Sir Edmond Gin Teases New Summer Serves
Sir Edmond Gin has unveiled a suite of five new summer‑focused signature cocktails, partnering with top bartenders to reimagine classic drinks. The lineup includes the Velvet Paloma, which swaps tequila for the brand’s bourbon‑vanilla gin, as well as lighter options like the Flamingo Spritz and Lychee Lace. By emphasizing sessionable, versatile pours, Sir Edmond aims to cement gin’s relevance amid Europe’s shift toward spritz‑style and highball cocktails. The brand will release detailed recipes and multimedia content ahead of the summer season.
Coppa Cocktails Grows GTR Footprint
MG Destilerías' Coppa Cocktails, acquired in 2024, has rolled out canned ready‑to‑drink cocktails on four European airlines and in key Spanish and Turkish airports, expanding its global travel retail footprint. The brand offers 100ml and 200ml cans across 12 cocktail...
Euromonitor: Spirits Premiumisation Hits a Wall
Euromonitor warns that the two‑decade premiumisation surge in spirits has hit a ceiling as macroeconomic headwinds trigger a prolonged slowdown. Diageo’s CEO confirmed a strategic pivot toward the mass market to offset weakening premium sales. In the United States, spirits...
Tatratea Names New German Distributor
Tatratea’s producer Karloff has appointed Hamburg‑based Spirits Platform NXT as its exclusive German distributor. The partnership gives the Slovak brand a dedicated route‑to‑market strategy for both off‑trade listings and on‑trade activations. NXT brings over 20 years of industry experience and...
Hampus Thunholm Swaps Röda Huset for Bangkok
Hampus Thunholm, founder of Stockholm’s acclaimed cocktail bar Röda Huset, has been appointed director of food and beverage at The Norm in Bangkok. He left Röda Huset in January 2026 after shaping its Scandinavian‑flavored cocktail program. The Norm is a newly...
The Whisky Exchange Unveils Second Zodiac Quartet
The Whisky Exchange has rolled out the second installment of its Zodiac Series, dubbed the Summer Solstice Release, featuring four single‑cask Scotch malts linked to Cancer, Leo, Virgo and Libra. Each whisky was hand‑selected to mirror the astrological traits of...
Diageo Taps Into Mini Canned Cocktails
Diageo has introduced a 100 ml canned version of its Cocktail Collection in the United States, offering five premium ready‑to‑drink cocktails—including a Ketel One Espresso Martini and a Bulleit Old Fashioned—at $4.99 per can or in multi‑pack bundles. The mini cans...
Silver Brothers Distillery Plans June Opening
Silver Brothers Distillery, a regenerative‑farm whiskey operation on a 220‑acre Hudson Valley estate, will open in June 2026. The distillery grows its own rye, barley and heirloom corn, uses custom copper alembic pot stills and dunnage‑style barrel aging, and will...
Discus CEO Testifies for Tariff Exemption on Spirits
The Distilled Spirits Council (Discus) testified before the USTR Section 301 Committee, urging the Biden administration to exempt spirits from any current or future tariffs. CEO Chris Swonger highlighted that the U.S. spirits sector fuels over $250 billion in economic activity, supports...
Mangrove to Distribute Fratelli Branca in the UK
Mangrove Global has secured the UK distribution rights for Fratelli Branca’s full portfolio, including its iconic Fernet‑Branca bitters, Carpano vermouths and Caffè Borghetti coffee liqueur. The historic Italian house, founded in 1845, brings a range built on secret blends of...
Breakthru Enters KY and Indiana with RNDC Deal
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) will sell its joint‑venture stakes in Kentucky and Indiana to Breakthru Beverage Group, formalising a letter of intent that targets completion in the third quarter of 2026. The transaction will integrate Breakthru Kentucky and Breakthru...
Why Europe Is Slower than US to Adopt Technology
Stuart Maxwell, COO of Proof 8, explained how digital tools are reshaping whisky distilleries by improving stock visibility and product traceability. He highlighted that U.S. distilleries have rapidly adopted automated reporting to meet the demanding TTB requirements, while many European...
