Anna Greenhous gives tips for food and Sake matching

There is a mysterious Japanese saying which literally translates as: "Sake never fights with food". At a glance this doesn't make much sense. What they mean to say is that sake matches well with food. It doesn't create the kind of mismatches wine sometimes makes - as testified by anyone who's ever drunk a tannic red with smoked salmon, creating an unpleasant metallic taste. Or been disappointed to find their Champagne, though great with sushi, is ruined when wasabi is added, the delicate flavours disappearing as the heat takes over.

Drinks industry takes its case to Westminster and urges MPs to Call Time on Duty

MPs from all parties came to talk to key figures of the wine and spirits industry last night at a special House of Commons event to publicise the Call Time On Duty campaign to try and get the Chancellor to freeze the alcohol duty escalator in the 2014 Budget.

Rolling update: Key drinks figures tell MPs about the damage duty increases have on UK businesses

Leading figures from across the UK wine and spirits industry joined the trade lobby that took the Call Time On Duty campaign to MPs at the House of Commons last night.

Boodles Gin hits the UK with multiple and premium on-trade listings

Chris Porter to visit all 91 football league grounds to raise money for The Benevolent

Chris Porter, chairman of the drinks charity, The Benevolent, is to set out on a fundraising attempt to visit all 91 football league league by using a combination of train, tram and bike.

Beam bought by Japan's Suntory for £9.7 billion

Aperol teams up with Manchester United

Scotch Whisky gets extra safeguards to protect from fakes

?Glenmorangie releases Companta Private Edition Whisky

Glenmorangie has released its fifth annual private edition label called Companta, which has been aged in Grand Cru and Côtes du Rhône casks.

Rum Experience University becomes annual event

Over 77,000 fake Smirnoff Vodka bottles to be destroyed

Singapore Customs has handed over 77,850 counterfeit Smirnoff vodka bottles to brand owner, Diageo. The authorities first discovered the shipment in June 2013 and have only now released them to be destroyed. 

Absolut Vodka releases friend finding app

Tired of losing your friends at the bar?  There is an app for that. Absolut, the iconic Pernod Ricard vodka brand, released the Buddy Check app in November on iTunes and will be releasing an Android application on Google Play in early 2014.

Scotch Whisky Association appoints new chief executive

Boom in Scotch whisky exports in past decade

Two Good, 2 Bad for 2013, 2 Hopes and Fears for 2014: Mark Fiddes, YourBrandSquared

Our 2 Good, 2 Bad for 2013 and 2 Hopes and Fears for 2014 turns to our regular columnist, Mark Fiddes, of YourBrandSquared, who gives his advertising and brand consultancy view on the goings on over the last 12 months. 

Irish on and off-trade warned to look out for fake Smirnoff bottles

Bar and off-licence owners in Ireland have been urged to check Smirnoff vodka bottles following the seizure of a number of fakes. 

Drinkers urged to write to their MP to get the Chancellor to Call Time on Duty

As part of the Wine & Spirit Trade Association's Call Time on Duty campaign, being launched today to try and force the government to scrap the duty escalator and raise £230m and 6,000 jobs in the process, it is calling on the public to show their support and email a letter to their local MP to put pressure on the Chancellor.

Scrapping duty escalator will raise £230m and 6,000 jobs says WSTA's new Call Time on Duty campaign

The Wine & Spirit Trade Association is today ramping up the pressure on the governement to scrap the alcohol duty esclator by claiming it would generate £230 million and create 6,000 jobs if it was dropped before the 2014 budget.

British consumers are drinking less and more responsibly says latest ONS figures

Increasing numbers of people in the UK are drinking less and more responsibly, according to a survey of the latest drinking trends released by the Office for National Statistics.

Scotch whisky industry sets itself a zero waste target

The Scotch whisky industry has embraced sustainability measures and it is close to a zero waste target, according to a new report.