Trade News

[Uisge-Beatha]

Συμφωνώ και εγώ ειδικά επειδή μιλάμε για Kosher friendly μια που δεν το κόβω να έχουν ένα ραβίνο 24/7

να επιβλέπει την διαδικασία όπως ορίζουν οι σχετικοί κανόνες άρα οποιοδήποτε ουίσκι με παλαίωση μονο

σε βαρέλια bourbon κάνει την ίδια δουλειά

[avaton]

Καλημέρα, γιατί κατηγορούμε του Σκωτσέζους όταν ο κόσμος του κρασιού έχει εδώ και χρόνια προϊόντα με την αντίστοιχη "πιστοποίηση";

Απλά ακολουθούν τα trends της αγοράς (και καλά κάνουν).

Πες τα ρε U.B.

Φιλικά.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Αυτό ακριβώς trend της αγοράς marketing χωρίς ουσία

το κρασί είναι αλλιώς στην συγκεκριμένη περίπτωση στην οινοκαλλιέργειας και στη οινοποίηση

χρησιμοποιούνται αρκετά ζωικά παράγωγα που αντιτίθονται στους Ιουδαϊκούς νομους επίσης το κρασί

μπορεί να προσφερθεί σε άλλο θεο το οποιο φυσικά είναι αντίθετο με τους νομους τους.

Στο ουίσκι όμως δεν ισχύουν τα παραπάνω εκτος αν έχει παλαιωθεί σε βαρέλια κρασιού (ξηρού η γλυκού)

αλλα ακόμα και αυτά είναι πρόβλημα μονο για τους ultra ορθοδοξους Εβραίους άρα πολύ κακό για το τίποτα εκτος διαφήμιση και δημοτικότητα στο Ισραήλ και όχι μονο...

[Uisge-Beatha]

UK: Diageo breaks ground on Scotch whisky bottling plant

By: just-drinks.com editorial team | 8 June 2010

Johnnie Walker prepares for Fife move

Building work has begun on the GBP86m (US$124m) extension to Diageo's Scotch whisky bottling plant in Fife, which is set to create 400 jobs.

The move is part of Diageo's restructuring of its Scotch whisky operations, which is expected to lead to net job losses of around 500 - nearly a tenth of the firm's workforce in Scotland.

Diageo aims to open the new bottling hall at its Leven Fife plant in mid-2011 as part of a plan to concentrate bottling operations in Glasgow and Fife.

To make way for the extension, the firm will close its Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock.

Diageo last year stood firm on its decision to close the Johnnie Walker plant, which employs 700 people, following strong opposition to the move from Scotland's Government and trade unions. The firm will also close its Port Dundas distillery in Glasgow.

Earlier this year, Diageo confirmed to just-drinks that it had begun a voluntary redundancy scheme across Scotland to create vacancies for staff set to lose their jobs as part of the group's restructure in the country

[Uisge-Beatha]

Για τους Ανατολίτες ταξιδιώτες μας

International's Tullamore Dew Black 43

By: just-drinks.com editorial team | 16 June 2010

Tullamore Dew Black 43

view 1 related image

C&C International's Tullamore Dew Black 43

Category - Spirits, Irish whiskey, blended, 43% abv

Available - From this month, in limited batches

Location - Initially in Czech and Bulgaria, followed by other markets. The whiskey will be launched in the on-trade but will be available in the off-trade from September onwards

Price - EUR18.50 (US$22.) per 70cl bottle

Distribution - Stock in Czech, Maxxium Bulgaria in Bulgaria

Tullamore Dew Black 43 is a new premium Irish whiskey blend, which is triple distilled, and aged in old Oloroso sherry casks. The ‘43’ in the name indicates its higher-than-usual alcohol strength.

“The new Black 43 is packaged in the standard Tullamore Dew bottle as an everyday drink, but the deep matt black labelling and silver foil give it a strongly masculine and sophisticated personality – in line with our target audience expectations” said C&C International’s marketing manager, Benoit Batard.

Black 43 joins a range that includes Tullamore Dew, 10 Year Old Reserve, 12 Year Old Special Reserve and 10 Year Old Single Malt.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Να γιατί ακριβαίνουν τα ουίσκι μας...

