Diageo has named Teaninich near Alness in the Highlands as the location for its plans to build a new £50 million malt whisky distillery.

Scotch whisky sales growth slowed to 1% in 2012, while 11 of the sector’s top 20 export markets registered volume declines, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.

The Chianti Classico Wine Consortium has founded a company that will handle marketing for the denomination.

Diageo has invested £1 million in a visitor centre at its Talisker distillery on the Isle of Skye.

Brazil has officially recognised Bourbon and Tennessee whiskey as distinctive products of the United States, according to the Distilled Spirits Council.

Hite-Jinro’s soju brand, Jinro, remains the world's best selling spirit after growing sales 6% to 65.3m 9-litre cases last year, according to DI's soon-to-be-published The Millionaires’ Club 2013.

Stock Spirits Group has announced revenues dropped 0.9% to €292.4m last year but reported EBITDA growth of 6.8% to €68.8m.

Patrón Spirits has partnered with Mohor Trgovina to distribute its products in Croatia.

As ProWein closes the doors on its 2013 show, exhibitors championed the event as the "place to do business", ahead of its rivals, Vinexpo, LIWF and Vinitaly.

Poland and the Czech Republic are among the nations tipped as hot prospects for wine sales growth while parts of West Africa, Indonesia and Malaysia are showing potential, according to Wine Intelligence.

South African wine brand First Cape has launched in Ireland. 

The World Whiskies Awards winners were announced at a ceremony in London.

Entries are now open for this year’s International Beer Challenge, which is organised by Drinks International's sister title Off Licence News.

The wine and spirits industry has blasted the UK Chancellor’s “inflation busting tax hikes on wines and spirits”.

UK: The Chancellor has chosen to scrap the beer duty escalator and cut beer duty by 1p per pint. All other alcohol duty rises will increase as planned.

Diageo has signed the United Nations Women’s Empowerment Principles at a ceremony in Singapore.

Leading drinks industry figure Henry Besant died in hospital yesterday following a heart attack.

St Patrick’s Day (Sunday March 17) affords a great opportunity for some of Ireland’s biggest exports. Lucy Britner rounds up the action in Drinks International's St Patrick’s Day Preview.

English Wine Producers, the generic body representing English wine producers, is to exhibit at Prowein for the first time.

Drinks International has teamed up with show organiser Messe Düsseldorf to publish an extensive preview magazine of ProWein 2013.

The Comité Champagne, which represents Champagne producers, has announced that world exports are 3.4% up by value despite a 4 million drop is shipped bottles.

The Comite Champagne, the generic body for Champagne producers, has announced today (March 13) that the world exports have risen 3.4% by value, despite a 4 million drop in shipped bottles.

Plans to introduce alcohol minimum pricing in England and Wales could be abandoned after new opposition in the UK government emerged.

Diageo has announced that its global supply and procurement operation will be refocused to improve supplying its 21 key markets.

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board has announced that the total volume of Austria's 2012 wine vintage is 2,154,800 hectoliters, which is well below the long term average.

Concha y Toro has been voted the World's Most Admired Wine Brand for the third year running, ahead of Torres and Penfolds.

The board of Davide Campari-Milano SpA, has reported group net profit of €156.7 million in its consolidated financial results for the year ended December 31, 2012. Sales were up 5.2% to €1,340.8m

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) has warned that changes to customs classifications at EU level could lead to an increase in excise duty and VAT for some made-wine* products in the UK.

SABMiller is to invest US$40 million in a new 260,000 hectolitre brewery in Namibia as part of its strategy to expand its operations across Africa.

Pernod Ricard USA has launched Pro Bev Source, an online resource to help distributors, retailers and on-premise operators find product information.

Pernod Ricard has announced the following moves, effective from July 1.

Reports from the US say that Anheuser-Busch, the biggest brewer in the US and part of A-B InBev, the world’s largest brewer, is being sued for watering down its Budweiser, Michelob and other brands.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has announced two new trustees - Mentzendorff managing director Andrew Hawes and Jonathan Driver who, after leaving Diageo in 2006, has become a global consultant.

Anivin de France, the organisation responsible for promoting Vin de France, has announce that 88 wines have been selected to represent the category in 2013.

Maximilian J. Riedel is to become president of Riedel Crystal, from July 1.

Diageo Ireland has said the delivery of ten new giant brewing vessels “underscores” its commitment to the future of brewing at its Dublin brewery - St James’s Gate.

Beam has announced the retirement of Ian Gourlay, the company’s senior vice president of global operations & supply chain, effective April 1.

Davide Campari-Milano SpA has announced that it is taking over the distribution and marketing of its recently acquired Appleton rum brands from Kobrand from March 1.

Entries are now open for this year’s International Cider Challenge, organised by UK trade title and DI sister magazine, Off Licence News.

Diageo is to sell its products directly to online shoppers via a new website branded Alexander & James. 

Pernod Ricard has reported half-year revenue growth of 6%, with good performances in China, India, Eastern Europe and the US offsetting declines in Western Europe.

Pernod Ricard has eased concerns over Cognac supply with the purchase of 100% of the shares of the winemaker, distiller and wholesaler Le Maine au Bois SAS.

Five English wine procuders are to exhibit under the English Wine Producers (EWP) banner for the first time at ProWein 2013. 

The Distilled Spirits Council (Discus), which represents the spirits industry in the US, revealed its 2012 findings in New York this week.

Bibendum CEO Michael Saunders has warned the UK wine trade that business conditions will remain “tough” in 2013 and voiced his “violent objections” to minimum unit proposals.

In the run up to wine show season, Hamish Smith catches up with Vinexpo CEO Robert Beynat. 

With convenience at its heart, the pre–mixed drink is always going to involve an element of compromise – the category will probably never be one for the purist. But that doesn’t mean it should be spared our scrutiny. 

China Resources Snow Breweries - a joint venture between SAB Miller and China Resources Enterprise - is to buy Kingway Brewery’s brewing facilities for a total cash consideration of RMB 5.38bn (US$864m).

World wine consumption is forecast to grow 5.3% in the period 2012-2016, according to IWSR research  presented by Vinexpo today at a London press conference.

World sprits consumption is set to increase 9% over the period 2012-2016, buoyed by 14% growth in Baijiu sales, according to IWSR research commissioned by Vinexpo.