Australian spirits company Top Shelf International has launched its Act of Treason agave spirit in the domestic off-trade through Endeavour Group’s Dan Murphy’s.

The Lost Explorer Mezcal has appointed Alan Uresti Silva, previously of Annabel’s, as UK brand ambassador.

Maison Courvoisier has announced the return of British Nigerian artist Yinka Ilori as its ‘ambassador of joy’, a role created exclusively for the artisit and designer. 

Desolas Mezcal has announced a new distribution partnership with Renaissance Wine Merchants to expand its footprint into Canada.

Maison Courvoisier has announced the launch of a second edition Courvoisier Mizunara, following the success of its inaugural edition.

Guillaume Thomas, veteran Pernod Ricard executive, will launch Martingale Cognac this autumn.

Sales of China’s national spirit were slower in the first six months of 2023 compared to the same period last year according to a poll conducted by China Alcoholic Drinks Association.

In celebration of its bicentennial year, Graham’s Port has launched a limited rare collection of ports in a specially designed piece of furniture. 

A decade after the release of Rare Cask 42.6, Louis XIII has introduced its Rare Cask 42.1, the first edition to be presented as a ritual set.

Speciality Brands has announced that it will become the exclusive UK distributor of French Cognac house, Camus.

Spiribam, the division that oversees the spirits activities of the GBH family group, has signed a distribution partnership with Cognac Hardy in the US.

Family-owned Calvados producer Christian Drouin has launched the sixth instalment of its Expérimental range, Caroni Angels.

Stephanie Illgner, former global marketing director of Carlsberg, has joined ISH, a non-alcoholic brand established in 2018 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Swedish schnapps brand Flävar reaches 100k bottles sold since launching in the UK on-trade in May this year, with plans to grow its European presence in 2023.

Toku Saké, a new super premium saké, has announced the release of Junmai Daiginjo, its debut liquid. 

Dolce-amaro aperitivo, Amaro Santoni, has announced it will be partnering with British distributor The Liana Collection this year, as they continue their expansion within the UK. 

The world’s number one selling spirit brand Jinro soju has announced it will be sponsoring Luno presents All Points East festival this month, the first time a Korean spirit brand has supported a major UK festival, making history for the global drinks market.

Shochu can now be sold under its own category name in the state of New York, US, after amendments to the Beverage Control Act allowing Japanese Shochu (24% ABV or under) to be sold under a beer and wine license.

Edrington UK has announced its appointment of Beckie Sullivan as UK national brand ambassador for Courvoisier.

A group of Ukrainian spirits industry professionals have launched a fundraiser calling on bartenders around the world to create a cocktail dedicated to Ukraine.

Panther M*lk, the world’s first ready to drink alcohol cocktail made from oat milk, spirits and liqueurs, has launched in the UK in two flavours.

Listening to the demands of bartenders, premium mixer brands have become increasingly experimental with their flavour combinations. To reflect this greater variety, the tonic water table of previous reports has been broadened to encompass all mixer brands.

Perhaps one of the smaller categories of the Brands Report, sherry is significant nonetheless. More than three-quarters of venues we polled stock sherry behind their bar. And most of those that do have two brands, while more than half will have three or more.

Cocktail Bitters are evocative of the Golden Age of cocktails – of brown and stirred-down drinks, braces, waistcoats and fine moustaches which went on to make an implausible comeback in the early 21st century.

Bacardi has announced the launch of a new non-alcoholic spirit brand created, in collaboration with Amsterdam-based bartenders, with cocktails in mind. 

Axia spirit, the world’s first extra-dry Mastiha spirit, has been released in the UK following launches in Greece and the US.

Korean Soju giant Jinro has topped Drinks International's The Millionaire Club for the 20th year in a row having added 9m 9-litre cases in 2020.

The exports of sake hit a record high in 2020 for the 11th consecutive year reaching a value of 24.1bn yen, a 3.1% increase on the previous year.

Vermouth is the fortified wine of choice in the cocktail bar. We say choice, but when so many classics demand it (think Negroni, Dry Martini, Manhattan) there’s little choice about it – 100% of our sample stocked two lines of vermouth; 98% stocked three or more.

Sherry, while a category in historical volume decline, has a fresher demeanour behind the bar. Here sherry is among friends – friends who cannot get enough of fortified wines.

Right across the world Angostura Bitters plays a key role in cocktail menus and classics such as the Old Fashioned and Pisco Sour, and in 84% of the industry’s top bars it was the number one choice.

Mezcal’s journey from exotic curiosity to established category in the world’s best bars is nearing completion. Ninety-seven per cent of our polled bars said they stocked at least one mezcal. Three quarters had two brands and two thirds said they stocked three lines or more.

Soju producer HiteJinro says it wants to become a leading global spirits company like Diageo and Pernod Ricard starting with the complete distribution of its soju around the world.

Corte Vetusto has launched a cocktail competition called the Cut Above Challenge to help, inspire and show solidarity to the UK bar industry.

Carpano Botanic Bitter has focused on connecting with bartenders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in order to further infiltrate the Negroni market globally.

Fernet-Branca has launched a Coin Challenge to help the UK bar industry during the uncertain times of COVID-19.

Cheng International, UK distributor of Fenjiu baijiu from China, is launching an eight-part livestream series on baijiu aimed at buyers and bar tenders working in the drinks industry.

In 2018 approximately 259m litres of vermouth were exported worldwide showing a decrease of -4.1% against the previous year, according research conducted by IndexBox estimates.

Brewdog Distilling master distiller Steven Kersely says its new shochu brand will further develop the low abv market in the UK.

Brewdog Distilling has launched its own shochu brand called Inugami Shochu which will be available in the UK through the company’s Brewdog bars.

Mancino Vermouth has launched a new coffee expression in collaboration with Barbera Caffè in Naples.

A Swiss court has ruled that the logo for Jägermeister is not religiously offensive to Christians.

If the bitters category was laid out like a Monopoly board then Angostura would have hotels on Mayfair and Park Lane.

Hendrick’s has launched its own absinthe to the UK on-trade with a vision to expand internationally in spring 2020.

Martini Racing Ciclismo is set to take on a 260km cycle ride in Italy this September to support the wellbeing of bartenders.

Baijiu brand Fenjiu has launched five varieties in the UK as it sets sights on international sales growth in Europe.

Martini has announced the UK launch of Fiero to the summer drinks market designed to attract a younger adult audience.

Pisco Waqar has launched a series of training seminars aimed at bartenders to improve the on-trade knowledge of pisco throughout Europe.

Botanical brewer Lowlander Beer has launched a genever distilled from its Lowlander I.P.A. – the first of its kind.

Chinese distiller Kweichow Moutai Co. has outlined plans to expand sales overseas using the UK as a launch pad into Europe.