French liqueur producer Maison Lejay Lagoute has introduced a new flavour, Bitter Cassis. Known for its original crème de cassis de Dijon, Lejay has added a bitter blackberry liqueur to its product line. Bitter Cassis is the first new liqueur from the brand in nearly 10 years. The new edition uses the distillery's signature blend of Noir de Bourgogne and Black Down blackberries and buds, macerated in eaux-de-vie. The bitter flavour is achieved by adding citrus fruits and orange peel to the original recipe. Lejay Bitter Cassis offers notes of 'grapefruit and a complex mix of bitter plants' with ..read more

Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi has returned to vodka brand Belvedere to direct its latest global campaign, which also stars Grammy Award-winning artist and rapper Future. The campaign, which is packaged as a three-minute short film, has been released to mark the launch of the certified-organic brand's new Belvedere 10 expression. It opens with Future driving a Rolls Royce down a dusty road at sunset and ends in a ‘dilapidated hacienda-turned-nightclub’, where he and a cowboy hat-wearing Waititi are seen facing off and sharing a coded handshake. Their 'rhythmic' moves then unlock access ..read more

Sazerac-owned Buffalo Trace Distillery will be opening its new brand home in London on 6 May. The store, located in Covent Garden, is the distillery’s first brand home outside of the US. Buffalo Trace CEO and president Jake Wenz said: "Opening Buffalo Trace Distillery London is a momentous occasion for our distillery and we are thrilled to bring our experience to the United Kingdom. “We’ll offer a space for spirits novices and lovers to learn more about a whiskey type they are perhaps less familiar with – Bourbon. “Our aim is to inspire visitors to broaden their palates, and perhaps their cock ..read more

Campari Group has installed an Aperol bottling plant in its Novi Ligure site in northwest Italy, enabling the brand to double its production capacity. The Novi Ligure hub is the Italian group’s largest production site, where Aperol, Campari, Campari Soda, Crodino and Cinzano are made. The inauguration of the new Aperol line will bring the number of bottling lines to seven, increasing the overall plant’s annual capacity by 100 million bottles. Since opening in 2004, the site’s production has increased from 29m bottles to 360m in 2023. The new bottling line for Aperol is part of a €75m (US$80.1m ..read more

Sprout Beverage, the startup accelerator arm of InvestBev, has selected two winners of its spring 2024 cohort pitch competition. Eleven beverage startups were in the running, with Suyo Pisco gaining US$100,000 and runner-up Rococo Tokyo, a beer brand, bagging US$50,000. Sprout runs its programme twice a year, offering founders a three-month series of education, mentoring and resources. The programme culminates in its pitch day, where participating founders compete for investment. Other brands in this year’s cohort included two Tequila brands, Estoico Indigo and Sueños Spirits, and two mezcal b ..read more

How does flying affect our senses, and how can brands and consumers be mindful of these effects when choosing beverages at altitude? David T Smith offers some insight. *This feature was originally published in the December 2023 issue of The Spirits Business magazine. Air travel can sometimes be hectic, what with delays and security queues, but hopefully once you’re cruising at 35,000 feet there’s an opportunity to take a moment and enjoy a relaxing drink ­– even if it’s one you’ve had to pay for. Sadly, bespoke cocktails are a thing of the past on all but very few first-class flights ..read more

Greek brand Mataroa believes it has created the first gin-based, low-alcohol spirit infused with cannabis and damiana: Mataroa Happy. Mataroa Happy is bottled at 11% ABV. It is already available in a number of markets and will soon launch in the UK. The gin-based spirit is infused with cannabis oil, but does not include THC, the psychoactive part of the plant. Damiana is a flower that grows in Mexico, said to be sweet with a minty taste and slightly woody touch. According to the gin brand, the plant is thought to be a ‘natural uplifter with aphrodisiac properties’. The brand has created a sign ..read more

La Martiniquaise-Bardinet-owned agricole rum brand Saint James has revealed an 18-year-old limited release. The new edition joins the Martinique-based distillery's range of seven-, 12- and 15-year-old age-statement rums. Distilled in 2004 and slowly matured in ex-Bourbon American oak barrels, the 18-year-old rum is described as 'the jewel' of the collection. The limited expression was curated by cellar master Marc Sassier and bottled in 2022. "This very old rum is the fruit of an exceptional aromatic concentration without topping-up, after eighteen years of ageing in our cellars in the tropica ..read more

Family-owned ABK6 Cognac brand has revealed the fourth edition of its annual Artist Collection. ABK6 Artist Collection was first introduced in 2019 to celebrate the alliance between art and Cognac, and showcase the talent of local artists. The fourth release in the series features artwork by Audrey Sedano, a visual artist, illustrator and comic book author. For the label, Sedano drew inspiration from the French region of Charente, its green vineyards, and the spirit's character. The expression is made from Ugni Blanc grapes from the Fins Bois and Petit Champagne crus of Cognac. The eaux-de-vie ..read more

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