News

Diageo invests US$75 million in its first malt whisky distillery in China

Global spirit giant Diageo has announced that it has broken ground on its carbon neutral single malt distillery in Yunnan Province, China. Located in Eryuan County in at an elevation of 2,100 metres, the 66,000 square metre distillery will produce Diageo’s first China-origin, single malt whisky. Details of the US$75 million investment were officially unveiled…

Read More

Leading supplier of glass bottles and packaging’s rebrand

Bruni Erben (H Erben Ltd) has now officially become Berlin Packaging UK Ltd. Berlin Packaging UK has a vast portfolio of clients from innovative start-ups to large global brands. With an in-house product design studio, and partnership with the Bruni Glass Innovation Centre in Milan, this allows Berlin Packaging UK to bring our unparalleled expertise…

Read More

Responding to the challenges of Brexit – free international trade assistant

It has been nearly a year since the UK left the European Union and many distilleries who used to export to the EU are now experiencing difficulties. With more changes due in January 2022, the UK Food & Drink Federation is working with Pedagogo Limited to provide 100 international trade assistants. You can apply for…

Read More

Freeze on alcohol duty welcomed but still ‘not fair’ for Scotch whisky

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has welcomed the duty freeze announced in the autumn budget. In the budget statement, the Chancellor confirmed that all duty rates on alcohol would remain unchanged.  The duty rate on spirits continues to be £28.74 per litre of pure alcohol, meaning that of the £15.01 average price of a bottle…

Read More

Irish drink suppliers call for wider reopening of hospitality sector

Around two-thirds of adults polled in Ireland agreed that the social and mental wellbeing of the general population has been negatively impacted as a direct result of the closure of hospitality venues. The Irish hospitality industry agrees. Patricia Callan, director of Drinks Ireland said: “Hospitality venues have been sorely missed, and after a year and…

Read More

Japanese distillery to make corn-mash whiskey

Hokkaido Liberty Whisky in northern Japan is going to take advantage of the country’s corn crop – normally going to animal feed – to make whiskey, according to the South China Morning Post. Although nowhere on the bottle will it say ‘bourbon’, this will be the first whiskey made in Japan using the ‘bourbon-method’, says…

Read More

Comment: Alcohol taxation: when is a review not a review?

WSTA chief executive Miles Beale has outlined four of the simpler things that Chancellor Rishi Sunak could – and should – do as part of a ‘once-in-a-generation’ chance to re-design alcohol taxation in the UK. Beale’s comments follow. In this weekend’s Sunday Times Tim Shipman, its Chief Political Commentator, wrote a surprisingly detailed piece about…

Read More

Johnnie Walker’s first female master blender appointed

Dr Emma Walker will succeed Jim Beveridge OBE becoming the first female Master Blender in the 200-year Johnnie Walker story, reports Diageo. Beveridge will retire at the end of the year after more than 40 years at Diageo, 20 of which as Master Blender. Walker will be one of a small, select group of people,…

Read More

Spencer Matthews’ CleanCo signs US deal

Entrepreneur Spencer Matthews, creator and CEO of non-alcoholic spirts brand CleanCo, has partnered with new Demeter & Co to bring his spirits to the USA. Plans for the US launch includes a deal with Southern Glazer’s, the USA’s largest drinks distributor, which will launch the brand across seven states next month. As part of the…

Read More

Glenfiddich launches an $18k whisky

Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky brand, has partnered with BlockBar, the premier non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace for luxury wine and spirits products, to launch a series of 15 limited edition liquor NFTs. Each NFT corresponds to a physical, exceptional bottle of a 1973 46-year-old Armagnac cask finish Single Malt Scotch Whisky that…

Read More