After a headline release from Léoville Las Cases this morning, two more highly anticipated ‘super seconds’ were released in its wake but their prices have left some feeling rather deflated. Ducru Beaucaillou and Pichon Comtesse were the wines in question but while critical appraisal was extremely high in both cases and many were anticipating their release, the opening prices appear to have softened that enthusiasm somewhat. Ducru was out at €139 per bottle, up 16% on the 2017 release (and equal to the 2016) which means an ex-London case price of £1,728. James Suckling and Lisa Perrotti-Brown...

Some Scottish distilleries were forced to halt whisky production last years after the summer heatwave caused them to run out of water. According to a report in The Guardian, water levels in springs and river in Speyside fell so low during the summer that some whisky makers lost up to a month’s worth of production. Speyside distillery Glenfarclas told the newspaper it had effectively lost the whole month of September, as its private water source, a local natural spring, ran dry, and as result production fell by up to 300,000 litres. “We lost the whole of September,” Callum Fraser told the paper,...

Swedish cider producer Kopparberg has extended its spirits range with the launch of Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Premium Gin. Earlier this month, Kopparberg made its first foray into spirits with the launch of a strawberry and lime-flavoured gin. Bottled at 37.5% abv, Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Premium Gin is made with juniper, lemon zest and coriander, along with the same raspberry and blackcurrant flavours as its popular cider flavour. Launched “just in time for summer” and ahead of World Gin Day on 8 June, Kopparberg Mixed Fruit Premium Gin will in available in UK supermarket Asda from 4 June for...

Edrington is set to release a new Macallan single malt whisky, which contains “rare” spirit made with barley from the brand’s Easter Elchies estate. Bottled at 43% abv, The Macallan Estate whisky is described as “rich and complex” with a “long finish”. It was created to celebrate the brand’s provenance and heritage. The liquid made from the Speyside brand’s home-grown barley is distilled once a year over seven days. Previously, it was limited to Macallan’s “most exclusive” bottlings. The 485-acre Easter Elchies estate has been the home of The Macallan since 1824. The barley fields are...

With the move to rear-load bulk trailers versus traditional side-loaders, liftgates have been playing a much more prominent role in beverage distribution fleets.

Costa Mesa Distilling Group LLC launched its new cocktail rum: SoCal Silver Rum. 

A.I. has become a defining issue of our time, affecting national security, economic development, human rights, social media and many other domains. President Donald Trump signed an executive order launching the “American AI Initiative”, directing federal agencies to officially focus more on artificial intelligence technology. The administration will be assigning federal agencies specific timelines for “deliverables” and expects to release more information about the initiative in the next six months. The initiative is following at least 18 other countries that have announced their own artificial...

Walmart uses 100s of bots to automate back-office processes. Western Digital reduces CapEx by using artificial intelligence to optimise test equipment. Bank of America and Harvard University’s Kennedy School collaborate on responsible AI development. 7-Eleven uses chatbots and research voice interfaces to innovate the user experience. At Pearson artificial intelligence is at the heart of the latest product innovations. Here are a few interesting videos about the AI reployments of these companies: Walmart AI Bots Bank of America Merrill Lynch April 11th 2018, Catherine Bessant,...

Ménage à Trois, a wine brand that is wholly owned and operated by Napa Valley, Calif.-based Trinchero Family Estates, announced the limited release of Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon.

Brandy and liqueurs are among the alcoholic beverages that have been targeted with proposed retaliatory tariffs from the US in response to an ongoing dispute with the World Trade Organization (WTO). The US has been embroiled in a “long-standing” spat with the WTO over civil aircraft subsidies. On 8 April, the United States Trade Representative (USTR) revealed a draft list of EU products that could be hit by retaliatory tariffs – including alcohol. However, trade groups representing the alcohol industry in the US, including the Distilled Spirits Council, have said they “strongly oppose the inclusion...