Torres has been voted the World's Most Admired Wine Brand for 2014.

Gruppo Campari has further illustrated its brown spirits expansion drive with the acquisition of Forty Creek Distillery in Canada, which produces the Forty Creek Canadian whisky brand.

Bacardi has announced a UK innovation drive as part of its new campaign Untameable since 1862.

Pernod Ricard Travel Retail Europe has unveiled its largest travel retail activation to date in Heathrow Terminal 5, featuring its artisanal gin brand Plymouth.

Bacardi Martini has announced the re-launching of its Martini Bitter which it says is the original bitter aperitif.

Diageo has announced that its president new businesses, Andrew Morgan, is to retire.

The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Commission on Marketing and Advertising has published new guidelines on alcohol marketing and advertising.

William Grant & Sons has announced that four hand crafted copper stills have been delivered to its Tullamore Dew site in County Offaly, in the Irish midlands approximately 100km west of Dublin.

Gruppo Campari has posted up sales of €1,524 million, +13.7%, (organic growth +1.7%) while the group net profit was down -4.4% to €149.8m for the for the full year ending December 31, 2013.

Bushmills Live, the music festival which is held at the Northern Ireland distillery on June 11 and 12, has secured The 1975 band as headliners.

The UK market for Scotch whisky declined by 3% last year.

Drinks International has teamed up with show organiser Messe Düsseldorf to publish an extensive preview magazine of ProWein 2014, the German wine and spirits show that is now in its 20th year.

The International Beer Challenge 2014 is now open for entries and a dedicated website has been launched to celebrate excellence in brewing.

Altia, the Nordic and Baltic wine and spirits company, has announced the appointment of 44-year-old Pekka Tennilä, who has been poached from Carlsberg.

Despite reports of its demise, cork is still very much alive and kicking as the wine closure of choice. Jamie Goode assesses its fortunes – and checks out the competition

From soldier to distiller by way of being a lawyer – the creator of Bulleit bourbon has a chequered history. He shares his stories with Hamish Smith

Patience Gould has been following the fortunes of the drinks giants – and of the countries where they seek those fortunes

Last night in London kilts and headdresses collided as two very distinct worlds united. It’s hard to imagine there has ever been a more amusingly incongruous marriage than Scotland and Brazil. Certainly the marketing minds behind Ballantine’s Brasil have been having fun with the idea. The launch's accompanying cocktail creations include the Highland Samba and the Glen Coco.