Category Comment - Aged Spirits
How Diageo’s recent M&A highlights the innovation changing whisky
Several years ago, I had a long – and admittedly rather geeky – conversation about barley with an expert in…
Forget recent M&A: Brown-Forman’s shrewdest investment may prove to be in single malt
It’s been a busy few months for Brown-Forman: weeks after unveiling the purchase of high-end Gin Mare, the Louisville business…
In pursuit of luxury cachet, Scotch still needs to remember the liquid
“Sorry, did you think this was a whisky launch?” That’s quite a disconcerting thing to hear when you’re attending what…
Why Pernod Ricard’s Tormore divestment illustrates a shift in its Scotch whisky strategy
Certain whisky distilleries stand out from the crowd, and for various reasons. Anyone tracing the course of the River Spey…
American whiskey at start of the runway not end, as tariff barrier comes down – comment
When we scan the post-Millennium landscape of the global spirits industry, it’s easy to be distracted by the skyrocketing sales…
Spirits’ fallout from Russia’s attack on Ukraine – comment
For many beverage alcohol companies, the news this week that EU and G7 nations, including the UK, would ban all…
What’s coming up in aged spirits in 2022? – Predictions for the Year Ahead – comment
The long-standing traditions within aged spirits mean the sector is often deemed to be slow-moving and non-progressive - perhaps unfairly…
Is Chinese whisky set to become the next major regional style? – comment
The rich tapestry of whisky is woven from various histories, cultures and regional styles - from the rich malts of…
Spirits categories – What’s in a name? – comment
At the end of last year, Alexander Stein, the founder of German gin brand Monkey 47, unveiled the intriguingly titled…
The promise and the peril of rum acquisitions – comment
As one multinational distiller makes clear its intentions in super-premium rum, spirits category commentator Amy Hopkins considers what acquirers will…