UK: Diageo CEO's salary soars

By: just-drinks.com editorial team | 15 September 2010

The drinks are on Diageo's CEO, Paul Walsh

The head of Diageo saw his annual salary leap by 72% last year, according to the firm's annual report.

The report, released yesterday (14 September), indicates that, despite base salaries for executive directors having been frozen in the year to the end of June, Paul Walsh's remuneration came in at around GBP6m (US$9.28m), a steep rise from the year before.

Whilst Walsh's base salary remained at GBP1.15m, he was awarded 171% of his annual wage as part of a short-term incentive plan. A long-term incentive plan, meanwhile, awarded Walsh in the range of 300% to 375% of his salary. Factoring in other benefits, Walsh's total remuneration for the 12-month period totalled GBP6.04m, up from GBP3.5m a year earlier.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Good News Ahead?

GLOBAL: Diageo eyes fresh Scotch whisky distillery

By: Chris Mercer | 29 September 2010

Demand for Scotch expected to keep growing - Diageo

Diageo could build another major Scotch whisky distillery within the next few years if demand for its brands continues to rise in Latin America and Asia.

Diageo's global category director for whisky, David Gates, has said that it is "absolutely feasible" that the Johnnie Walker distiller will have to "build up capacity" in the near future.

Speaking to just-drinks following a tour of the firm's new GBP40m distillery in Roseisle, Gates said: "If I'm doing my job right then we'll be building another one of these in a few years' time."

The Roseisle distillery, one of the industry's largest with an annual capacity of 10m litres of alcohol, reflects Diageo's confidence that consumers' thirst for the likes of Johnnie Walker, J&B and Buchanan's, will continue to grow. The company accounts for nearly a third of Scotch whisky production.

Demand in Asia and Latin America helped Johnnie Walker to increase sales by 7% in value and 11% in volume during Diageo's most recent fiscal year, to the end of June 2010. Global Scotch whisky sales rose by 3% in value and 4% in volume in 2009 and are expected to show another increase in the first half of 2010, although official figures have yet to be released.

Gates said that, while Diageo has "built in assumptions" on future economic dips in its Scotch whisky sales model, rising disposable incomes from Beijing to Rio de Janeiro will enable the sector to achieve "sustainable long-term growth".

However, there is some disagreement between Diageo and its main rival, Pernod Ricard, on how to build Scotch whisky's reputation around the world. Gates said that he was "slightly surprised" by Pernod's decision to launch a major campaign entitled "The Age Matters", which focuses on the importance of the age statement on whiskies such as Pernod's Chivas brand.

Gates said that Diageo has no plans to put age statements on Johnnie Walker and that age "is not the only factor" when it comes to choosing a quality bottle of Scotch.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Το Ξεφτιλίσανε και το HP

εκεί στην Edrington έχουν Χάσει την Μπάλα και όπως λέει και το άρθρο Υπάρχει και Κρίση

Highland Park's big night out

By: Chris Mercer - 1 October 2010 15:28

Edrington Group stands to make GBP2.75m (US$4.3m) if it can sell all 275 bottles of its new Highland Park 50 Year Old. just-drinks went along to see what all the fuss is about.

The high and mighty of whisky world were out in their gladrags in Harrods, London, last night to witness the launch of Highland Park 50. Wolf-whistles filled the air as global Highland Park brand controller Matthew Turner unveiled (literally, from under a silk cloth) the oldest whisky bottled at the Orkney-based distillery.

This whisky, unsurprisingly, has an intense flavour profile and the skill of craftmanship and hard labour that has gone into its solid silver bottle design is really impressive.

However, what I am left wondering - what I am often left wondering at such moments - is whether any alcoholic drink can really justify this kind of price tag. I mean this as no disrepect to Highland Park, but I'm just not sure.

In the end, I suppose, there are enough mega-rich in this world for it to be a case of 'if you build it, they will come'. And who can blame anyone for spotting an opportunity like that?