White Peak Distillery Marks Anniversary with Carudo X
English craft distillery White Peak Distillery has launched a limited‑edition Wire Works Carudo X single malt to mark its 10th anniversary. The 1,000‑bottle release blends whiskies aged in first‑fill ex‑bourbon barrels and re‑charred ex‑red‑wine casks, and employs a “special waters”...
Ocean Spray Seeks to Revive the Cosmopolitan
Ocean Spray is reviving the iconic Cosmopolitan with two new UK‑focused recipes—a short, bittersweet “Cosmo Hold Up” and a longer, berry‑laden “Cosmo Berry Bush.” The drinks, created by mixologist Ed To and vetted by a focus group that included Table...
Clase Azul’s ‘Most Ambitious Project to Date’
Luxury tequila maker Clase Azul México has opened La Hacienda, a 50‑acre estate in the Los Altos de Jalisco region, one hour from Guadalajara. The destination, ten years in the making, blends hospitality, cultural exhibition, and full‑process tequila production. Visitors...
Cape Town Cocktail Week Gets Educational
Kurt Schlechter, founder of Cause Effect Cocktail Kitchen, has been appointed director of education for Cape Town Cocktail Week (CTCW) and will co‑create the festival’s inaugural education programme. The 2026 edition runs 7‑13 December, following a successful debut in December 2025 that...
Award Winners: The Asian Spirits Masters 2026
The 2026 Asian Spirits Masters, part of the Global Spirits Masters Competition, awarded medals to a range of Asian‑origin spirits across vodka, gin, agave, rum, arrack, whisky and specialty categories. Cashmir Vodka took Silver, while Stranger & Sons Gin earned...
Amber Beverage UK Welcomes New Sales Director
Amber Beverage UK has named former Noblewood Group UK manager Nick Duncan as its new sales director. Duncan brings more than 25 years of commercial leadership across on‑trade and off‑trade spirits brands, including stints at Laurent‑Perrier, Pernod Ricard UK and...
Campari Group Restructures GTR Leadership
Campari Group has reorganized its global travel retail (GTR) leadership, appointing Satya Sharma as business unit managing director for both Asia Pacific and GTR. Formerly the APAC managing director, Sharma previously led William Grant & Sons and served as CEO of...
Hedonism Wins First UK Listing of Coutanseaux Cognac
Hedonism Wines has become the first UK retailer to list the revived luxury brand Coutanseaux Cognac, offering both XO and the ultra‑premium XXO expressions. The XO, aged a minimum of 15 years, retails at £200 (≈US$272) per 700 ml bottle, while...
Lost Explorer Pioneers Multi-Cask Ageing for Reposado Tequila
Maestro Enrique de Colsa, former master distiller at Don Julio, teamed with The Lost Explorer to launch a reposado tequila aged in a pioneering blend of Sauternes wine, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and bourbon barrels—the first such multi‑cask approach in the category....
One in Three Young Brits Can’t Afford a Night Out
New research by the Night Time Industries Association and Obsurvant shows 68% of young Britons say the economy has reduced how often they go out. Among those earning under £30,000 (≈US$40,000), just under a third find tickets and venue purchases...
Cuervo Q1 Sales Slip 36% in US and Canada
Becle, the owner of Jose Cuervo, reported a 25.7% drop in Q1 2026 sales, with North American organic sales falling 36.6% due to volume loss and heightened competition. Total revenue slipped 23.1% to MXN 7.4 billion (≈US$423 million) and gross profit fell 16% to...
The Cognac Masters 2026: Full List of Winners
The 2026 Cognac Masters tasting in London awarded dozens of gold, silver and Master medals across VS, VSOP and XO categories, despite a recent slump caused by China’s anti‑dumping campaign and US tariffs. Delamain’s Single Vineyard – Domaine La Rambaudie captured the coveted Taste...
