Whiskies - Harpers Wine & Spirit Trade News

Beer and pink gin help fuel rise in Diageo GB Sales

Published: 26 July, 2018

Diageo has seen its annual GB sales rise by 8% helped by its core gin and beer offering and ‘innovative’ NPD including pink gin.

Grant’s highlights wood aging with global brand refresh

Published: 04 July, 2018

Top three Scotch producer Grant’s has rebooted its range of blended whiskies to highlight the three types of wood that go into making the brand’s signature taste.

SWA calls for zero tariffs on whisky making materials

Published: 29 June, 2018

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has called for zero tariffs on imports of whisky making materials in the Brexit negotiations.

Cutty Sark set for sale as owner Edrington reports 7% growth

Published: 25 June, 2018

Famous Grouse, Macallan and Highland Park owner Edrington has reported a 7% uplift in sales despite ongoing challenges in the blended Scotch market.

Maxxium UK reinvents itself as Edrington-Beam Suntory UK

Published: 07 March, 2018

Leading whisky and cognac distributor Maxxium UK is putting its key brands front and centre with a name change as it prepares to expand its footprint in premium and super premium spirits.

New direction for Jura with signature range

Published: 06 March, 2018

Scottish malt whisky maker Jura has announced a major image overhaul via a bold new signature series.

Singling out malt

Published: 29 January, 2018

Despite the premium gin and Japanese whisky assault, single malt Scotch is riding high in a market driven by exploration. Tom Bruce-Gardyne reports

Gordon & MacPhail re-structure recognises UK single malt sales

Published: 19 January, 2018

Malt whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail has announced the integration of the UK market into its global sales strategy to build on the strength of UK-wide sales.

Arbikie goes against the grain with Scottish rye whisky

Published: 18 January, 2018

Scotch is one of the UK’s most formidable trademarks, with a global export presence worth £1.8 billion in the first half of 2017, according to HMRC.

Berry Bros. & Rudd goes Daft for new whisky addition

Published: 11 December, 2017

Berry Bros. & Rudd has revealed a new global distribution agreement with Daftmill Distillery - one of only two Scottish spirit distilleries that can use the term ‘single estate’.

Southern Comfort seasonal campaign goes back to its roots

Published: 06 December, 2017

A new marketing campaign for Southern Comfort centring on the spirit’s hometown of New Orleans is about to land in the UK.

Dingle Distillery to upscale production

Published: 13 November, 2017

The Dingle Distillery, the craft spirits producer, is launching an investment drive to scale up its production.

Plans revealed for The GlenAllachie Distillery

Published: 03 October, 2017

The new owners of The GlenAllachie Distillery have unveiled new plans for the Speyside site since taking over from Pernod Ricard in in July.

Johnnie Walker launches Blade Runner special edition 35 years after original film cameo

Published: 19 September, 2017

Diageo-owned Scotch, Johnnie Walker, has launched a special edition blend to coincide with the release of the Blade Runner sequel – 35 years after the spirit appeared in the original film.

SWA heads to Japan to insulate trade against Brexit

Published: 31 August, 2017

The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) chief executive Karen Betts is this week joining the Prime Minister Theresa May and International Trade Secretary Liam Fox on a business delegation to Japan to ensure that trade opportunities aren’t scuppered by Brexit.

UK sales of premium Japanese whisky soar

Published: 25 August, 2017

The demand for Japanese Whisky has seen a boom in the price of rare whiskies with prices up 65% in 12 months, to £450 a bottle.

Alcohol dominates list of top seven UK food and drink exports

Published: 18 August, 2017

Four out of the top seven performing export categories in the UK’s food and drink market are alcoholic, new figures have revealed.

Pernod aims to grow "massive" uplift in Christmas spirits with two premium focused campaigns

Published: 17 August, 2017

Pernod Ricard kicked off its Christmas briefing strategy this morning with a reminder of why Christmas is the most important period in the trade’s calendar.

Whisky Galore

Published: 07 August, 2017

First the bad news – on March 8, Chancellor Philip Hammond hit UK spirits with a near 4% hike in duty pushing the tax on the average bottle of Scotch to an eye-watering 79%. Having scrapped the duty escalator in 2014, followed by a cut the year after and then a freeze, this unexpected blow from “Spreadsheet Phil” provoked fury among distillers. “It is staggering that the Prime Minister stood up in Scotland on Friday [March 3] and said that Scotch whisky is ‘a truly great Scottish and British industry’ … and just five days later the Chancellor hammers this industry at home,” thundered Charles Ireland, managing director of Diageo GB.