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At Press Time

THERE ARE NO RHÔNE WINES FROM MOËT

FOR THE RECORD, Moët Hennessy does not produce any wine from the Rhône.  Therefore it was surprising for the company to learn that a Chinese wine company was selling Rhône wines it claimed were made by Moët Hennessy.  The wines in question, purported to be Côtes du Rhône, were being...
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THE DAREDEVIL PARISIAN WHISKY HEIST

RARE WINE and spirits remain a top target for thieves who can re-sell their contraband on the black market for staggering prices. The most recent heist happened in November in Paris and is considered to be one of the largest whisky thefts on record. A team of burglars struck at...
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LIQUID COURAGE FOR LINGUISTICS

IN GENERAL, too many drinks results in a distinct slurring of one’s speech, making it difficult to be understood. In an ironic twist, a new study suggests that one drink could actually aid in speaking a foreign language. Experts said one drink – either a small glass of wine or...
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CONSTELLATION MAKES THE MOVE TO MARIJUANA

CONSTELLATION BRANDS is taking the leap and getting into the weed business.  Constellation, which sells Corona and Modelo and is the third-largest beer company in the US – has acquired a 9.9% stake in the Canadian cannabis holding company Canopy Growth.  The beer giant paid $191 million for its stake in...
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RYE WHISKEY VOLUMES SKYROCKET

IF THE BEER industry needs an injection the rye whiskey category is at the opposite end of the spectrum. Volumes for the spirit have increased explosively in the US, having grown by 778% from 2OO9 to 2O16, according to US trade body the Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS). Since 2OO9, rye...
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RIDING IN STYLE

THIS SEASON’S must have item?  A Glenmorangie bicycle made from whisky casks, of course!  Glenmorangie has partnered with bicycle maker Renovo to create a limited edition of bicycles made from the whisky’s barrels.  Used staves from Glenmorangie barrels are shipped from Scotland to Renovo’s workshop in Oregon.  Each bicycle contains...
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DETECTING TAINTED ALCOHOL

TAINTED OR FAKE alcohol is a very real and frightening problem often resulting in significant injury or death. Over the past year there have been several incidents at popular vacation resorts. One of the key issues is that it’s usually impossible to detect fake alcohol as it looks and tastes...
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AN ACQUISITION WITH A CHERRY ON TOP

DUTCH SPIRITS GROUP De Kuyper has acquired liqueur brand Cherry Heering from Danish producer Peter F. Heering.  Along with the purchase of Cherry Heering, the deal also includes Heering Coffee Liqueur.  The brands join the company’s liqueur and spirit portfolio including De Kuyper cocktail liqueurs, Peachtree, Rutte Gin & Jenever...
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BUSY DAYS FOR BRANDY

PERHAPS YOU HAVE missed it but the “big thing” in the spirits world these days is . . . brandy. Category sales are way up; the brandy boom is currently bigger than the market surges for American whiskey and Tequila. And while so much focus has been on premium rosé,...
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A TASTE FOR AMERICAN SPIRITS

WE AMERICANS certainly enjoy our domestic spirits (bourbon in particular) but it seems the rest of the world is developing quite a thirst for tipples from the US. The value of American spirits exports increased by 1O.6% in the first half of 2O17 – up more than $67 million to...
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