Across the drinks world, producers are instigating regenerative and sustainable farming practices. Shay Waterworth reports on some of the vital initiatives taking place.

With more exhibitor space, buyers and landlords than ever before, last month’s TFWA World Exhibition showed an industry with renewed momentum.

His bar may have been named the World’s Best, but Sips co-owner Marc Álvarez is not languishing. He shares with Oli Dodd how he plans to keep pursuing his dreams.

At the end of 2021 Alexander Stein, founder of Monkey 47, acquired a majority stake in Société des Produits d’Armagnac from Pernod Ricard with the aim of restoring Marquis de Montesquiou to its former glory. 

Managing 11 outlets across a single estate is no mean feat, and factoring in sustainability and locality adds to the enormity of the task. Gleneagles head of bars Michele Mariotti talks Oli Dodd through the job.

Hamish Smith provides the annual analysis of how this year’s World’s 50 Best Bars list has panned out.

The whisky sector could be missing out on some fine liquids by sticking to current age regulations.

The duty free drinks sector has continued to recover and premiumise after Covid despite the slow recovery of Chinese international travel.

Pre-mixed drinks have come a long way since their sugary-sweet inception, and their journey continues as demand soars among voyagers.

Taylor’s Port boss Adrian Bridge talks Oli Dodd through the ramifications of the recent UK duty hikes for the fortified wine.

While extremes of heat and plentiful rain have caused disasters around the world, producers of champagne are celebrating a bumper harvest.

GN Chan, co-founder of New York’s Double Chicken Please has been named the winner of Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2023 ahead of The World’s 50 Best Bars announcement next month in Singapore. 

The American whiskey style has seen a boost in its fortunes in the US, and now it’s catching the eye of distillers across the globe.

Producers are innovating in mixers as they attempt to tap into new drinking trends. Eleanor Yates rounds up the latest additions.

Clinton Cawood finds producers are pushing forward with new and innovative serves for classic Italian liqueur amaretto.

Rum tends to be associated with the Caribbean, but UK-made spirit has a long history and is now being revived.

Sorrel Moseley-Williams finds bartenders experimenting to expand the use of Brazil’s national spirit beyond the Caipirinha.

The huge boom in UK gin sales is levelling off, with even the big-name brands experiencing sales slumps.

Investment, improved equipment, a warming climate – much has happened in recent years to elevate the quality and profile of English wine, particularly its fizz.

Bruichladdich’s packaging has undergone a radical overhaul, driven by environmental concerns. Global marketing director Gareth Brown discusses with Oli Dodd the unique challenges of an island such as Islay.

Belfast International Airport has not been able to cash in on the return of duty free a­fter Brexit but elsewhere the summer travel season was a soaraway success.

Hamish Smith speaks to Neal Bodenheimer, board member and co-resurrector of Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.

Macroeconomic forces are slowing the recovery of the travel retail drinks business, leading brands to rethink their strategies towards the channel.

Matt Pietrek explores the intricate and fascinating world of molasses-alternative rums.

The capital of Greece may be best known for its historical ruins, but the thriving bar scene has brought it bang up to date in the cocktail pantheon.

Recently on the verge of disappearing, rye whiskey is back winning hearts and minds thanks largely to the cocktail culture revival.

Eleanor Yates looks at how prosecco producers are working to differentiate their wines from other bubblies.

As the spirit’s cache wanes – especially in the States – the ready-to-drink format is proving a positive space for its mixed offerings.

Shay Waterworth finds an ancient Italian drink style is enjoying a resurgence globally, with modernism meeting tradition as new brands emerge.

Luxury and sustainability are a common juxtaposition but for Louis XIII, one of the most exclusive cognac brands in the business, the two concepts are being aligned. 

When the producers of a new mastiha brand wanted to get the word out to the right people, they called on a man with a history of doing just that – only he hadn’t worked in drinks before.

While they put a focus on the spirit, some experts believe the explosion of brands backed by famous faces does the category and quality expectations no favours.

Hamish Smith drills down into the results and how they reflect what’s important to the bar industry.

Rémy Cointreau and Whyte & Mackay have both named new duty free heads as the peak summer travel season heralds a flurry of new exclusives.

Oli Dodd charts the fall and rise of apple brandy as a handful of UK distillers revive an ancient category.

Sorrel Moseley-Williams reports on a climatically challenging but surprisingly good 2023 harvest.

Sambuca has been in decline for a while, but producers believe it has potential to reach new consumers with evolving serves and cocktails.

Exports have become a priority for big brands as global demand increases.

AI expert Chris Lowder explains to Shay Waterworth how the technology can be a boon to the drinks sector.

Walter Meyenberg’s raison d’être is to create cultural connections through creative concepts in Mexico. To date, he has eight such ventures and explains to Oli Dodd how he got this far.

Diageo employs drones to boost water conservation in Jalisco as tequila on brink of overtaking vodka as industry leader in the US.

Shay Waterworth explains why DI believes it’s so important to partner with Tales of the Cocktail on its Beyond the Bar programme.

Tyler Zielinski makes the pilgrimage to Jamaica’s Hampden Estate, where natural production methods for rum have long been employed.

Shay Waterworth investigates the potential for Rioja blanco as consumer tastes swing towards lighter styles and climate change means bringing in different grape varieties.

The Scotch industry is very keen on using sherry vats to finish its whiskies, but the fortified still has an image problem with drinkers.

There’s so much more to rosé beyond Provence styles – consumers just need to be made aware of other options.

The message to emerge loud and clear from the busy TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition is that travel retail’s most important market is on the road to recovery.

The London Wine Fair returned to the Olympia for a three-day event that felt like a return to pre-pandemic normality, Drinks International sat down with the show’s director Hannah Tovey to reflect on the event and look ahead to next year. 

Food waste and positive farming techniques are the goals of two Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award winners. Shay Waterworth follows the new efforts of Re and Little Red Door.

The UK’s favourite spirit battles high tax, rising costs and a lack of support from the government.