The Whisky Exchange has appointed Nick Larsson-Bell as buying director – taking over from Dawn Davies – and Freeman Ho as head of auction. Together the two newcomers bring more than 35 years’ experience in spirits buying, retail, collecting and auction. The retailer said the appointments underline its commitment to “bringing customers the very best spirits and experiences”. Larsson-Bell will take over…

Danish brewer Carlsberg has maintained its full-year profit guidance despite a 3.5% decline in beer volumes and continued challenges in China, according to its Q3 report. The owner of Kronenbourg reported third-quarter sales of DKK25.3bn (£2.83bn), up 5% on the same period last year. Total volume grew just 0.3%, although volume sales of soft drinks rose by 9% and alcohol-free beer by 11%.

The Budget has failed to provide sufficient support for the English and Welsh wine trade, according to WineGB, which highlighted what it described as an uneven playing field with British brewers and cider makers.  Commenting on yesterday’s Budget, Vincent McGovern, policy director at WineGB, said: “The Government has talked extensively about economic growth, investment and supporting British business.  “Yet when presented…

Jacopo Mazzeo offers some tips to retailers on how to make the most of the growing home cocktail trend Cocktails may once have been largely the domain of bars and nightclubs, but changing lifestyles, consumer behaviours and the Covid pandemic have broadened where and how people consume them, bringing cocktails firmly into the home. It’s a shift that’s made the category increasingly relevant…

Flint Wines has announced that Adam Bruntlett will join its buying team, following a recent recruitment drive that saw the company add eight new team members.  Bruntlett brings extensive experience to the business and will oversee buying for the Loire, Rhône, Jura, Provence, Germany, Austria and Spain, Flint said.  Ahead of the anticipated release of the 2025 Burgundy vintage, Bruntlett will…

Delivering his first ever Budget statement in the House of Commons today, Chancellor John Healey has offered support for Britain’s small breweries and cider makers, while confirming wider alcohol duty rates will rise in line with inflation. The Government will also be increasing the threshold for small business rate relief for retail businesses. Healey said the Government will be providing £10m of alcohol…

Visitors to Irish whiskey distilleries have surpassed one million for the second consecutive year, according to the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA).  Its annual Irish Whiskey Way survey found that visitors were spending more, travelling further into rural areas and increasingly treating distilleries as cultural attractions.  The IWA reported that visitor numbers to June 2026 were up by more than…

Berry Bros & Rudd is set to bottle Spirit of Yorkshire’s 2017 Moscatel Sherry Cask #2231 as part of its 2026 Odyssey collection, The Auld and the Bold.  The release marks the second independent bottling between Spirit of Yorkshire and Berry Bros & Rudd.  Joe Clark, whisky director at Spirit of Yorkshire, said: “The cask was hand-selected straight from our warehouse by…

Despite a 4.6% increase in revenue and 4.8% rise in volume in Q3, Heineken’s new CEO, Rafael Oliveira, said the company still needed to do more to drive growth.  Speaking in his first official statement since taking the reins, Oliveira said: “There is more to do to sharpen execution, increase pace, and build a stronger performance culture, with greater accountability across the…

20 Port houses will come together for the Grand Port Wine Tasting on 24 November.  Taking place at The Charterhouse in Clerkenwell, the event will also host the Grand Final of Master of Port UK 2026, a competition recognising sommeliers and drinks professionals who champion Port Wine in the UK.  The competition begins on 23 November, when five UK sommeliers will compete…