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

Inver House Distillers yesterday announced the global release of Balblair vintages 1992 and '01 from the newly-opened visitor centre at the brand's Highland distillery.

US: Polish vodka brand Sobieski is to launch three new flavours in the US. Espresso, Cynamon and Bizon Grass are to be imported and marketed by Imperial Brands.

Pernod Ricard's new intenational brand development director says that it's number one Irish whiskey brand, Jameson, is on course to meet it's forecast of hitting 1.4 million cases in the US  within the next year.

Irish Distillers launched the latest expression of its leading Irish whiskey brand, Jameson, in a 'softly softly' roll out in Brooklyn last night.

Norwegian beverage company Mack has redesigned and extended its Arctic Beer series.

Central European spirits and liqueurs company Stock Spirits Group is gearing up to acquire new business.

UK Rumfest has announced the winners of the Golden Rum Barrel Awards 2011, with Foursquare Distillery of Barbados taking home two of the top prizes.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Assoication (WSTA) has announced that Nick Hyde, managing director of Diageo Wines Europe, is its new chairman.

AXA Millesimes has released the 2009 Sauternes, Les Lions de Suduiraut, to global markets.

Drinks group Sazerac has unveiled a line of flavoured vodkas under its Wave brand for the US market.

Martell’s new look for its VSOP, which was recently launched in the Singapore and Malaysia domestic markets, is now being rolled out throughout the world.

Sobieski vodka owner Belvedere has appointed Krzysztof Trylinski as chairman and chief executive officer of the group. He aims to clear the company's debt by selling two of its brands.

Budweiser has revamped its cans in the UK, with a red 'bowtie' sitting behind the Budweiser logo on the new-look version.

Malibu is releasing a limited edition coconut rum with coconut flakes floating inside to look like snowflakes.

Deep discounting on wine by UK retailers may be having less impact on consumer behaviour, according to a new report

Pernod Ricard has added to its ever-widening stable of Absolut limited editions with the release of Absolut Mode to global travel retail (GTR) for the run up to Christmas.

Diageo has extended the Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project campaign with the release of city and country-themed bottles to selected global markets.

New Zealand’s Ara Wines has launched One Estate, a sparkling wine made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, in the UK.

Packaging company Rexam is to build a new beverage can plant in Finland.

Pernod Ricard has unveiled Absolut Gustafson at the TFWA in Cannes, a new limited edition for global travel retail.

Diageo has announced plans to step-up its multi-million dollar strategic partnership with social media website Facebook.

Drambuie has reported operating profits of £2.81m – up 2% on last year.

Diageo has announced the launch of Baileys Biscotti to the UK.

Maxxium Travel Retail’s sales grew by 11% last year, outpacing European travel retail growth of 8%, according to findings by International Wine and Spirits Research (IWSR).

The Institute of Masters of Wine has announced 11 new masters of wine.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine has announced new corporate branding in anticipation of becoming an independent publicly traded spirits company, to be renamed Beam, early in the fourth quarter.

Bacardi USA has announced plans to trial a new gin, Bombay Sapphire East, in the US on and off-trade.

US: Brugal rum brand-owner the Edrington Group, their distributors Rémy Cointreau Travel Retail Americas and retailer International Shoppes have combined forces to promote travel retail exclusive Brugal Extra Viejo Reserva and Brugal Añejo Reserva - starting in New York JFK.

StarBev has announced ‘significant investments’ in its Staropramen brand, as it eyes international expansion.

A bottle of 1811 Château d’Yquem has been sold for £75,000, setting a Guinness world record.

Owners of traditional products such as champagne and cognac need to show some humility in their dealings with new emerging markets, according to the president and CEO of Groupe Renaud Cointreau.

Diageo has appointed a head of its Western Europe division. From September 1, John Kennedy is to become chief operating officer, Diageo Western Europe. Kennedy is currently managing director, Diageo Ireland.

UK cider producer Aspall is to restructure its business and invest £4m following “40% volume growth” last year.

US: Heaven Hill has launched a liqueur called Hpnotiq Harmonie. The new product is an infusion of French vodka, natural fruits, flowers, and cognac.  The mix includes berries, violets and lavender.

Morrison Bowmore Distillers has made five new appointments within its sales and marketing team.

Chivas Brothers has launched a new special edition Beefeater gin. Developed by master distiller Desmond Payne, Beefeater London Market Gin will be available for a limited period from June 2011 in key global markets, including Spain, UK, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Constellation Brands has named Jay Wright, currently president of its North American division, as its new chief operating officer (COO), effective immediately. In his new role, Wright will oversee marketing, sales and operations across the company. This is the first time Constellation Brands has appointed such a role and a statement from the company said “the creation of the COO role is the latest step in the company's evolution to further refine and streamline its organisation”.

Entrants aiming to crack the US market need to take a bold approach, according to a wine importer.

New World brands continue to dominate the global wine sector and now constitute 13 of the top 15 wine brands, according to a recent study.

Irish Distillers, the Irish whiskey arm of Pernod Ricard, unveiled two new single pot still Irish whiskeys today (May 5).

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

SABMiller has launched a new Peroni Nastro Azzurro global ad campaign that celebrates the Italian summer.

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

Finlandia vodka, part of Bacardi Brown-Forman Brands, has unveiled a new global packaging design dubbed ‘melting ice’.

Swedish vodka brand DQ has re-launched to the UK, following the restructuring of parent company Nordic Spirit.

Jeff Clarke has been appointed chief winemaker at Marlborough’s Ara Wines.

William Grant & Sons has repackaged its Grant’s Sherry Cask Finish and Ale Cask Finish expressions.

Ara, the Malborough-based New Zealand winery, has appointed Matthew Adams to the role of sales and marketing general manager.

Diageo has announced a new global brand director for Guinness. Oliver Loomes has been appointed to the role, following Brian Duffy’s promotion to global category director for beer.