Gruppo Campari has posted its half term results - sales of €698.6 million. 13% up but group net profit is down 26.1% to €57.6m.

The Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) has announced that latest figures show that worldwide student numbers for the academic year 2012/13, just finished, stand at an all-time high of 48,434, up 12% on the previous year.

Christmas is £4 billion worth of business for beer, wines and spirits, according to Pernod Ricard UK.

on 31 July, 2013

Listening to BBC Radio 4 this morning (July 31), I heard the voice of the new chief executive of Diageo. Ivan Menezes coped well with the busy, bustling questions from the Beeb’s city correspondent in the minute or so allotted to the interview.

The Scotch Whisky Association has responded to reports today (July 25) that there is major opposition from several European countries to Scotland’s yet to be enacted law a minimum price for a unit of alcohol.

Quintessential Brands, the independent European spirits group has announced the formation of new company, Essential Drinks.

Diageo has received approval from the Chinese authorities to buy the remaining 47% stake in Sichuan Chengdu Shuijingfang Group Company Ltd. (SJF Holdco).

Diageo has announced that its corporate relations director is to leave the company.

Diageo, the world’s largest premium drinks company has launched a pan-European online campaign ‘Think How You Drink’ to remind young people that drinking to excess can lead to shame and embarrassment.

SPI Group, owner of Stolichnaya russian vodka, has appointed Romain Ambrunn as Asia Pacific regional director.

London Wine Fair organisers Brintex has reported a “decidedly positive response” from existing exhibitors signing up for 2014.

Russian Standard vodka, Russia’s number one global vodka, has a new distribution partnership with Borco-Marken-Import (Borco) to manage the brand’s distribution and marketing in Germany and Austria.

Laurent Lacassagne has this week (W/C July 8) become chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard.

A bartender from Spain has won Diageo's global bartender competition World Class.

Diageo has announced that it has completed the acquisition of a further 14.98% stake in United Spirits Limited (USL), the leading spirits company in India.

The rare and special bottle of The Macallan Select Reserve, donated by Maxxium UK, sold for £4,400 at the Masterpiece Midsummer Party Auction and will benefit Marie Curie Cancer Care; a charity that cares for terminally ill patients and their families. 

The rare and special bottle of The Macallan Select Reserve, donated by Maxxium UK, sold for £4,400 at the Masterpiece Midsummer Party Auction and will benefit Marie Curie Cancer Care; a charity that cares for terminally ill patients and their families. 

Marblehead, the privately-owned UK-based, brand development and distribution company, has announced a new partnership with Quintessential Brands, the independent spirits company.

Brown-Forman Corporation has announced that it intends to expand the Woodford Reserve distillery to meet expected growing global demand.

The US Drinks Conference will be held at the Jacob Javits Center in New York on Tuesday, September 10.

The Diego Zamora group has appointed Thomas Clamens as its international managing director.

on 20 June, 2013

You don’t often go to a whisky tasting and get given raspberry sorbet, half way through.  Sniffing strawberry and getting a vanilla stick stuck up your nose, isn’t common either.

Total alcohol sales continue to fall according to the latest Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) market report.

MBG International Premium Brands GmbH has bought the liqueur maker E. Eduard Meyer GmbH from the Schwarze Schlichte group.

Tequila and Mescal have a poor image and there is a lack of understanding, according to a Mexican government body.

Chivas Brothers' Speyside distillery, Glen Keith, has re-opened, having been closed, or silent, since 1999.

J & G Grant, owners of the Glenfarclas distillery, has appointed George Grant to its board of directors.

WIRSPA relaunches

14 June, 2013

The West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association has relaunched its ‘Authentic Caribbean Rum' campaign.

Altia, the Nordic-based alcoholic drinks group has bought the Larsen Cognac brand and the Danish aquavit brand Brøndums.

Diageo new appointments

06 June, 2013

Diageo has announced that Andy Fennell, chief marketing officer, will become president COO, Africa, reporting to Nick Blazquez, president Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkey.

Wemyss, owner of independent bottler Wemyss Malts and blended malt whiskies such as The Spice King, The Peat Chimney and The Hive, has announced that final planning permission has now been granted for its new single malt whisky distillery and visitor centre.

The announcement yesterday of the appointment of Dave Wilson’s as Patrón Spirits’ new president of international operations and global COO, follows the surprise decision by John McDonnell to step down.

Armagnac house Janneau has decided to double its capacity to distil in-house.

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) exhibition, Scotch Whisky: From Grain to Glass, has opened in the Glasgow.

Patrón Spirits has announced that Dave Wilson is its president of its new international operations and global COO, effective June 10.

on 29 May, 2013

Standing listening last night to The Macallan’s brand ambassador, Joy Elliot, who was conducting a tasting of the new 1824 Series at the Whisky Shop in London’s Piccadilly, I could not resist a feeling of déjà vu.

William Grant & Sons has announced that Gordon Dron, its managing director for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) has decided to leave the company.

Rusty Cerven, of the UK’s Connaught Bar, won the seventh annual Bols Around the World competition, beating 11 other finalists in a hard-fought competition at Amsterdam’s Escape nightclub.

New Indian whiskies

15 May, 2013

Two single malt Indian whiskies were unveiled in London last night (May 14).

Davide Campari-Milano SpA has posted poor results in first quarter ending March 31, 2013 which it states is mainly due to the ‘one-off’ destocking in Italy.

on 10 May, 2013

I became an honorary Gin Rectifier last night (May 9). I took an oath and now I am duty bound to promote the best interests of gin.

Bacardi Global Travel Retail (BGTR) has launched a Highland single malt Scotch whisky collection exclusive to travel retailers, World Duty Free.

The global Gin sector is low price, low growth and extremely uninteresting, according to a top City of London analyst.

Diageo, has reported 5% organic and 6% reported net sales growth for the nine months to 31 March 31. Volume was up 1%.

European spirits exports were worth €10.2 billion in 2012 - 20% up from €8.5 billion in the previous year.

Pernod Ricard Chivas Brothers has released a new limited edition expression of Beefeater, the world’s best-selling premium gin.

Diageo has unveiled a Smirnoff variant, Espresso Smirnoff.

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

Pernod Ricard has launched Absolut Denim, the latest version of the Swedish vodka brand.

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

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