Johnnie Walker Blue Label Azure Launches
Diageo has unveiled Johnnie Walker Blue Label Azure, a coastal‑inspired, travel‑retail exclusive whisky. The 43% ABV expression, bottled in 100% post‑consumer recycled glass and designed by Colombian designer Johanna Ortiz, will debut in May at London Heathrow before rolling out...
Canadian Distillers Fight for Spirits Tax Cut
The Canadian Craft Distillers Alliance (CCDA) is pressing Prime Minister Mark Carney to extend the beer‑sector tax relief to craft spirits, arguing that current excise duties are up to 14 times higher than in the United States. The alliance proposes...
Whitley Neill Taps Into RTDs
Whitley Neill, owned by Halewood Artisanal Spirits, has entered the UK ready‑to‑drink (RTD) market with two 250 ml canned gin cocktails – Rhubarb & Ginger with ginger ale and Yuzu & White Strawberry with lemonade – each at 8.3% ABV. The...
RNDC to Exit Control States in Martignetti Deal
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) has signed a letter of intent to sell its operations in 17 U.S. control states to Martignetti Companies, a move slated to close this summer pending regulatory approval. The states include Alabama, Idaho, Iowa, Maine,...
DropWorks Brings British Rum to Fortnum & Mason
DropWorks, the independent British rum brand, has secured a nationwide listing with luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason. The debut features three expressions – Barrel Drop aged in American and Portuguese oak, the limited‑edition Distiller's Drop #001 matured 17 months in...
Mexcor Takes on Eight Lands in Florida
Eight Lands, a Speyside‑based producer of organic gin and vodka, has appointed Mexcor International as its exclusive distributor in Florida. The switch replaces Barrel & Wine just six months after the brand’s market launch, giving Mexcor control over logistics and brand‑building...
Why Spirits Are Losing Ground in South Africa
South Africa’s spirits market remains a niche, representing only 3.4% of alcohol volume but about 22% of value in 2022. Growth is limited to premium categories such as Cognac, tequila and a modest rum resurgence, while beer continues to dominate...
Horse to Water Opens in The Bahamas
The Bon Vivants team has launched Horse to Water, an intimate speakeasy inside the Baha Mar resort in Nassau. The venue pairs a world‑class cocktail program—highlighting techniques like fat‑washing and rare spirits such as Pappy Van Winkle 23—with a curated...
Absolut: Getting People Talking About Vodka Again
Absolut Vodka’s global VP of marketing, Craig van Niekerk, says the brand is tackling vodka’s stagnant image with a three‑year partnership with Tabasco sauce, positioning the spicy variant as a flagship innovation. The company will leverage the Tabasco line into ready‑to‑drink...
Red Hook Distillery to Open in Brooklyn
Red Hook Barrel Yard, a 40,000‑square‑foot waterfront complex in Brooklyn, opens on May 9 with a cidery and winery that showcase ingredients sourced exclusively from New York farms. The site will later this year add a small‑batch distillery and the Valentino Craft...
Alchemist Adds Self-Mixing Cocktail to New Menu
The Alchemist, a UK bar chain, has rolled out a new cocktail menu centered on shareable serves across all its venues. Highlights include the Infinity Vortex, a self‑mixing drink made with Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and group cocktails like The...
Is Third-Party Distilling in Crisis?
Third‑party distillers are navigating a volatile spirits market marked by tariffs, rising costs and shifting consumer habits. While Lofted Spirits is expanding its Bardstown plant to 35 million bottles a year, MGP Ingredients reported a 24% drop in full‑year sales and...
The Gin Guild Honours Tanglin Founder
Tim Whitefield, head distiller and co‑founder of Tanglin Gin, has become the first Singapore‑based warden rectifier inducted into The Gin Guild, a London‑based global community for gin craft. The honor marks the first time a distiller from a Singapore‑founded brand...
