Armagnac is arguably the closest spirit to wine in terms of provenance, raw materials and the outlook of the growers, producers and brand owners. Christian Davis reports

Gin is trading on the complexities of its flavour profile to cash in on the cocktail boom. Patience Gould finds a booming super-premium sector

With Irish whiskey proving a global smash, Hamish Smith looks into the growth plans of the big four players

Lucy Britner on livening up tequila

Despite a strong peso, consumers are prepared to pay the price for quality Chilean wine. Christian Davis reports

Asian beer hopes to reverse the trend of beverages tending to head east. Hamish Smith reports on efforts to break out of the box

Beaujolais sees an appellation change. Hamish Smith is there to find out

Hamish Smith takes a closer look at a much-touted travel retail launch

Hamish Smith takes a closer look at a much-touted travel retail launch

The world’s first female master blender, Joy Spence, is a chemist, philanthropist and all-round spirited raconteur. Jaq Bayles meets the architect of Jamaica’s best-known rums

Asian demand for whisky has boosted investment in Scotland, says Lucy Britner

We have teamed up with Brand Finance to reveal the world’s biggest wine and spirits brands by value. Christian Davis highlights trends in the sector 

Tesco has moved one of its champagnes to lightweight bottles, but should other brands follow suit? James Boulton of Claessens International explores whether champagne producers can embrace sustainability without damaging their products’ premium status

With all the bans on absinthe now lifted, the traditional French and Swiss producers are now free to re-invent the category for the 21st century. Hamish Smith investigates

The market for whisky in India is huge, but local brands have the lion’s share due to the exorbitant import tariffs. Christian Davis reports

Ronnie Cox cut his whisky-selling teeth in the often inhospitable environment of 1980s Latin America. Hamish Smith meets the Berry Bros charmer

The category is densely populated and very competitive in the mainstream, but there are rich pickings to be had as liqueurs gain a new status. Patience Gould reports

German wines are world class but they are predominately white and the world wants red. It is a niche player in terms of volume, so how is it doing, asks Christian Davis

Luxury drinks brands are managing to make the recession work for them, top global designers tell Lucy Britner

The South American spirit may have failed to make much international impact in its 450-year history, but a new generation of producers are determined to change all that, finds Hamish Smith

If the name’s Grant and the place is Scotland, the chances are the game’s whisky. Lucy Britner meets a Grant at Glenfarclas

Consumers in Australia’s top two export markets are abandoning its wines for cheaper alternatives leaving producers wondering if Asia will grow big enough to compensate for US and UK declines. By Graham Holter

Although vodka can be mixed with anything and everything, producers in eastern and central Europe prefer the light touch when it comes to cocktails. Patience Gould checks out the action...

It’s not just about the spirit when it comes to making great cocktails. Jaq Bayles celebrates the other essential elements

Brazil’s national spirit is confined mostly to its own country’s shores. But Hamish Smith unearths a number of factors that look about to change all that