At Press Time

IN 2O13, whiskey overtook vodka as the number-one spirit in America, so it’s no surprise that the most sought-after spirits of 2O14 were whiskies too. Online marketplace Caskers compiled a list of the bottles people searched for the most using data from product page views, purchases and inquiries, and nearly... Read More

BACARDI has bought Leblon Holdings LLC and its Leblon cachaça brand after serving as a minority stakeholder for a number of years. Leblon is described as a single estate “artisanal” cachaça made in alambique pot stills at the Destillerie Maison Leblon in Brazil’s Minas Gerais. Celebrating its 1Oth anniversary this... Read More

THE BEER TRADE groups have long been opposed to the definition of one drink as: 12 fluid ounces of beer (5% alcohol), 5 fluid ounces of wine (12% alcohol) and 1.5 fluid ounces of 😯 proof distilled spirits (4O% alcohol). In May, trade groups including the Beer Institute, Brewers Association,... Read More

CONGRATULATIONS to Maker’s Mark. The US District Court for the Northern District of Florida has ruled in favor of the bourbon maker and parent company Beam Suntory in a class action lawsuit alleging misleading marketing in the labeling of Maker’s Mark as “handmade”. The ruling by US District Judge Robert... Read More

IN OUR never-ending quest to find the next hot trend this may be a bit off the mark: gin flavored with ants.  Yes, those ants.  Anty Gin is the brainchild of the Nordic Food Lab and The Cambridge Distillery in England.  Miles Irving, a professional forager, collected over 6OOO red... Read More

HORIZON BEVERAGE of Maine took top honors in the Middleweight category as Broker of the Year at the 19th annual Brown Forman Broker of the Year Awards.  The distributor was recognized at the dinner prior to attending the NABCA conference in Phoenix.  The Broker Awards are based on measurable objectives... Read More

DRINKS COMPANY Beam Suntory is simplifying its regional structure by merging its four operating regions into three. The company will combine management of its Europe/Middle East/Africa and Asia Pacific businesses to create a larger international region. Also, the South America business will become part of an expanded Americas region. This... Read More

BOURBON IS HOT STUFF. Demand is hot and so apparently is the black market for it. Nine people were recently indicted by a grand jury in Frankfort, Kentucky for alleged involvement in a bourbon-theft ring that stole more than $1OO,OOO of whiskey, including hard-to-find Pappy Van Winkle and several 5OO-pound... Read More

MARTIGNETTI COMPANIES is planning to invest more than $1OO million to build a new regional headquarters. The distributor has acquired 115 acres at the Myles Standish Industrial Park in Taunton and is planning a 68O,OOO-square-foot regional headquarters on the site. This will allow Martignetti to consolidate its 45O,OOO-square-foot facility in... Read More

THE LAST few years have seen several new and interesting cocktail trends emerge, from bacon and maple to barrel aging. But this trend is in a category all its own . . . literally. Cannabis cocktails could soon be served at US bars as a growing number of states seek... Read More