Pernod Ricard reported a -3% decline of both organic sales and organic profit from recurring operations for the first half of the financial year 2024.

We’ve been running ­the Brands Report since 2010 – the year after Agile Media launched ­the World’s 50 Best Bars – and, while it has evolved since then, taking in new categories and drawing data from an ever-rotating panel of bars, it still seeks to answer the same question. Which brands do the best bars buy – and why?

The Drinks International Brands Report 2024 has launched, offering the industry insights into the buying habits of the world’s best bars.

A recent report by Allied Market Research has revealed that the global flavoured alcohol market is anticipated to generate $1.8 trillion by 2032, up from a $1.2 trillion market size in 2022.

A new report by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) has revealed that total US spirits exports reached a record $2.06bn in 2022, buoyed by the temporary halt to retaliatory tariffs, with American whiskey exports to the UK remaining lower than pre-tariff levels.

Big brand Bacardi tops the bestsellers for the fifth year in a row – and manages second on the trending list too.

Avallen Spirits, certified B Corp, have published their second Bee More Report, the company’s annual self-publication of their environmental impact for the year running 1 May to 31 April. 

The non-alcoholic spirits category debuted in last year’s report, but the sector has quickly taken root and now no drinks group’s portfolio is complete without one.

Perhaps one of the smaller categories of the Brands Report, sherry is significant nonetheless. More than three-quarters of venues we polled stock sherry behind their bar. And most of those that do have two brands, while more than half will have three or more.

Liqueurs do a lot of the heavy lifting on a cocktail menu, so naturally, the bestselling list boasts a huge variety of styles.

Pernod Ricard’s Del Maguey is still the dominant force within the mezcal sector. Its flagship Vida expression can be found in the best bars around the world and its green bottle is fast becoming one of the most recognised in the agave industry.

Barsol reigns supreme in the pisco category. The Peruvian brand took a whopping 31% of the first-choice votes and 23% of the top-three pours in the World’s Best Bars.

Diageo’s Bulleit just about retained its position as the bestselling American whiskey in the World’s Best Bars.

It seems loyalty remains strong within the scotch whisky sector given the same 10 brands make up the bestselling list in 2022 as the previous year, albeit in a different order.

Probably of all the leagues in the Annual Brands Report, a place in the Bartenders’ Choice list is the most sought-after among brands.

Brands Report editor Hamish Smith explains the methodolgy behind the report's polling system.

The United States has once again topped the list of the most attractive wine markets in the world,  according to a new report from Wine Intelligence.

The UK hard seltzer market is expected to reach a value of £75m by 2023 according to a report commissioned by DRTY.

Three-quarters of Brits say they prefer to drink at home, the Big Gin Report, an annual study conducted by Craft Gin Club, has found.

There’s an exciting new entrant in this sector, reports Shay Waterworth

The previously unassailable Johnnie Walker could be showing signs of weakness, finds Hamish Smith

With Irish Whiskey stripped out, other countries get a chance to shine. Hamish Smith does the maths

Diageo’s Bulleit holds both top spots for the third year running. Shay Waterworth reports

Tanqueray tops the best sellers yet again, but Hendrick’s is making its mark. By Hamish Smith

There’s been little change in the best sellers, with the top brands all holding, says Hamish Smith

The Wine and Spirit Trade Association will announce on Tuesday that Britain’s wine trade has more than doubled in the last decade.

The decline in Scotch whisky exports is slowing, as industry exports in the first half of the year totalled £1.7 billion.

UK consumers' openness to new forms of wine packaging could mean the traditional glass bottle’s stranglehold on the market is relaxed, says Wine Intelligence.

The Scotch Whisky Association has launched a report, which outlines the number of jobs supported by the scotch whisky industry. 

Acceptance of screw-cap closures on wine bottles sold in the UK has risen to 85% of the regular wine-drinking population, according to a report on wine stoppers from Wine Intelligence.

Pernod Ricard has announced a number of staff changes.

Deep discounting on wine by UK retailers may be having less impact on consumer behaviour, according to a new report

Rémy Cointreau has announced “important” director-level changes to its Global Travel Retail (GTR) team, in the shape of the appointments of Matthew Hodges and Simon Roffe.

10% of cancer in males and 3% in women is attributable to alcohol, according to Europe-wide research by the British Medical Journal.

US distributors Glazer’s has appointed Robert Swartz as chief operating officer and Phil Meacham as executive vice president malt beverages.

UK: Trade bodies Wine and Spirits Trade Association (WSTA) and the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) have denied that UK alcohol consumption is rising.

Moderate drinking can help prevent heart disease, according to a new report in the British Medical Journal. The report, which is a review of research published over 30 years, said individuals who drink alcohol in moderation are less likely to develop heart disease compared to non-drinkers.

The economic contribution of Europe's spirits industry to the European economy has been revealed in a new report. The report was prepared by Ernst & Young and commissioned by CEPS – the trade body for the European spirits industry.

The European Commission’s new Eurobarometer report on attitudes to alcohol misses the bigger picture, according to CEPSand EFRD,the representatives of the European spirits industry.