Still, it's a nonsensical world we live in. At the same time that Edrington Group was launching Highland Park 50 Year Old for GBP10,000 per bottle, the International Labour Organisation was delivering its dire assessment for employment prospects across much of the developed world over the next five years.

Recession is a strange business.

[Uisge-Beatha]

UK: Diageo debuts GBP40m Scotch whisky distillery

By: just-drinks.com editorial team | 28 September 2010

Diageo's Roseisle distillery will provide spirit for brands including Johnnie Walker

Diageo is preparing to open the first major Scotch whisky distillery for 30 years to help the Johnnie Walker distiller cater for growing demand in emerging markets.

The GBP40m (US$63.4m) distillery, one of the largest in the industry, is located in Roseisle near Elgin and will officially open its doors next month. It has the capacity to distil 10m litres of pure alcohol per year.

Diageo intends to use the facility to supply the growing number of Scotch consumers in Asia, Africa and Latin America thirsty for brands such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Buchanan's.

"Economic growth and consumer demographics present a great opportunity for the Scotch whisky industry and for Diageo's outstanding brands, especially in the developing markets," said Diageo's CEO, Paul Walsh, today (29 September).

Diageo sees particular opportunities for its whiskies in Brazil, Mexico and China, driven by interest from younger consumers and from emerging middle classes keen to show their rising social status.

"You could buy a Mercedes Benz or an iPad, but US$20 to put a bottle of Johnnie Walker on your dining table is a great way to show that you're going up in the world," said David Gates, Diageo's global category director for whisky. Gates' comments came at a preview visit to the distillery for journalists.

On Johnnie Walker's prospects in the key China spirits market, Gates added: "I'm feeling more confident than I have for the last six years. We're beginning to gain share there."

The Roseisle distillery is part of Diageo's three-year, GBP100m investment in its Scotch whisky operations, which also includes the construction of a new bottling plant and a GBP10m cooperage. Whisky from Roseisle will be first used in Diageo blended Scotch brands from 2012.

Global sales of Scotch whisky rose by 3% to GBP3.13bn in 2009, with volumes up by 4%, according to the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA). A spokesperson for the SWA told just-drinks that the upwards momentum has continued into 2010, although official figures have yet to be released.

[Celtic]

Diageo's Roseisle distillery will provide spirit for brands including Johnnie Walker

Diageo is preparing to open the first major Scotch whisky distillery for 30 years to help the Johnnie Walker distiller cater for growing demand in emerging markets.

The GBP40m (US$63.4m) distillery, one of the largest in the industry, is located in Roseisle near Elgin and will officially open its doors next month. It has the capacity to distil 10m litres of pure alcohol per year.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Κάτι μου λέει ότι αυτό δεν θα είναι επισκέψιμο...

[Uisge-Beatha]

IRELAND: Cooley Distillery eyes partners for Irish whiskey boom - interview

By: Chris Mercer | 8 October 2010

Distiller open to tie-ups

Seeks distribution deals

Expects strong growth for Irish whiskey

Cooley's Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve Malt, launched in June

Cooley Distillery is on the lookout for partners as strong global demand for Irish whiskey has generated greater interest in the sector, the group's managing director has told just-drinks.

Privately-held Cooley needs partners to beef up the distribution of its brands against an impressive list of rivals including Diageo, Pernod Ricard and William Grant & Sons.

"It's not an easy landscape," Cooley's joint-MD, Jack Teeling, told just-drinks in an interview today (8 October). "We've worked with partners before and, further down the line, I'm sure we'll be working with other players," he said.

William Grant's acquisition of Tullamore Dew, together with Irish whiskey's strong growth trajectory, is likely to spark greater interest in the sector from other multinationals. And, in an industry where Cooley owns three out of the six distilleries in operation, Teeling expects a few knocks on the door.

"If our predictions are right, every large drinks company will need a brand of Irish whiskey," he said, adding: "A lot of companies talk to us about Irish whiskey, because there's basically no one else to talk to." Not that 23-year-old Cooley, which is perhaps best-known for its Kilbeggan brand, necessarily wants to sell up. The group is proudly independent and Teeling said that the firm was more interested in tie-ups rather than takeovers.

