Pernod Ricard Acquires Stake in Skrewball Whiskey
Pernod Ricard has made a play for flavored whiskey by acquiring a majority stake in peanut butter flavored Skrewball whiskey, the company announced today.
Spirits Distribution: Southern Extends Travel Sector Reach, Takes ICONIC; Lalo Tequila on the Move
Just in time for spring break, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits announced plans to acquire Miami-based WEBB Banks, extending its footprint to the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The distributor will also now service WEBB Banks’ travel retail and cruise sector clients.
Flavored Whiskey Makes a Sweet Comeback
Cookie dough with your bourbon? Over the past decade, flavored whiskey has evolved from a handful of value-priced cinnamon or apple flavored bottles to a hot segment driven by innovative flavors from craft and emerging brands. As the diversity of flavors expands, suppliers have lured in new whiskey drinkers and found a niche for their sweet, and sometimes savory, spirits.
More Than a Good Drink: How Cocktail Events Are Pushing Trade Education
The annual Arizona Cocktail Weekend is just one of several regional cocktail summits that have stewarded cocktail movements across the country and have shifted industry events away from teaching cocktail techniques to broader education.
People Moves: Bacardi, Siempre Tequila Bring on New Leadership
Roberto Ramirez Laverde has returned to Bacardi as global senior vice president of Bacardi rum, the company announced yesterday. Laverde took on the role following the promotion of Ned Duggan to global chief marketing officer of Bacardi and president of Bacardi Global Brands Limited.
Green Day: Craft’s Quest to Reclaim Absinthe’s Reputation
Irish pubs may be gearing up for St. Patrick’s Day, but this Sunday marks another green-hued, boozy celebration: National Absinthe Day. The Swiss drink was banned in the U.S. until 2007, and since then its enthusiasts have been working hard to challenge the spirit’s illicit reputation. But have those efforts paid off?
MHW: “Values-Based” Gen-Z Driving Alcohol Trends; E-Comm Could See More M&A
You’ve heard it before: this year premium plus spirits are here to stay, no- and low-alc will continue its rise, and the RTD boom is expected to shake out new state laws. In addition to those forecasts, the executive team behind MHW, a beverage alcohol importer and service provider, dug into other trends in a discussion on Tuesday moderated by Deborah Brenner, the founder and CEO of Women of the Vine & Spirits.
Shake Up: How Cocktail Veterans Are Staking a Claim to RTDs
As beverage director of New York’s acclaimed Clover Club, Tom Macy had tossed around the idea of a canned craft cocktail since 2013. But the concept didn’t truly lift off until February 2020 when he and his boss, Julie Reiner, finished their pitch deck for Social Hour Cocktails, a ready-to-drink high quality cocktail.
Hard MTN Dew Releases First New Flavor Addition: Livewire in Single-Serve Cans
Hard MTN Dew, the flavored malt beverage (FMB) from Boston Beer Company and PepsiCo, is expanding its lineup for the first time since launching with Livewire, an orange citrus flavor inspired by the soft drink flavor of the same name.
The Watkins Co Aims to Spice Up Flavored Whiskey with Two Spirit Releases
After 150 years in the spice game, The Watkins Co. announced last week it is taking the leap from food flavorings into spirits with two flavored bourbon releases.
Spirits Distribution: Martignetti Grows in New England; Margs on the March
Martignetti Companies, a New England distributor of wines and spirits, announced yesterday an agreement to acquire Hartley & Parker Limited, Inc. in Connecticut, expanding the company's footprint in New England.
Pronghorn Invests in Four More Black-Owned Spirit Companies
Venture firm Pronghorn, an initiative focused on boosting Black entrepreneurship in spirits, announced today new investments in four companies: Anteel Tequila, Common Ground Spirits, Delta Dirt Distillery, and Old Hillside Bourbon Company. Terms of the deals were not disclosed.
Six Questions with Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve Master Distiller
Earlier this month, bourbon brand Woodford Reserve named Elizabeth McCall as master distiller, one of the few women to achieve the title among major whiskey companies. She is also the second generation of her family with a career in the spirits industry, following in her mother’s footsteps who worked at the Seagram’s production facility in the 1970s and 80s.
Backed By $13M Check, Playboy Spirits Makes a Play For RTDs, High-End Spirits
Playboy Spirits is building on its limited edition bottles by making a major hop into the high-end spirits and ready-to-drink world, backed by $13 million in new funding announced last month.