Joshua Castle: ‘Looking Back, Forging Ahead’
Published: 12 August, 2024
We continue our series with Joshua Castle, group head buyer, Keeling Andrew, Noble Rot and Shrine to the Vine.
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Nick Gillett: Flavoured spirits – top tipples or faddy favourites?
Published: 15 July, 2024
Flavour. When it comes to food and drink – it’s the most important thing. As a producer, you can be entirely carbon neutral, use the finest ingredients, have the sharpest packaging – but if your liquid isn’t up to scratch, you won’t last long. But beyond that, producers are now using flavours to expand their ranges, tap into new markets, and attract new demographics of drinkers to their brands. As a man who has sampled thousands of liquids and has reasonably good taste (although I’m sure my colleagues might not agree, especially when it comes to taste in music or fashion!) here’s my reckonings about flavour trends in the spirits industry.
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‘Moderate recovery’ predicted for global alcohol market in 2025
Published: 06 June, 2024
Following a decline in global beverage alcohol sales in 2023 and tough trading conditions so far in 2024, IWSR has predicted a gradual recovery from 2025.
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Bacardi announces new leadership in the UK & Ireland
Published: 30 April, 2024
Bacardi has announced two new major appointments, with Steve Young taking on the newly created role of business unit director for the UK & Ireland, while Amanda Almond becomes MD of northern Europe.
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Five minutes with Andrew Maidment, Zacal
Published: 30 April, 2024
Andrew Catchpole catches up with an ex-Wines of Argentina marketing director now launching his own mezcal to the UK, Zacal.
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Nick Gillett: Staffing issues yet another blow under a government failing hospitality
Published: 08 April, 2024
The UK government recently announced that it would create 20,000 new apprenticeships by reforming the complex, paperwork-fuelled, resource-thirsty apprenticeship levy system for SMEs. A move that should benefit hospitality businesses up and down the country by bringing in new blood at the beginning of their careers. Phrases like ‘cut red tape’ and ‘regulatory burdens slashed’ appear throughout the government’s official, grand announcement – but forgive me if I retain my cynicism for now. This is coming from a government that has done nothing but increase the burden on business. And I’ll come back to that shortly.
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How will tequila’s price spiral impact the UK?
Published: 05 April, 2024
Prices for agave are currently in a tailspin as sales of premium products slow in key markets like the US and years of zealous plantings finally catch up – and outstrip – demand.
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Inside Berry Bros. & Rudd's new Spirits Shop
Published: 28 March, 2024
After over one hundred years of being a wine-front merchant, a spirits fascia bearing the name Berry Bros. & Rudd (BBR) is days away from opening to the public on the hallowed pavements of St James’.
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Julian Momen on ‘re-focusing’ Enotria
Published: 28 February, 2024
Enotria & Coe’s new CEO has spent the months since his inauguration working on honing a back-to-basics approach while refocusing parts of the business which “felt a bit unstructured”.
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Pernod Ricard defends organic decline as spirits sales normalise
Published: 15 February, 2024
Pernod Ricard has announced what it is calling a robust performance in the first half of the 2024 financial year despite declines in its organic sales – a performance which the company is putting down to the normalisation of the spirits market following two years of outstanding growth.
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Bladnoch distillery partners with Enotria & Coe
Published: 12 February, 2024
Bladnoch, Scotland’s southernmost distillery, has partnered with leading wine and spirits distributor Enotria & Coe to accelerate growth of the single malt whisky brand across the UK.
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Nick Gillett: Why mezcal could cure the ‘tequila timebomb’
Published: 12 February, 2024
If you’re an avid agave fan or have been subject to any of my previous tequila musings of the last few years, you might have heard the phrase – ‘the tequila timebomb’. For a few years now, the boom in tequila’s popularity has been well documented, as have the numerous voices warning that, to keep up with this demand, producers are irresponsibly damaging Mexico’s agricultural and civil landscapes. In 2022, my article on the subject talked about monocropping practices of enormous agave cultivations, cloned plants, and the dangerous effect these were having on biodiversity, agriculture, and even water availability for local communities. So, 18 months later, have we managed to dispose of the tequila timebomb?
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Five minutes with Stef Holt, Mangrove Global
Published: 06 February, 2024
Jo Gilbert catches up with Stef Holt on her new role as the first curator of world whisky for Mangrove Global.
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Distillers and bar owners call on chancellor to cut alcohol duty
Published: 05 February, 2024
A group of award-winning small distillers have penned an open letter to Jeremy Hunt calling for a cut to alcohol duty in the Spring Budget.
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Jerry Lockspeiser: Are we forgetting what customers care about most?
Published: 25 January, 2024
Izzy is a twenty-year-old student at York University. Many decades ago I was one there too. In my time students received grants for living costs and tuition fees were paid by the Government. Today those are dealt with by repayable loans. But the loans may not be enough to allow access to all. Like Izzy, for example.
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Boutinot latest signatory to Harpers Sustainability Charter
Published: 22 January, 2024
Manchester-based Boutinot has become the latest company to sign up to Harpers Sustainability Charter.
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Alcohol duty rises impact inflation
Published: 17 January, 2024
Last August’s duty hikes for wine and spirits have contributed to December’s unexpected rise in UK inflation, it has been revealed, as the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) announces that the rate for the sector is now three times higher than it was this time last year.
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50 Best Indies 2024: The full rundown
Published: 15 January, 2024
Meet our 50 Best Indies 2024, celebrating the most dynamic and quality focused merchants in this ever-vibrant sector
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Nick Gillett: Education, education, education – hospitality’s secret weapon
Published: 15 January, 2024
When it comes to the spirits and hospitality industries, I harp on about education a lot. But with good reason. That dinner you had out the other week with the outstanding service – it’s thanks to education. Receiving a top new tipple recommendation from your local bartender – education. Formal training, cocktail masterclasses, category insight – it’s all helping to create better teams, better serves and ultimately an altogether better experience for the customer. So as someone who works for or is interested in the industry, here’s why you should care about it.
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50 Best Indies 2024 ranking: 20-11 revealed
Published: 11 January, 2024
This week we continue the rollout of our 50 Best Indies 2024 results, celebrating the top merchants from across this dynamic and ever-engaging sector
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