Irish whiskey sells around 5m nine-litre cases annually, with Pernod Ricard's Jameson accounting for almost 3m of those. Scotch whisky, in comparison, is nearer the 100m cases mark, having sold 1.1bn 70cl bottles last year.

Yet, market research group Datamonitor expects sales of Irish whiskey to rise by 9% annually up to 2014. Demand is being led by the US, which accounted for 1m cases in 2009 and is projected to grow by another 200,000 cases in 2010, giving Irish whiskey roughly 3% of the whisk(e)y market by volume.

"Cooley has seen a significant increase in interest coming from all aspects of the US liquor industry," said the company in its annual report, published late last week.

"It's not a blip, we see a medium-to-long-term uptrend," said Teeling, on a break from showing Russian clients around Cooley's facilities ahead of the football match between Republic of Ireland and Russia this weekend. "Growth is coming mainly from the US, but this will spread out. We're seeing early signs in Australia, which is probably five, six or seven years behind the US, as well as pockets in Europe. Even younger consumers in Ireland are starting to drink Irish whiskey again. The taps will turn on."

Cooley is strongest in Western markets, particularly Germany, where it and Tullamore Dew have kept Jameson out of the top two in terms of volume.

Life is not all roses, however. Cooley could only report flat net profits for 2009, at EUR3m (US$4m). Net sales fell back to EUR14.2m from EUR18.7m in 2008, with the difference attributed to one-off gains from bulk whiskey sales in 2008.

Teeling said that "underlying sales growth is strong", although he said that branded whiskey sales were "not as high as we would like". He blamed this, in part, on the firm's travails in gaining the right distribution partners; a problem he believes may ease following William Grant's purchase of Tullamore Dew from C&C Group.

"They're going to have to change distribution partners, and when [those ex-partners] come looking for brands, we'll be able to take them up," he said. Grant has already taken Tullamore Dew distribution in-house in the UK, handing the brand to its First Drinks subsidiary following several years with Maxxium UK. It is believed that several distribution deals on Tullamore Dew in other markets are coming up for renewal.

Teeling added that he expects Cooley's strength in depth to improve premium whiskey sales. In June, the firm launched Kilbeggan Distillery Reserve Malt, priced at EUR50 per bottle, in an attempt to broaden out the Irish whiskey category from purely blended expressions. Alongside Kilbeggan, Cooley also owns Tyrconnell, Connemara and Greenore brands, which include expressions such as Connemara Peated Single Malt and Single Grain Greenore.

"The Irish whiskey category is not just a single brand," said Teeling. With consumer demand set to remain strong, Cooley, William Grant and Diageo (Bushmills) have the chance to prove him right.

[mallios]

Να προσθέσω για άλλη μια φορά το πόσο εκτιμώ την προσπάθεια που γίνεται σε αυτό το topic κατά 99% αποκλειστικά από UB.

Αναφορικά με το Roseisle, και επειδή είχα ενημερωθεί άμεσα από το Laddie Blog όταν άνοιξε, θα ήθελα να πω ότι τέτοιες επενδύσεις με βρίσκουν σύμφωνο αφού δίνουν δούλειά και ώθηση στην αγορά σε τόσο δύσκολες στιγμές και συγκυρίες.

Από την άλλη, είμαι λίγο επιφυλακτικός σχετικά με το πόσο η τόση και τέτοια εμπορικοποίηση (επιτρέψτε μου την καφρική λέξη) θα δώσει το κάτι παραπάνω στα λοιπά χαρακτηριστικά του ποτού που αγαπάμε.

Επίσης, κάπου με ξενίζει και το τόσο μοντέρνο design σε μία κατλα παράδοση "παραδοσιάκή" "βιομηχανία".

Κατά τα άλλα, προσωπικά θα πω ένα μπράβο στην DIAGEO (που τόσο πολυ την έχω κατηγορήσει) που τελικά δεν κλείνει μόνο μονάδες (εμφιαλωτήριο Johny Walker) αλλά ταυτόχρονα επενδύει και δημιουργεί.

