Last year's olympics may have put Brazil's national spirit on the map, but Hamish Smith finds it's still pretty scarce in bars

It’s been the spirit of the year and as such has attracted many newcomers. Holly Motion reports

Bulleit is right on target once again. Hamish Smith explains why it’s the favourite

Tom Yusef, chairman and joint MD of specialist logistics provider JF Hillebrand, is the new chairman of the Benevolent, the drinks industry charity.

Ireland and Japan are producing the brands to watch in this category. Hamish Smith reports

Johnnie Walker is still the name to watch, but blends in general are struggling

Edrington has announced a number of leadership appointments to its super premium, regional power brands and global travel retail divisions. 

The South American spirit has a long way to go, says Hamish Smith, but brands are starting to step up to the mark

The big four have been infiltrated in this year’s list, reports Hamish Smith

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust has announced the nominees for its annual Educator of the Year Award sponsored by Riedel.

Sales of sparkling wine and champagne in the UK are set to break the £2bn mark by the New Year.

Halewood Wines & Spirits has launched a small batch, single cask rum, inspired by the 17^th century docks and shipyards of Liverpool.

Glenmorangie has unveiled the distillery’s new vintage collection, Bond House No. 1. 

Diageo and the team behind malts.com have launched Whisky Matcher, an app to 'discover and explore single malt scotch whisky'.

Lidl’s own label 34 Year Glen Alba Sherry Cask Finish scotch whisky has been classified as ‘magnificent’ and ‘truly superb’ by whisky legend Jim Murray. 

Shinji Fukuyo, executive officer and chief blender at Suntory Spirits, will address the Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference 2017 in Scotland.

East London Liquor Company has announced the fourth and final bottling for 2016 in its barrel-aged gin programme.

Wine Australia has announced the Australia Day Tasting will return to London, Edinburgh and Dublin in January 2017. 

Maisons Marques et Domaines has become the latest organisation to support the Wine & Spirit Education Trust as a bronze corporate patron.

The Scotch Whisky Association and the Brazilian Institute of Cachaça have signed a mutual cooperation agreement.

Pernod Ricard has acquired a majority stake in Smooth Ambler Spirits, the West Virginia craft distiller, for an undisclosed sum. 

This year has proved to be a record-breaking year for gin with end of year sales continuing to soar in the UK, according to the latest WSTA market report. 

Molson Coors has announced the appointment of Phil Whitehead as managing director, Molson Coors UK & Ireland.

Pernod Ricard has announced the sale of the Domecq brand and its related brandies and wines to Emperador Group and Gonzalez Byass. 

Budweiser and Uber have joined forces to launch their biggest UK responsible drinking campaign for Christmas. 

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association is calling for Brexit ministers to let industry lead negotiations to ensure the ‘best possible’ free trade agreements with the EU and beyond.

Luxury travel brand Cunard has partnered with the Wine & Spirit Education Trust to launch the first WSET certified wine and spirit courses to be available on its flagship ocean liner Queen Mary 2.

DrinkUp.London has announced former Belvedere ambassador, Ali Dedianko, will join its team as festival director for London Beer Week.

Brown-Forman has named Nidal Ramini as its new head of brand advocacy for Northern Europe.

Independent craft brewer Innis & Gunn surpassed its equity crowdfunding target by £1.5 million, raising a total of £2.5 million when its Crowdcube powered, AdventureCapital campaign closed last night.

Michael Mann, formerly of City of London Distillery has been named the Lucas Bols UK brand ambassador. 

Marie Brizard Wine and Spirits has announced that it is expanding its partnership with the Polish distributor Eurocash to strengthen the presence of its flagship brands.

Benromach Distillery has launched an ‘exclusive opportunity’ for trade customers to bottle a single cask of whisky and customise the packaging.

Bacardi has cut its global greenhouse gas emissions in half, more than a year earlier than its end of December 2017 target.

The Telegraph Whisky Experience will return to London for its fourth year, hosted at One Whitehall Place on December 5-6. 

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association says it met Brexit minister David Jones last week to discuss how the industry can best protect trade and prosper when the UK leaves the EU.

Symington Family Estates has purchased a new property in the northeastern area of the Douro valley. 

The World's 50 Best Bars, which took place at Christ Church Spitafields yesterday (October 6th), saw nine awards presented to the best bars in the world. 

Dead Rabbit Grocery & Grogg from New York has taken the title of World’s Best Bar 2016 at the annual World’s 50 Best Bars Awards in London.

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association met with international partners in Canada, last week, as part of the FIVS Ottawa meetings for talks on developing post-Brexit trade agreements.

Heineken Brew Lock was named supreme champion at Drinks International’s tenth annual Travel Retail Challenge last night. 

Villa Massa, the 'first premium Limoncello brand to commercialise globally', is aiming to increase its market share by 50% by 2020.

Stellenbosch has the potential to become as significant as the Napa Valley, according to Visit Napa Valley president and CEO.    

Ahead of The World’s 50 Best Bars ceremony, Drinks International has released the list of bars that finished in places 51-100 in the 2016 poll.

Eisberg, the UK’s leading alcohol-free wine brand, has agreed a three-year partnership to become the ‘Official Wine Partner’ for the Tour of Britain cycle race.

The British Distillers’ Alliance has replied to HMRC’s consultation on revised and consolidated guidance for the licensing and approval of distillers, rectifiers and compounders on the deadline of August 5 .

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association has announce that former minister for trade and minister for Europe, Lord Francis Maude, will be the keynote speaker at its annual conference.

The Bar Convent Berlin organisers have announced that there will be an additional hall this year.

Cocktails in the City will return with a summer edition later this month. 

The Balvenie’s malt master, David Stewart, has been awarded an MBE for services to the Scotch whisky industry at a ceremony in The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland.