.

Ardbeg has announced the September launch of its new limited release, Ardbeg Alligator, to Europe, Asia and the US.

International Beverage Holdings will unveil the 1995 vintage of Balblair single malt scotch whisky at TFWA Asia Pacific.

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.

Chivas Brothers has introduced new packaging across its “core range" of The Glenlivet.

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

Indian distributor Radico Khaitan is to launch Japanese whiskies the Yamazaki 12 year old and Hibiki 17 year old in India.

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

UK spirits group Ian Macleod Distillers has recorded a 41% profit, buoyed by the growth of Glengoyne single malt whisky.

Whisky retailer Master of Malt has launched a liqueur made from single malt scotch whisky.

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

Europe: The Glenmorangie Company has launched new expression Finealta at the newly-reopened Savoy Hotel in London.

The worldwide competition to appoint four Glenrothes whisky makers closes at the end of January. According to organisers, response to the competition has been very strong but there is still a chance to enter online. The successful candidates will be recruited to work as The Glenrothes whisky makers at the Speyside distillery, Scotland.

UK: The deputy prime minister Nick Clegg MP raised a glass to scotch whisky exports – up 12% in the first ten months of 2010.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has gained a geographical indication of origin for scotch whisky in Vietnam.

Chivas Brothers is taking its travel retail aged whisky campaign to the Americas.

Scotch whisky has been granted geographical indication of origin (GI) in Panama.

Diageo has launched a new expression of its Johnnie Walker scotch whisky in Delhi duty free. Johnnie Walker XR 21 year old is now available in T3, Indira Gandhi International Airport.

China - an important market for scotch whisky – has announced that it will recognise and protect ‘scotch whisky’ as a Geographical Indication (GI).

Laphroaig Quarter Cask has been voted Scotland’s best single malt by The Whisky Shop.