[Celtic]

Επίσης, κάπου με ξενίζει και το τόσο μοντέρνο design σε μία κατα παράδοση "παραδοσιάκή" "βιομηχανία".

Απο αισθητική σκοπιά, ο συνδυασμός χαλκού-ατσαλιού-αλουμινίου-γυαλιού στο εν λόγω κτίσμα είναι για βραβείο.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Συμφωνώ και εγώ με τον Κέλτη το design μου αρέσει και εμενα μπορεί να μην είναι κλασικό αποστακτήριο αλλα είναι εικοστός πρώτος αιώνας. Εντύπωση μου κάνει επίσης (αν διακρίνω καλά) οι δυο διαφορετικοί τύποι άμβικα (πολύαποστακτήριο αλλα Ιρλανδία και Ιαπωνία?) Όσο για το θέμα Μάλλιος Thanks είναι το ελάχιστο που μπορώ να κάνω (copy paste ελλείψει χρόνου για μεταφράσεις κτλ)

[Uisge-Beatha]

Και κάτι πιο συγκεκριμένο για την Ελλάδα

UK: Drambuie Liqueur Co sales struggle to recover

By: just-drinks.com editorial team | 11 October 2010

Sales struggle in Greece, US

Group swings to net losses for year

Plans launch of Drambuie 15 in premium push

Drambuie Liqueur Co upbeat on prospects

Sales of Drambuie, the Scotch whisky liqueur, have struggled to regain ground lost during the height of the global economic crisis.

Drambuie Liqueur Co saw net sales slip to GBP19.2m (US$30.6m) for the 12 months to the end of June, compared to GBP19.3m in the previous year, the firm said late last week. Lower sales of whisky undermined a 1% rise in the value of Drambuie case sales.

While the firm was upbeat on its performance, it failed to make up for a 12% drop in sales of Drambuie in the previous year.

A 27% leap in volume sales in the UK during the 12 months was also tempered by lower consumption in Greece and the US. Drambuie consumption has collapsed in Greece, the group's third largest market by volume, during the country's financial crisis.

One-off charges and payments caused Drambuie to swing to net losses of GBP1.5m for the year, compared to profits of GBP1m in the previous year. Charges included a GBP1m payment set aside as part of a five-year bonus scheme for selected employees. The group also spent GBP1.7m on redesigning and marketing its new bottle design.

Drambuie's CEO, Phil Parnell, remained upbeat on the performance: "Despite the ravages of the global recession," he said, "we have made significant progress this year towards the rebuilding of the company.

"Volume and underlying operating profits have stabilised and the brand, with its new packaging and range extensions, looks in better health than for many years. With the exception of the problems in southern Europe, we look forward to further recovery in 2011.” Drambuie, he added, was free of debt and had GBP4.8m in cash.

Operating profits prior to exceptional charges were flat against the previous year, at GBP2.8m. However, after one-off items, the firm reported operating losses of GBP1.56m.

From January 2011, Parnell will become executive chairman of the firm, following the retirement of Richard Stone. Michael Kennedy, the current regional director for Southern Europe, will take on the role of managing director.

Parnell told just-drinks today (11 October) that Kennedy will initially focus on the core commercial business. The company plans to install Kennedy in the full CEO role in 2012, when Parnell anticipates a switch to non-executive chairman.

The company said that it intends to take its liqueur brand up the price ladder by introducing Drambuie 15 in travel retail later this month. Drambuie 15 will join super-premium The Royal Legacy of 1745, launched last autumn.

Drambuie Liqueur Co has switched its contract bottling and supply partner from Glenmorangie Co to Morrison Bowmore Distillers in the last year.

Και η εξήγηση... Ο Celtic έκοψε το Drambuie

[Uisge-Beatha]

Talisker: Made by the Sea (but not this sea)

By: Chris Mercer - 26 November 2010 15:18

http://www.just-drinks.com/the-just-drinks-blog/talisker-made-by-the-sea-but-not-this-sea_id1806.aspx

Diageo annoys locals by using French coastline to promote Talisker

view 1 related image

Diageo has committed something of a faux-pas by using an image of the French coastline to publicise its Talisker Scotch whisky.