Grasmere Aims to Produce 100% Cumbrian Whisky
Grasmere Distillery will begin malting its own barley to create the first 100% Cumbrian whisky. The partnership with Thistlewood Farm’s Jonathan Bainbridge will produce eight tonnes of Laureate barley, harvested in late August 2026. A £10,000 (US$13,500) investment in a...
RNDC to Exit Oregon and Washington
Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) signed a non‑binding letter of intent to sell its wine and spirits distribution rights in Oregon and Washington to Columbia Distributing, with a complementary arrangement in Alaska. The deal adds roughly 24,000 retail customers and...
Elia Viramontes on Júrame Mezcal, Women and Community
Júrame Mezcal, co‑founded by Elia Viramontes, has entered the UK market, bringing a mezcal made from wild Salmiana agave harvested in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. The brand emphasizes a community‑first model, employing local women in all stages of production and...
Mark Hunter to Leave Artisanal Spirits Company
Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) announced that chair Mark Hunter will step down for health reasons, ending his tenure at the May 19 AGM. Deputy chair Paul Skipworth will assume interim chair duties until a permanent successor is named, while long‑time...
Hooghoudt Stock Snapped up Following Closure
Dutch distillery Hooghoudt, operating for 137 years, closed permanently and its remaining whisky casks were auctioned. Must Have Malts, an online rare‑whisky retailer, purchased 314 of the 587 casks, representing just over half of the stock. The casks hold single‑grain...
Proof 8 Partners with Raer’s Jackton Distillery
Jackton Distillery in Scotland has adopted Proof 8's blockchain‑backed platform to secure its cask inventory with digital deeds linked to QR codes. The immutable records provide clear provenance, ownership and location data, addressing rising cask‑investment fraud concerns. Implementation slashed cask‑management...
Stoli Vodka Ups Presence in French Retail
Stoli Group’s flagship vodka has partnered with French distributor Slaur Sardet to enter the grocery channel, debuting in 600 stores across the country. The rollout covers 500 E Leclerc and 100 Super U locations, with a recommended retail price of $21 per...
Jägermeister Opens €17.6m Barrel Storage Site
Mast‑Jägermeister has finished a €17.6 million (≈US$20.6 million) barrel‑storage project in Kamenz, Saxony. The 5,000‑square‑foot facility can hold up to 225 additional barrels, expanding the brand’s production capacity. Built primarily from timber and equipped with photovoltaic panels and rain‑water management, the site...
Discus Lands $900k to Expand Export Opportunities
Discus, the trade association for U.S. distilled spirits, has secured a $900,000 grant from the USDA’s American First Trade Promotion Program for 2026‑27. The award adds to earlier USDA funding, bringing total federal support to over $1.9 million, and will fund...
Motel Mezcal Refocuses Distribution in Singapore
Oaxacan mezcal producer Motel Mezcal has named Singapore‑based Cool Potions its exclusive importer and distributor. The deal follows the brand’s 2025 launch across six Asia‑Pacific markets and aims to boost its presence in the region. Motel Mezcal, made from 100%...
Alternative Agave: Emerging Brands, Regions & Trends
At ProWein 2026, Rakshay Dhariwal, founder of Maya Pistola Agavepura, outlined the hurdles facing Indian agave spirits, from a shrinking overall alcohol market to the difficulty of securing distributors. He argued that treating distributors as logistics partners and investing in...
Tomintoul Restarts Tours for 2026
Tomintoul Distillery, owned by Angus Dundee, has reopened its visitor tours for spring 2026, running through 1 November. The relaunch coincides with the 27th Spirit of Speyside festival and includes two visitor‑only whiskies – an 11‑year‑old priced at £79 (≈US$106) and...
Hayman’s Offers a Trip to London
Family-owned Hayman's Gin has launched an on‑pack competition that lets shoppers in eight markets win an all‑expenses‑paid trip to London worth about £7,000 (US$9,443). Consumers enter by scanning a QR code on the neck tag of a 70 cl bottle, which...