Spirits

America’s No. 1 cocktail is… still No. 1. The margarita retained a fifth of all cocktail sales on-premise in the last quarter of 2023.

U.S. government trying to limit your booze intake or access? The short answer is no. So why do we keep hearing rumblings about something called the ‘neo-prohibition’ movement?

Spirits sales in the U.S. were flat in 2023, but maintained a very slight revenue lead over beer for the second year in a row, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) in its annual economic briefing today.

U.S. craft spirits topped $7.9 billion in sales in 2022, growing 5.3% in value and 6.1% in volume, but slowed considerably from the year prior, according to a new report.

After nearly nine months of an ugly public legal battle, Sean “Diddy” Combs and Diageo have settled disputes over allegations from the music mogul that the brands he collaborated with Diageo on— Cîroc Vodka and DeLeon Tequila— received worse treatment because of his race.

We checked in with a data analyst, consultant and major retailer buyer on the drivers they are watching in 2024, including what investors will be looking for, where there might be white space in hot categories, and how retailers are making buying decisions.

From the continued rise of the espresso martini to savory cocktails, 2023 was a year of bold flavors at the bar, so what’s in store for 2024? We polled experts in spirits, flavor innovation and mocktails about what trends are on tap for cocktails and ready-to-drink versions.

After a category-wide downturn this year, one global spirits company is championing its portfolio of ready-to-drink cocktails as the silver lining of 2023.

Diageo is set to introduce a new line of premium ready-to-serve cocktails that leverage the strength of some of its best-known labels into the soaring category.

Despite non-alc’s momentum, only 26% of the U.S. consumers moderating their alcohol say they are drinking no-alcohol alternatives to their favorite full-strength drinks, citing barriers around taste and lack of availability, according to a recent report from bev-alc data firm IWSR.

As the momentum behind zero-proof drinks shows no signs of abating, leading non-alc retailer Boisson is taking steps to secure its place within the expanding category, bringing on a new CEO and announcing today that has received funding in a $5 million bridge round from Convivialité Ventures, the VC arm of Pernod Ricard, and Connect Ventures.

Bacardi Limited has jumped fully into the mezcal game and acquired Ilegal Mezcal, the company announced today.

Beam Suntory reported a 10% rise in net sales for the first half of 2023, driven by ready-to-drink (RTD) brands and the company’s premiumization strategy, but nevertheless did face performance struggles in North America.

Molson Coors made headlines this week when it announced that it agreed to purchase Kentucky-based distillery Blue Run Spirits, marking the beer giant’s first spirits acquisition and the formal launch of its Coors Spirits Co. business.