The drinks giant recently began its first global push on Talisker and is using a poster that depicts a lighthouse on the island of Le Creac’h, off the coast of Brittany. The poster contains the slogan "made by the sea". Locals on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where the Talisker distillery lies, are a little irked.

If you've never been to Skye, then add it to your list. I have been and it seems pretty odd to me that the island's outstanding natural beauty was not used exclusively to front Diageo's campaign, which began last month with a GBP1.6m marketing spend in the UK alone.

A spokesperson for Diageo said that the group will also be using a photo of the lighthouse at Neist Point on Skye during the Talisker campaign. "The purpose of these dramatic seascapes is to contrast the elemental power of standing by a rugged coastline with the warmth and exhilaration of drinking Talisker," Diageo told just-drinks.

“The intention is to expand and develop the campaign and to feature other iconic maritime images which capture the essence of Talisker and which reflect the global nature of this iconic whisky brand," it added.

Seeing as not all Talisker whisky is matured at the distillery on Skye (there is not enough space), and that the barley must first travel to Diageo's big maltings not far from Inverness before the distillery goes to work, I suppose the picture of a French lighthouse in the campaign poster is just another detour.

Marketing is full of embellishment, of course. The question is: how far can poetic licence stretch? And, in this case, does Diageo need to stretch it? The Isle of Skye is bursting with myths, legends and brooding landscapes.

[Uisge-Beatha]

Και η απάντηση των ντόπιων.

Τα σχόλια έχουν πολύ ενδιαφέρον αν και ξεφεύγουν

Mallios θα σε ενδιαφέρουν μια που ασχολούνται και με το Bruichladdich

http://forargyll.com/2010/11/diageo-compounds-its-misrepresetations-on-talisker/

[avaton]

Diageo has committed something of a faux-pas by using an image of the French coastline to publicise its Talisker Scotch whisky.

The drinks giant recently began its first global push on Talisker and is using a poster that depicts a lighthouse on the island of Le Creac’h, off the coast of Brittany. The poster contains the slogan "made by the sea". Locals on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, where the Talisker distillery lies, are a little irked.

U.B. είναι η συσκευασία που μας έδειξε ο McChariz στο AAW Γλυφάδας?

Αν ναι, η συσκευασία είναι απίθανη και πολύ πρωτότυπη για whisky - ξεφεύγει από τα γήινα χρώματα που έχουν οι περισσότερες.

[Uisge-Beatha]

U.B. είναι η συσκευασία που μας έδειξε ο McChariz στο AAW Γλυφάδας?

Αν ναι, η συσκευασία είναι απίθανη και πολύ πρωτότυπη για whisky - ξεφεύγει από τα γήινα χρώματα που έχουν οι περισσότερες.

Όχι το άρθρο αφορά αφίσες και τηλεοπτικά σποτάκια.

Όσο για την αισθητική της συσκευασίας συμφωνώ και νομίζω η Lifeboat που έφερα στον Wisdom

είναι ακόμα καλύτερη (αποτελεί βελτίωση αυτής που είδαμε συν τα logo του Lifeboat)

[Wisdom]

Όσο για την αισθητική της συσκευασίας συμφωνώ και νομίζω η Lifeboat που έφερα στον Wisdom

είναι ακόμα καλύτερη (αποτελεί βελτίωση αυτής που είδαμε συν τα logo του Lifeboat)

Και για του λόγου το αληθές, μόλις σκάναρα τη φωτογραφία από τη συσκευασία. Κάντε κλικ στο παρακάτω thumbnail.

ΥΓ. Η φωτογραφία έχει τραβηχτεί όντως από το Isle of Skye.

[Uisge-Beatha]

US: Diageo and Bacardi to team up for Beam Global?

By: Chris Mercer | 17 December 2010

Diageo and Bacardi could move for Beam Global Spirits & Wine

Bacardi could emerge as the supporting actor for Diageo's tilt at Beam Global Spirits & Wine, according drinks analysts.

