Picture this scenario: a world-famous alcoholic drinks brand launches what it calls a “Tequila-flavoured” product, with the aim of persuading consumers that they are enjoying a drink with the purest expression of the country of Mexico.

London Cocktail Week has announced that the 2021 festival will once again be extended to the full month of October and not host The Cocktail Village.

Pure Piraña, Heineken’s hard seltzer brand, has announced an expansion into Europe following its exports into Mexico and New Zealand last year.

Drinks International caught up with Ferrari Trento chief executive Matteo Lunelli to learn more about the brand’s new Formula One sponsorship deal.

The World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2021 will be revealed in a countdown on YouTube from 6pm GMT on April 1.

Bottled cocktail brand Pony, launched by Asia’s Best Bar, has created two new flavours including Cassis & Rose and Martini 2021.

Diageo has maintained its acquisition drive by snapping up the firm that produces the Lone River Ranch Water hard seltzer brand.

Celebrate Her, an initiative to support gender parity, diversity and inclusion in the UK hospitality industry, will virtually champion the #ChoosetoChallenge campaign for International Women’s Day.

The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States has released a statement praising the ‘great starting place’ created by the senate’s passage of a $28.6bn relief package for hospitality.

Havana Club has launched a Cuban Spiced variant in a bid to bring more millennial and Generation Z consumers into the rum category.

Scotch whisky producers are celebrating after the US government announced it would suspend tariffs on various UK goods for four months.

UK importer Kingsland Drinks is championing alternative grape varieties that have the potential to drive excitement and experimentation among consumers.

The Golden Vines Awards will celebrate the star performers in the fine wine industry when the inaugural ceremony takes place in London on October 7.

The UK government has announced a second consecutive duty freeze on spirits, wine, beer and cider.

Louis Roederer has been crowned The World’s Most Admired Champagne Brand for the second year in a row.

More than 31 million bottles of the I Heart wine brand were sold in 2020 after it enjoyed significant growth in several international markets.

The sixth edition of Asia’s 50 Best Bars, sponsored by Perrier, will be announced in a virtual ceremony on 6 May.

Bowmore has launched a limited-edition 31 Year Old single malt into the travel retail channel as part of its Timeless Series collection.

French distributor BBC Spirits has bolstered its portfolio with several UK spirits brands as it bids to drive growth in 2021.

The Peroni Libera 0.0% logo will take pride of place on Aston Martin Cognizant’s new Formula 1 car this season as part of a multi-year sponsorship deal. Drinks International caught up with Richard Ingram, global brands director at parent company Asahi Europe & International, to learn more about its plans for the partnership.

Moët Hennessy has purchased a 50% stake in Jay-Z’s Armand de Brignac champagne brand for an undisclosed sum.

Diageo has launched a 0.0% abv version of its Tanqueray gin brand in a bid to capitalise upon soaring demand for alcohol-free drinks.

Kevin O’Gorman has unveiled his first Midleton Very Rare expression since taking over as master distiller at Irish Distillers.

Campari Group has reported that net adjusted profit decreased 24.4% year-on-year to €202.1 million in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

A new non-alcoholic drink that taps into growing consumer trend for enjoying “aperitivo hour” has launched in the UK and international markets.

Drinks International caught up with Gabriel Bidault of online retailer Le Millésime Paris to learn more about the impact that accepting Bitcoin as a payment method has had upon the business during the prolonged bull run of 2020 and 2021.

Hard seltzer brand White Claw has launched its Mango variety in the UK through supermarket chain Tesco.

Moët Hennessy has launched Cuban rum brand Eminente in the UK, France, Germany and the Czech Republic.

Port sales in the UK saw impressive category growth throughout 2020, with the largest volume of off-trade sales since 2015.

A new premium cocktail delivery service called Canvas has launched across the UK this February in partnership with a series of top end bartenders.

Class Bar Magazine has launched a new website which will provide the latest news and insights into the UK bar industry.

Australian vermouth brand Regal Rogue has launched a new bartender training initiative in collaboration with The Liana Collection, the brand’s newly appointed UK distributor in 2021.

Heineken has announced plans to cut 8,000 jobs as part of an organisational restructuring effort designed to save €2 billion by 2023.

New HMRC figures show that a record number of distilleries were registered in the UK in 2020, growing by more than 100 in 12 months to surpass 560.

The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has joined the Hospitality Recovery Coalition, which advocates for legislation to support the on-trade in light of the economic impacts of COVID-19.

Tanqueray has kicked off a raft of innovation by launching a Blackcurrant Royale variant made with French blackcurrants, vanilla and black orchid.

Martin Miller’s Gin has unveiled a new ad campaign that tells the story of the brand’s “transformation from a mad idea to a genius gin”.

The UK hard seltzer market is expected to reach a value of £75m by 2023 according to a report commissioned by DRTY.

Freixenet Copestick cemented its status as the UK’s leading supplier of sparkling wine by increasing sales 21% over the Christmas trading period.

A Scottish gin producer has used augmented reality in a bid to create the “world’s coolest labels” for its range.

The Worshipful Company of Distillers has announced a new programme of scholarships and bursaries for more than 100 students over the next three years.

William Grant & Sons chairman Glenn Gordon was Britain’s second highest taxpayer in the last financial year, according to the Sunday Times Tax List.

An activist investor in Stock Spirits has once again called for chairman David Maloney and senior independent director John Nicholson to be removed.

Premium rosé, ecommerce and innovation in packaging will form the bedrock of Foncalieu’s strategy as it bids to enjoy a strong commercial performance in 2021.

The latest edition of the UKHospitality and CGA Quarterly Tracker has revealed a 54% drop in sales for 2020 from £133.5bn in 2019 to £61.7bn.

Diageo managed to grow organic sales by 1% in the six months to December 31 despite suffering from restrictions on the on-trade and travel retail.

In May 2020, when the lockdown was still at its strictest in India, Sidecar bar in New Delhi received the good news that it was the only Indian bar to have made it to the coveted 50 Best Bars in Asia list.

A luxury online wine retailer has enjoyed a surge in demand after the value of Bitcoin increased by around 1,000% between March 2020 and January 2021.

Ardbeg 25 Years Old has become the oldest expression to join the Islay distillery’s permanent range.

Ibiza-based mobile bar company Southside Bars is now offering online cocktail masterclasses.