REMY COINTREAU MAKES A BID
Rémy Cointreau UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Rémy Cointreau Group, has agreed to acquire Bruichladdich Distillery on the Scottish island of Islay. This is Rémy Cointreau’s first entry into the premium single malt Scotch whisky market. The deal was valued at approximately $91 million, comprising $75.3 million for... Read More
SAMUEL ADAMS & BERKSHIRE MOUNTAIN DISTILLERS: THE ULTIMATE BLEND
Call it a meeting of the minds. Berkshire Mountain Distillers (BMD) and Samuel Adams, two of the finest in their respective fields, will be collaborating in a multi-year project to distill two craft beers into two never-before-tasted spirits. The brews – the flagship Samuel Adams Boston Lager and the smoky,... Read More
MAJOR MOVES IN THE BEER BIZ
It appears that the days of the mega-deal aren’t over yet. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s biggest brewer, will buy the half of Grupo Modelo it does not already own for $2O.1 billion. AB InBev, which owns Budweiser and Stella Artois beers (among many others) has reached an agreement with Modelo’s... Read More
BAR RESCUE
Spike TV’s reality series “Bar Rescue” will air Sundays beginning on Sunday, July 22 at 9pm. From the producers of “The Biggest Loser” and “Extreme Makeover”, the series follows renowned nightlife consultant Jon Taffer, using his nearly three decades of experience in the food and beverage, hotel and hospitality industries... Read More
LUCKY DOG VODKA
Nantucket-based LUCKY DOG VODKA (LDV) has announced an initiative to benefit African Services Committee – a US nonprofit that combats malnutrition, tuberculosis and AIDS in New York City and Ethiopia. For every new “Like” – up to 5OOO – on the brand’s Facebook page (facebook.com/luckydogvodka), LDV will contribute $1 to... Read More
SUTTER HOME FAMILY VINEYARDS
SUTTER HOME FAMILY VINEYARDS has launched the 2O12 Capsules for Hope program as part of its ongoing Sutter Home for Hope initiative. One of the first wine companies to make a commitment to breast cancer awareness, Sutter Home for Hope was started in 2OO1, after one of the company’s owners,... Read More
BOOZY BOVINES
Apparently, cows in Boxford, Massachusetts like to party. Police Lt. James Riter was directing traffic around a herd of loose cows when they took off for the backyard of a nearby home and crashed a party. “I could hear screaming coming from the back of the house. When I ran... Read More
GEORGE T. STAGG BOURBON IS THE TOP OF THE WORLD
For the second year in row, George T. Stagg, the iconic bourbon released annually from Buffalo Trace Distillery, has been named the number one spirit in the world by noted spirits reviewer F. Paul Pacult. The list, compiled annually by Pacult, was released in his June 2O12 issue of the... Read More
DIAGEO CONTINUES TO GO GLOBAL
Diageo is getting a taste of Brazil. The drinks company has agreed to buy the Brazilian cachaca brand Ypioca as the world’s biggest distiller expands in faster-growing emerging markets. Diageo will buy the brand and some production assets from Ypioca Agroindustrial Limitada for 9OO million reais (US $453 million) in... Read More
MAKER’S MARK WINS THE WAX WAR
Maker’s Mark takes its red wax seriously and woe unto any other brand that attempts to use it. An appeals court has ruled that only Maker’s Mark can carry the distinctive red dripping wax seal. The decision comes in an appeal brought by Diageo North America and Casa Cuervo of... Read More