Speculation over possible suitors for the Jim Beam Bourbon producer has intensified after its parent group, Fortune Brands, said that it would separate its business into three standalone units. If the move goes ahead, Beam Global Spirits & Wine would be separated from Fortune's less attractive home and gold divisions.

Diageo is understood to be monitoring the situation. It does not have a Bourbon brand and the opportunity to acquire Jim Beam and Maker's Mark might be too tempting to resist. The drinks giant wants to increase its scale in North America and has the firepower for a deal.

However, Beam Global's portfolio is so diverse, including the likes of Courvoisier Cognac and Sauza Tequila, that Diageo's existing brands and tie-ups would probably preclude it from acquiring Beam Global outright.

That is where Bacardi could enter the fold, according to analyst group Bernstein, which rates the value of Beam Global's business at around US$9bn. Bernstein believes that there is a strong possibility of a Diageo, Bacardi agreement to buy and carve up Beam Global.

"We think it would make sense from a strategic standpoint as it would diversify its portfolio and we believe that Bacardi has balance sheet capacity as they previously participated in the V&S auction," said Bernstein.

"Although all major spirits houses are likely to be interested, we do not see a potential acquirer other than Diageo or Bacardi," it added. "We believe Pernod Ricard and Constellation are limited by their balance sheet as is Campari whilst Brown-Forman would face clear anti-trust issues in our view."

Many analysts strongly expect Beam Global's business to be subject to takeover offers. "Although Fortune Brands management intends to keep the distilled spirits business independent, we would be surprised if this was the case a year from now," said Evolution Securities.

It agreed that a Bacardi/Diageo combination "has the greatest chance of success" and added that a deal could give Diageo an "unassailable position" in the US. Beam Global is the third largest spirits company in the US, which accounts for around half of the global spirits profit pool.

http://www.just-drinks.com/news/diageo-and-bacardi-to-team-up-for-beam-global_id102675.aspx?lk=dm

[Uisge-Beatha]

Αυτό θα πει ταξίδι!!!

Whisky pilgrimage raises over £5k for Burke and Hare actor's

OVER £5000 has been raised for Scots film star David Hayman's international charity Spirit Aid, following a summer of intensive distillery-visiting by the actor and friends.

"I'm absolutely thrilled," said Hayman, who most recently starred in the John Landis feature film Burke and Hare. "This cash will be crucial in responding to an emergency in Milonde, Malawi where we have been setting up projects for the last three years. The community of 15,000 people which has no electricity, no running water and no sanitation has recently been hit by the worst storm in living memory. The roof of our recently built Youth and Community Centre was ripped off. Many homes were destroyed, one person was killed and many injured. We have temporarily re-housed the families and are looking after them, but we will re-build all the homes as soon as we can. This wonderful addition of funds raised by the Barnard Challenge could not have come at a better time. All of us at Spirit Aid give our heartfelt thanks to everyone; Tom, Vladimir, Rob and all the Distilleries who so kindly gave of their time, and whisky, to make it all possible"

The Barnard Challenge marked the 150th anniversary of legendary whisky author and traveller Alfred Barnard starting his journey to every whisky distillery in Britain and Ireland.

From 22 June until 5 August, actor David Hayman, broadcaster Tom Morton, comedian Vladimir McTavish and Rob Allanson, Editor of Whisky Magazine visited every whisky region in Scotland, as well as the distilleries in England, Wales and Ireland, in aid of the charity Spirit Aid <http://www.spiritaid.org.uk/> .

The journey attempted to emulate Alfred Barnard’s feat, by visiting 50 distilleries in 2010 in order to raise as much money as possible for Spirit Aid's <http://www.spiritaid.org.uk/> humanitarian projects both in Scotland and internationally.

The team visited 49 distilleries and the Speyside Cooperage, collecting over 50 bottles of whisky on the way. The fund raising effort climaxed at the Belladrum Festival near Beauly, where Tom, Rob and David all performed at the Co-op Verb garden's mini whisky festival. And on 17 November, the donated bottles of whisky were auctioned at Bonham in Edinburgh.

Including donations received during the challenge, the total raised comes to £5,123.

