Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

UK distillery numbers hit record high

Published: 02 March, 2020

The British gin boom is far from over, if the latest distillery numbers from HMRC are any guide.

Council gives green light for Moffat’s first legal Scotch whisky distillery

Published: 30 January, 2020

Dumfries & Galloway Council has approved plans for a single malt whisky distillery to be built in Moffat, marking the town’s first legal Scotch distillery.

Concerns DRS scheme could cause havoc with labelling laws

Published: 06 December, 2019

The new Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) for drinks containers could cause chaos for products bound for differing parts of the UK, an industry body has warned.

Birse-Stewart joins Berkmann’s Scottish team

Published: 30 October, 2019

Distributor Berkmann Wine Cellars has appointed Billy Birse-Stewart as consultant director.

Scottish MUP policy curbs drinking, study shows

Published: 26 September, 2019

Minimum unit pricing (MUP) in Scotland has reduced alcohol consumption in some households, a study published in the British Medical Journal has found.

WSTA slams Scottish government glass deposit return scheme

Published: 09 May, 2019

The WSTA has hit out at the deposit return scheme launched by the Scottish government for including glass bottles, citing industry concerns that existing glass recycling procedures are already “efficient and well-understood”.

Red Squirrel expands team into Scotland

Published: 14 December, 2018

Red Squirrel has grown its team north of the border with the appointment of a Scottish based account manager.

Digby’s cool climate fizz makes first foray into Scotland

Published: 24 April, 2018

Digby Fine English has made its first foray into Scotland via an exclusive distribution deal with Alexander Wines.

SWA secures GI protection for Scotch Whisky in New Zealand

Published: 28 February, 2018

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has secured Geographical Indications (GI) protection for the spirit in New Zealand.

Scotland gets new wine importer and wholesaler

Published: 14 December, 2017

Terroir, a new wine importer and wholesaler, has been launched to offer exclusive wines to operators in Scotland.

Scotland sets date for minimum unit pricing

Published: 22 November, 2017

Scotland intends to introduce a minimum unit price (MUP) for alcohol on 1 May 2018 at 50p per unit.

Supreme Court clears path for 50p-per-unit minimum pricing in Scotland

Published: 15 November, 2017

Scotland is set to become the first country to introduce minimum unit pricing (MUP) on alcohol after the UK Supreme Court rejected a challenge by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

Brexit boosts Scotch whisky tourism

Published: 08 September, 2017

Scotch whisky distilleries has posted a record 1.7 million visits during 2016 – an increase of almost 8% compared to the previous year, according to new research from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA).

Woodwinters talks plans for London and beyond

Published: 03 July, 2017

Despite the Brexit-induced cloud hanging over London, the draw of the city and pressure from winery partners to be represented in the capital was behind Woodwinters’ decision to open up an office in the south.

Woodwinters plans UK-wide reach from new London office

Published: 29 June, 2017

Scottish agency and fine wine merchants Woodwinters is heading south of the border in order to give its agencies better distribution around the UK.

Innis & Gunn reveal rapid expansion plans

Published: 15 May, 2017

Independent Scottish craft brewer Innis & Gunn has announced a roster of new appointments as it plans to expand its reach into the rest of the UK and to new international markets.