All articles by Richard Woodard

Richard Woodard

A trained newspaper journalist with more than 20 years' experience of writing about the wine and spirits categories, Richard has been a regular contributor to Just Drinks since 2006.

Why selling Imperial Blue makes sense for Pernod Ricard

Almost a quarter of a century ago, when Diageo and Pernod Ricard divvied up the Seagram drinks empire, most of…
Emerging markets may be enticing but don’t write off gin’s UK prospects

Back in autumn 2018, I was enjoying a tour of Adnams’ Copper House Distillery in Southwold on the UK’s Suffolk…
As Diageo ponders asset sales, what are its options?

I thought I’d heard it somewhere before. As commentators pondered the potential targets of Diageo’s recently announced $500m cost savings…
As Scotch whisky industry cheers UK-India FTA, questions remain

You can hardly blame the Scotch whisky industry for all the kerfuffle surrounding the announcement of the India-UK free trade…
Woes surround Cognac and its ongoing slump requires attention

The Cognac region was at its autumnal best: Indian summer sunshine, the dark green vine leaves contrasting with the bleached…

US looms large but Irish whiskey can build markets elsewhere

There were live music performances, a black-tie dinner for around 100 people, five-star accommodation and chauffeur-driven Mercedes. The 10 April…
European distillers urge EU to change rye-whisky deal with Canada

Distillers across Europe could be barred from labelling their products as ‘rye whisky’ thanks to a recently rediscovered agreement between…
Reality bites as Diageo exits Distill Ventures

In the mid-2010s, Douglas Murray, a 50-year veteran of running Diageo’s distillation processes in Scotland, found himself in the remote…
Stauning cuts jobs, output after Diageo’s Distill Ventures exit

Danish whisky distillery Stauning has axed about 25% of its workforce and cut production by 50% after Diageo announced that…
Risks abound as spirits industry wrestles with erratic US tariff policy

Visit the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) website at the moment and you’re greeted with quite the patriotic gesture…