Morton and Allanson, sponsored by Triumph Motorcycles, set a new record of seven days for visiting distilleries in England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and Wales, plus the most northerly and southerly in Scotland. McTavish's Edinburgh Fringe show Whisky - An Idiot's guide was a major success.

Tom Morton said:

"I'm delighted that David's charity was able to benefit to such an extent. I'd like to thank everyone for all the hard work they put in, and the distilleries for being so generous with their time and whisky. I'd also like to apologise to Triumph for breaking one of their motorbikes."

The Barnard Challenge is likely to continue year by year.

"Rob and I may have set a record," said Morton, "but it would be good to see folk making the same journey more slowly, but using different methods of transport. Perhaps elephants next year."

http://www.whiskymag.com/news/13407.html

[Uisge-Beatha]

Αν και ασχολείται με κρασί και μονο νομίζω ότι ότι αξίζει να του ρίξετε μια ματια!

Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 outperforms gold, oil and equities in 2010

On the 29th of December, the Liv-ex Fine Wine 50 Index broke the 400 point barrier for the first time, having been based at 100 in January 2004.

The index – which tracks the Medoc First Growths across ten different vintages – has risen almost 60% in 2010. As the table below shows, this is a significantly better performance than that achieved by other assets - outshining even gold.

All performance figures, exclude dividends and costs.

http://www.liv-ex.typepad.com/

[Uisge-Beatha]

Comment - Raw Material Price Rises Threaten Crisis

By: Chris Brook-Carter | 11 January 2011

Could raw material prices be heading for a perfect storm?

We are only one poor harvest away from chaos, a leading food analyst has predicted this week. Coming in the same week as the floods in Australia, which, aside from awful social affects, will devastate the region's wheat harvest, this has thrown the spotlight squarely onto the rising prices of raw materials once again.

Meanwhile, the CEO of Carlsberg used an interview in the British media yesterday to attack the hedge funds for artificially increasing the cost of raw materials. The practice of short-selling in particular, he argued, is making an inflationary situation worse.

Presently, agricultural commodity prices are almost 50% higher than they were this time last year. A series of weather disasters have grabbed the headlines: There has been a severe drought in major wheat-producing countries such as Russia and Ukraine, whilst floods in Colombia, Brazil and Vietnam have affected the production of coffee and sugar. But, food supplies still remain at historically high levels. The reality is that demand is at the heart of the long-term trend, with a booming middle class in India and China eating more meat, leading to a hike in demand for grain for animal feed.

Financial speculators have latched on to this and the attractiveness of commodities as an investment vehicle, in otherwise uncertain times, has boomed.

All combined, we are looking at a crisis of potentially epic levels. Stable rice supplies and prices have shielded the world's poorest so far. But, it's what happens should there be an even more serious failure in the world's harvests that worries watchers. Robert Zoellick, president of the World Bank, has warned that the rising prices are "a threat to global growth and social stability".

In this environment, it is intriguing to hear corporate CEO's and poverty campaigners both play the blame game with regards to financial speculation in the market.

The role of the hedge funds in exacerbating food prices has been criticised before. But the comments from the likes of Zoellick and the very real possibility that we'll see social unrest and food shortages for some of the world's most vulnerable will place the practice under scrutiny like never before.

Looking at the UN figures, there is a clear rise in the price index in July last year when money flooded into the commodity market.

"The real reason for the large and rapid increase in wheat price lay in banks trading in exchanges in Chicago, US," an article on the website Share the World's Resources recently argued. "Away from the wildfires of Russia, hot money flooded into the wheat markets in July 2010, betting on an increase in prices."

It continued: "The ugly face of banks and hedge funds speculating on the price of food had raised its head once again."

Ultimately, the money being piled into commodity trading remains a symptom of the underlining trend rather than a de facto cause. But, it's hard not to believe that short-selling on agricultural commodities does not exacerbate the problem. The very real prospect of the terrible social consequences of spiralling costs gives the calls to rein in these trades a moral legitimacy, regardless of whether it will curb the long-term issues

http://www.just-drinks.com/comment/comment-raw-material-price-rises-threaten-crisis_id102776.aspx?lk=dmf