Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Balvenie in link with Slow Food

Published: 04 August, 2009

The Balvenie has become the first Scotch whisky producer to become a supporting member of the Slow Food organisation.

Bacardi's David to be new Grant boss

Published: 23 June, 2009

Bacardi global marketing chief Stella David is to leave the company to become the new chief executive of Scotch producer William Grant.

Grab a glass with Grant's

Published: 03 February, 2009

Scotch whisky brand Grant's has invested almost £100,000 in an on-pack campaign giving away a free 'Different Angle' glass with every bottle.

SPI Group and William Grant sign Stolichnaya deal

Published: 14 November, 2008

Drinks company SPI Group, owner of the Stolichnaya vodka brand, has entered into an agreement with William Grant & Sons for the distribution of Stolichnaya in the United States.

A dodgy early experience with gin has led to JONATHAN RAY having an uneasy relationship with the stuff'.

On the other hand, his wife loves it and he keeps hearing that it's the new in' thing.

To bring himself up to date, he pays a visit to the Hendrick's distillery and finds himself developing a taste' for the quirky gin from William Grant & Sons.

This revelation soon leads to a proper home-made tasting session with 15 friends and 12 gins. Gin of the evening (and my favourite) is Martin Miller's Westbourne Strength (29.99; Harrods, Selfridges),' Ray concludes.

Prize for the most alcoholic option goes to Blackwood's 60 Superior Vintage Dry Gin, 60% abv (24.99; Harvey Nichols and independents).

IWSC spirits winners announced

Published: 23 July, 2008

UK: The full list of spirits winners at this year's International Wine & Spirit Competition have been announced.

Warninks labels fail to conform to the law

Published: 23 July, 2008

First Drinks Brands, the independent drinks distributor owned by William Grant & Sons, has admitted that illegally labelled bottles of Warninks advocaat have been circulating since November. The company only revealed the problem after the major Christmas trading season.

Back in the mix

Published: 23 July, 2008

Gin is currently one of the most active and interesting of all the spirit categories. Worldwide it sells over 50 million cases - right up in the international spirits market, making it a major force. But if we listen to the pundits, we could easily be convinced that gin's days are numbered, with all the signs indicating declining sales worldwide. There is no disputing that, in the past five years, the category has experienced a 6% fall in terms of volume; at the same time, the great gin renaissance shows no signs of slowing down. How can both these contradictory trends be true?

William Grant & Sons takes full control of First Drinks Brands

Published: 23 July, 2008

Bacardi Martini Ltd has sold its 50% share in distribution company First Drinks Brands to independent distiller William Grant & Sons.

Three Barrels goes First

Published: 23 July, 2008

First Drinks Brands is bringing the number one off-trade brandy brand, Three Barrels, into its portfolio following the acquisition of Raynal & Cie by William Grant & Sons.

The best-selling take home drinks, according to AC Nielsen

Published: 23 July, 2008

The leading alcoholic drinks brands may have retained their positions in the market but this AC Nielsen results show that the UK take-home drinks trade is currently going through some subtle, but surprising changes.

Mason flavour

Published: 23 July, 2008

Chris Mason has been a man of the drinks world for more than 30 years. When he eventually decides to quit the booze-selling game, he will be drawing pensions from Pernod Ricard, Allied Domecq and Bacardi. Had it been the type of company that thought about pensions', he could have added Seagram to the list. As he says, It's only Diageo that's missing for a full set.'
As so often in the drinks trade, it very nearly didn't work out that way. Had it not been for the antisocial hours, Mason could well be appearing in the pages of Property Week or The Builder, rather than Harpers. It was rugby that saved him from the social-pariah status of his first proper job as an estate agent. I played a lot in those days,' Mason says, and, though I wasn't afraid of working long hours, I didn't want to work on Saturday afternoons. But you can't be an estate agent without working on Saturday afternoons.'

Out with the old

Published: 23 July, 2008

It has been quite a year for Scotch whisky. The category has been bogged down with issues such as tax stamps and legal definitions - both drawing attention away from the more important aspect of what's in the bottle, not on it. But a quick look around the category highlights many examples of creative thinking, and new takes on a classic product.

First Drink's 18-million Christmas investment

Published: 23 July, 2008

First Drinks is targeting the Christmas period with a total marketing investment of 18 million', supporting both its brands and the retailers.

William Grant acquires Three Barrels brandy

Published: 23 July, 2008

William Grant & Sons has snapped up the French brandy company Raynal & Cie, thus adding the Three Barrels and Raynal brands to its portfolio.

Sales of single malts soar

Published: 23 July, 2008

The amount of malt whisky drunk in the UK in 2004 is 10% up on 2003 levels - and the consumer is trading up, too.

Showcase Showdown

Published: 23 July, 2008

2005 is already a landmark year for the International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). In March, the company opened its new, customised premises in Dunsfold Park, Surrey, with a 25,000-bottle capacity and room for expansion.

IWSC trophy winners announced at Vinexpo

Published: 23 July, 2008

The International Wine and Spirit Competition used the opening day of Vinexpo earlier this week to announce the first round of Trophy Winners in this year's competition.

Appointments - Pernod Ricard adds two new faces at the top

Published: 23 July, 2008

Pernod Ricard has appointed two new senior figures to its UK business.

Over a barrel...

Published: 23 July, 2008

Blends might take the lion's share of the whisky market, but distillers are uneasy over their ever-decreasing margins. Does the sector's recovery lie in price hikes, creating new, aspirational markets, or rejuvenating the loyal but grey' market? Tom Bruce-Gardyne reports on blended whisky's pre-Christmas headache