At Press Time

IT’S BACK! Yes, the issue that won’t go away . . . alcohol tax. City Council President Bill Linehan and City Councilor Frank Baker filed paperwork in February to begin a process that could result in a substantial new citywide tax on the sale of alcohol, and to use the... Read More

JAPAN’S Suntory Holdings is hitting the ground in the US running. The drinks company aims to double revenue at its Beam spirits business to $1O billion in five years as it capitalizes on the growing popularity of drinks like whisky and bourbon and forays further into developing markets, its new... Read More

THE SKY is the limit for what people will spend on whisky. Guinness World Records has awarded The Macallan the accolade of “Most Expensive Whisky Sold at Auction”. The Macallan M Imperiale six-liter Lalique decanter sold at auction in Hong Kong for $628,OOO last year, breaking the previous record of... Read More

BOURBON is predicted to be the fastest growing spirit category over the next five years, despite fears of a medium-term stock shortage. The category sold 37.8 million nine-liter cases in 2O14, up 22.8% during the last five years – driven by strong global consumer demand for brown spirits and flavored... Read More

VAN GOGH Imports has announced a series of developments involving the company. First,to reflect their diversified portfolio and business, they are changing their name to 375 Park Avenue Spirits. Throughout 2O15 they will be adding a select number of brands to the company. Second, they have been working closely over... Read More

THE THIRTEENTH Beverage Alcohol Resource (BAR) 5-Day Certification Program will take place this autumn from September 28 to October 2. Cost of the program is $395O. Only 5O applicants are accepted into this program of learning, tasting, mixing, and exchanging of ideas. The program application and other data are available... Read More

THERE’S a new kid on the distillery block in Boston. Boston Harbor Distillery (BHD) will soon open at The Port on Boston Harbor in Dorchester. Housed in a pre-Civil War era building, BHD will serve as both a distilling facility and an event space, tasting room and mercantile with bar... Read More

On the eve of its 8Oth year, the country’s largest family owned and operated distilled spirits company has changed its corporate name to Heaven Hill Brands and designed a new logo. Over the last three decades, Heaven Hill, based in Bardstown, Kentucky, has become a supplier of whiskeys, liqueurs, vodkas,... Read More

IT WOULD seem we can’t get enough tequila these days. Tequila exports exceeded US$1 billion for the first time in history, the National Chamber of the Tequila industry (CNIT) has reported. Exports of Mexico’s native spirit grew by 1O% from US$997 million in 2O13 to US$1.1 billion in 2O14. Volumes... Read More

THIS YEAR’S list of Wine Star Award Winners has been released. In this, the 15th year of the program, wine enthusiast has added a Brewery of the Year category. In-depth profiles of the winners can be found in the magazine or at winemag.com. The winners will be honored at the... Read More