Created at Japan’s Aumont Brewery, overseen by master brewer Tanaka-Toji, Kay Sake has launched in the UK with the aim to offer consumers an alternative to traditional cocktails.

Michael Vachon is to leave Maverick Drinks – the craft spirits distributor he co-founded in 2013 - at the end of this year.

News of Donald Trump’s re-election as US president earlier this week has sparked fear over the possibility of further tariffs being implemented on the spirits industry.

Living Souls, a new Scottish spirits brand specialising in small batch and single cask releases, has announced its launch.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has sounded an alarm over the potential return and doubling of the EU’s retaliatory tariff on American whiskey in a new report.

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), has announced the appointment of Regine Lee MW to its board of trustees.

They might still seem unconventional and even unacceptable to some, but plenty of people are championing these containers, as Oli Dodd finds.

UK distributor DrinksOne Brands, has partnered with African and Caribbean rum Equiano, to serve as the sole agency distributor for the brand across the UK.

After a successful trial in Ireland, Guinness 0.0 is being rolled out across Great Britain on keg at a select number of pubs.

RTD and hard seltzer brand, White Claw, has released its first vodka in the UK, launching nationwide next month.

The representative group for UK hospitality has criticised government plans to ban smoking from beer gardens, outside restaraunts, sports stadiums and outside hospitals.

Italian lager Birra Moretti has overtaken Carling to become the best-selling draught lager in the UK, research from CGA finds.

Viña Concha y Toro has seen revenue growth of 17.7% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2024 to Ch$237,348 million, while profit also increased 243.1%.

Freixenet has entered the French sparkling wine category with the launch of two expressions immediately available in the UK.

Independent cognac house Hine has appointed SipWell to drive its travel retail presence across the UK, US and Asia.

Spirits distributor Mangrove Global is bringing a selection of international brands from its independent spirits portfolio to UK customers nationwide, through an extended partnership with supermarket chain Waitrose. 

Diageo reported a net sales decline of 1.4% to $20.3 billion for the year end 30 June 2024 which the company pinned on unfavourable foreign exchange and inflation.

The Drinks Trust charity has added five new members to its board of trustees – Jennie Baernreuther, Ian Bray, Tim Clay, Paul Haslam and Tony Watson.

Rosewood London has announced the appointment of Andy Loudon as its director of bars, returning to the UK after nearly two decades of experience within the international hospitality industry. 

Freixenet Copestick and Spain’s Zamora Company have agreed a strategic distribution partnership for the Zamora portfolio of wines in the UK and Northern Ireland. 

Danish company Carlsberg has agreed a £3.3bn deal to buy the UK business of Britvic as well as the remaining 40% share in its joint brewing venture with Marston’s.

Toku Saké has appointed Stuart Hudson as head of sales and advocacy, effective as of this month.

Martha May Markham of Swift in London has won the UK final of the Unrivalled Classics cocktail competition by No.3 Gin.

WineGB has released its first wine tourism report which shows that visits to UK vineyards and wineries have risen by 55% in two years.

The Labour Party’s plan for UK high streets aims to replace the business rates system, cutting energy bills and giving communities the ‘right to buy’ community assets, like pubs.

The London bar community was rocked in April by the news that Lyaness bartender Alexandra ‘Lexie’ Constantinescu had unexpectedly passed away on an extended trip to Cuba, where she had previously been competing as a UK finalist in Havana Club’s Cocktail Maestros competition.

Treasury Wine Estates and rapper Snoop Dogg have expanded their collaborative wine portfolio with the launch of Cali Blanc.

Budweiser Brewing Group, part of AB InBev, will be the new distributor of Kopparberg products in the UK on-trade, effective from 28 May.

Viña Concha y Toro has recorded sales growth of 26.4% for the first quarter of its financial year as it continues to recover from a challenging 2023.

Lyaness bartender Alexandra ‘Lexie’ Constantinescu has passed away while on holiday in Cuba after competing in a cocktail competition.

Label 5 blended Scotch whisky has launched its first single grain whisky which will initially roll out in the UK market.

‘Brewing for Impact’, an initiative that will see breweries from seven countries produce beer using the West African grain fonio, has launched.

Friarwood wine and spirits merchant has announced it has gained exclusive rights to import Italian gin Seatrus in the UK.

Panther M*lk, an oat milk ready-to-drink cocktail has launched a new bottle design and extended its range of flavours to include Crema, Rosa, Cafe, and Menta.

Satan’s Whiskers took the title of Best Bar in the UK at the CLASS Bar Awards 2024, which took place last night (16 April) at Battersea Arts Centre in London.

Molson Coors Beverage Company has announced its plans to invest more than £100m in its UK brewery and beverage network over the next five years.

CopperBay has launched its third site at Hôtel Lancaster on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, becoming one of the first independent venues to open within a luxury hotel in France.

No.3 London Dry Gin’s education initiative Ph3 Bartending Programme, which aims to empower bartenders, has reached its final ‘Graduation’ phase.

Danish whisky Stauning has launched the ‘Stauning Drinks Kollektive’, a global cocktail competition which aims to shine a light on bartenders from Denmark, Germany, France, the UK, US and Australia.

As part of its celebrations for International Women’s Day 2024 the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has released five single cask whiskies selected by an all-women tasting panel.

The UK government has announced a freeze on alcohol duty in the Spring Budget which was declared on Wednesday 6 March.

Double Dutch, producers of mixers and tonics, has launched its Female Bartending Scholarship Programme for the fourth consecutive year, as part of its commitment to foster upcoming female talent in the hospitality industry.

Having worked for three decades as head distiller of Diageo’s Don Julio, maestro tequilero Enrique de Colsa has partnered with The Lost Explorer to create its first tequila line.

Ready-to-serve cocktail brand Whitebox Cocktails has partnered with brand-building agency, Artisan Spirits, to expand its international distribution.

Spirits distributor Speciality Brands is adding Takamaka to its rum portfolio, alongside signing an exclusive partnership with Chichibu Distillery, taking over from Speciality Drinks.

Schweppes has announced the launch of its European-wide brand ambassador programme.

Drinks importer and distributor, Paragon Brands, has announced its new role as the exclusive distributor of Zamora Company spirits and liqueurs in the UK.

Tito’s Handmade Vodka has appointed Spirit Cartel as its new distributor for the UK and signed a sponsorship deal with Equal Measures.

WineGB has declared a record harvest for the British wine industry which is set to produce an estimated 20-22m bottles.

The UK government is set to implement new requirements for the selling and labelling of wine nationwide from 1 January 2024.