Neal Bodenheimer on taking Tales from the brink to the world
Hamish Smith speaks to Neal Bodenheimer, board member and co-resurrector of Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Global inflation hinders GTR recovery
Macroeconomic forces are slowing the recovery of the travel retail drinks business, leading brands to rethink their strategies towards the channel.
The juicy story of cane juice rums
Matt Pietrek explores the intricate and fascinating world of molasses-alternative rums.
Athens cocktail culture: Acropolis now
The capital of Greece may be best known for its historical ruins, but the thriving bar scene has brought it bang up to date in the cocktail pantheon.
Rye whiskey’s revival
Recently on the verge of disappearing, rye whiskey is back winning hearts and minds thanks largely to the cocktail culture revival.
Prosecco: a sparkler of distinction
Eleanor Yates looks at how prosecco producers are working to differentiate their wines from other bubblies.
RTD format suits vodka
As the spirit’s cache wanes – especially in the States – the ready-to-drink format is proving a positive space for its mixed offerings.
Amaro regains the spotlight
Shay Waterworth finds an ancient Italian drink style is enjoying a resurgence globally, with modernism meeting tradition as new brands emerge.
Louis XIII: creation of a lasting legacy
Luxury and sustainability are a common juxtaposition but for Louis XIII, one of the most exclusive cognac brands in the business, the two concepts are being aligned.
Tony Chvala: spreading the word
When the producers of a new mastiha brand wanted to get the word out to the right people, they called on a man with a history of doing just that – only he hadn’t worked in drinks before.
Celebrity tequila - the long term effects
While they put a focus on the spirit, some experts believe the explosion of brands backed by famous faces does the category and quality expectations no favours.
What makes a member of Bar World 100?
Hamish Smith drills down into the results and how they reflect what’s important to the bar industry.
Rémy Cointreau brings in new travel retail boss
Rémy Cointreau and Whyte & Mackay have both named new duty free heads as the peak summer travel season heralds a flurry of new exclusives.
British cider spirit: a spirited comeback
Oli Dodd charts the fall and rise of apple brandy as a handful of UK distillers revive an ancient category.
Argentinian rollercoaster
Sorrel Moseley-Williams reports on a climatically challenging but surprisingly good 2023 harvest.
Sambuca: embracing new ways
Sambuca has been in decline for a while, but producers believe it has potential to reach new consumers with evolving serves and cocktails.
Japan invests in whisky
Exports have become a priority for big brands as global demand increases.
AI technology revolution can aid industry
AI expert Chris Lowder explains to Shay Waterworth how the technology can be a boon to the drinks sector.
Walter Meyenberg: creating a better bar future
Walter Meyenberg’s raison d’être is to create cultural connections through creative concepts in Mexico. To date, he has eight such ventures and explains to Oli Dodd how he got this far.
High-tech green approach in agave fields
Diageo employs drones to boost water conservation in Jalisco as tequila on brink of overtaking vodka as industry leader in the US.
DI joins Tales of the Cocktail platform for change
Shay Waterworth explains why DI believes it’s so important to partner with Tales of the Cocktail on its Beyond the Bar programme.
Jamaican rum: Funky alchemy
Tyler Zielinski makes the pilgrimage to Jamaica’s Hampden Estate, where natural production methods for rum have long been employed.
Rioja’s great white hope
Shay Waterworth investigates the potential for Rioja blanco as consumer tastes swing towards lighter styles and climate change means bringing in different grape varieties.
Sherry: Hard cask master
The Scotch industry is very keen on using sherry vats to finish its whiskies, but the fortified still has an image problem with drinkers.
Diversifying the rosé world
There’s so much more to rosé beyond Provence styles – consumers just need to be made aware of other options.
The message to emerge loud and clear from the busy TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition is that travel retail’s most important market is on the road to recovery.
The London Wine Fair returned to the Olympia for a three-day event that felt like a return to pre-pandemic normality, Drinks International sat down with the show’s director Hannah Tovey to reflect on the event and look ahead to next year.
Food waste and positive farming techniques are the goals of two Ketel One Sustainable Bar Award winners. Shay Waterworth follows the new efforts of Re and Little Red Door.
Ginflation in the UK
The UK’s favourite spirit battles high tax, rising costs and a lack of support from the government.
Pisco pack leaders
Divided across two nations, pisco is badly in need of leaders to take it into the wider world.
Change for Chilean wine
Women winemakers in Chile are working with a shifting climate and diversifying the country’s portfolio in the process.
What is B Corp?
Environmental and social responsibility have become essential to business, and achieving the highest standard possible involves hard work, Drinks International sits down with Tim Etherington-Judge to talk B Corp.
TFWA Asia Pacific: confidence in Asia
This month’s TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition takes place at a time of rebirth for the region’s travel retail business after years of Covid-related misery.
Uncle Nearest: creating a legacy
The uncovering of a family history has led to one of the biggest success stories in American whiskey history.
Scotch comes at a price
Scotland's whisky-making industry has been hard hit by many external factors – not least the UK’s Spring Budget.
Bushmills new distillery: cause to celebrate
Bushmills’ new distillery has opened up a world of possibilities both for production levels and the creation of exciting Irish whiskey expressions.
Crémant ready to pop
Crémant shares many similarities with French cousin champagne – but price isn’t one of them. Shay Waterworth reports on how the wine is growing.
Mixers step up the pace
Premium tonic and fellow mixers have grabbed consumer attention rapidly in recent years, and have been subject to much innovation, Shay Waterworth seeks out the latest trends.
Cocktail bitters: the small but mighty ingredient
They may only be needed in tiny drops, but bitters are a crucial element for many cocktails. Eleanor Yates looks at how the market is growing post-covid.
Faustino embarks on major development
The Rioja producer has announced plans for a new visitor centre that will showcase its commitment to sustainability.
Cognac future rapped up
One sector of popular music seems fixated on the spirit and is helping introduce new consumers to the sector. but it’s not all plain sailing.
Americas travel retail rebounds after Covid-19
The travel retail industry calendar moves on to the Americas and Summit of the Americas in Florida. Joe Bates reports on a region rebounding strongly after covid, but which does face challenges.
Soderbergh directs singani to a win
Steven Soderbergh has dipped into the oceans of spirits and secured his favourite Bolivian drink its own classification.
Wine auction raises €3.6m
Historic event supported by Maison Edouard Delaunay nets record amount for Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges.
Women’s History Month with Uncle Nearest
To mark Women’s History Month, Drinks International caught up with female powerhouse Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey to look at its success in the traditionally male dominated space that is the whisk(e)y industry.
When UK chancellor of the exchequer Jeremy Hunt delivered his 2023 budget in the House of Commons, how you received it might’ve depended on your preferred tipple.
Rum moves to sustainability
Despite the challenges posed by its production methods, the sugarcane spirit is serious about a commitment to a greener future.
Native corn key to Mexican whisky
There’s a new kid on the block in Mexico. Corn whisky is seeing a fair bit of growth as its potential is becoming recognised.
Ribero del Duero: Extreme efforts
With greatly varying temperatures and a wide variety of soil types, Ribero del Duero winemakers have to be forward thinking.
How best to scale mezcal?
It’s had a meteoric rise of late, but is mezcal becoming a victim of its own success?