Beam bought by Japan's Suntory for £9.7 billion

Aperol teams up with Manchester United

Scotch Whisky gets extra safeguards to protect from fakes

?Glenmorangie releases Companta Private Edition Whisky

Glenmorangie has released its fifth annual private edition label called Companta, which has been aged in Grand Cru and Côtes du Rhône casks.

Rum Experience University becomes annual event

Over 77,000 fake Smirnoff Vodka bottles to be destroyed

Singapore Customs has handed over 77,850 counterfeit Smirnoff vodka bottles to brand owner, Diageo. The authorities first discovered the shipment in June 2013 and have only now released them to be destroyed. 

Absolut Vodka releases friend finding app

Tired of losing your friends at the bar?  There is an app for that. Absolut, the iconic Pernod Ricard vodka brand, released the Buddy Check app in November on iTunes and will be releasing an Android application on Google Play in early 2014.

Scotch Whisky Association appoints new chief executive

Boom in Scotch whisky exports in past decade

Two Good, 2 Bad for 2013, 2 Hopes and Fears for 2014: Mark Fiddes, YourBrandSquared

Our 2 Good, 2 Bad for 2013 and 2 Hopes and Fears for 2014 turns to our regular columnist, Mark Fiddes, of YourBrandSquared, who gives his advertising and brand consultancy view on the goings on over the last 12 months. 

Irish on and off-trade warned to look out for fake Smirnoff bottles

Bar and off-licence owners in Ireland have been urged to check Smirnoff vodka bottles following the seizure of a number of fakes. 

Drinkers urged to write to their MP to get the Chancellor to Call Time on Duty

As part of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association's Call Time on Duty campaign, being launched today to try and force the government to scrap the duty escalator and raise £230m and 6,000 jobs in the process, it is calling on the public to show their support and email a letter to their local MP to put pressure on the Chancellor.

Scrapping duty escalator will raise £230m and 6,000 jobs says WSTA's new Call Time on Duty campaign

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association is today ramping up the pressure on the governement to scrap the alcohol duty esclator by claiming it would generate £230 million and create 6,000 jobs if it was dropped before the 2014 budget.

British consumers are drinking less and more responsibly says latest ONS figures

Increasing numbers of people in the UK are drinking less and more responsibly, according to a survey of the latest drinking trends released by the Office for National Statistics.

Scotch whisky industry sets itself a zero waste target

The Scotch whisky industry has embraced sustainability measures and it is close to a zero waste target, according to a new report.

Taylors to release 50 year old Port

The Fladgate Partnership is set to release a collection of 50 year old single harvest Ports under the Taylor's brand.

UK wine and spirits industry hopes Christmas will make up for a hard 2013

The UK wine and spirit industry has had a tough 2013 with sales down in both the on and off-trades, according to the latest market report from the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

?Q&A with Denis O'Flynn, UK managing director Pernod Ricard

As the trade braces itself for the most important time of the year, Helen Arnold looks back on 2013 with one of the biggest names in the industry

The Macallan launches latest in Lalique Six Pillars series

The Macallan has launched the fifth and penultimate expression of The Macallan in Lalique Six Pillars Collection in time for the festive period.

?WSTA to get consumers behind its 'Be Fair George' campaign

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association  is to next week launch a high level national media and consumer campaign to persuade the government to scrap the final year of the duty escalator on wines and spirits in the next Budget.