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- news
Costco to Discontinue Co-Branded Kirkland Beers, Ending Partnership With Deschutes
After less than two years, Costco and Deschutes Brewery plan to discontinue their co-branded line of Kirkland Signature beers. Deschutes chief executive officer Peter Skrbek announced the change in a notice to distributors sent on July 1, Craft Business Daily reports. Production is set to be scaled back as soon as this month. The collaboration includes Kirkland Signature Helles Lager and Kirkland Signature Vintage Ale, which are expected to be gone from most Costco warehouse’s shelves by September or October. The big box store launched its partnership with Deschutes in December 2024, and it enjoyed a slew of accolades soon after. The article Costco to Discontinue Co-Branded Kirkland Beers, Ending Partnership With Deschutes appeared first on VinePair .
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Buffalo Trace Resurfaces 5 Iconic Whiskey Brands With Newest Prohibition Collection
Buffalo Trace Distillery is resurfacing five historic American whiskey brands for the third installment of its Prohibition Collection. This year’s edition features a lineup of five distinct whiskeys, including a high-proof rye, an uncut bourbon, and a blended whiskey, each representing a now-defunct brand that operated during Prohibition. The five whiskeys represent brands — Cove Spring, Henry Watterson, John G. Carlisle, Kentucky River, and Walter B. Duffy — produced under the direction of Albert B. Blanton at the George T. Stagg Distillery, which was granted one of six federal licenses to legally produce whiskey for medicinal purposes during Prohibition. The article Buffalo Trace Resurfaces 5 Iconic Whiskey Brands With Newest Prohibition Collection appeared first on VinePair .
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Paris Suspends Public Drinking as Record Heatwave Rattles France
Paris again banned public drinking this weekend in response to the record-breaking heatwave engulfing parts of Europe. First responders and hospitals are already fighting a weather-induced influx of patients, Paris police chief Patrice Faure says, and the drinking ban is a move to prevent further hospitalizations, according to The New York Times. The ban on drinking takeaway alcohol in public began at noon Central Europe Time today and will end at 7 a.m. tomorrow morning. It will be in place for the same timeframe from Saturday to Sunday. The article Paris Suspends Public Drinking as Record Heatwave Rattles France appeared first on VinePair .
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The 20 Most Popular Vodka Brands in the World for 2026
Vodka remains one of the most popular spirits categories in the world. In the United States alone, it ranked as the top spirit by revenue in 2025, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). By volume, the category came in second to ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. In its annual Brand Champions Report, The Spirits Business ranked the world’s top vodka brands by nine-liter case sales. According to 2025 data, only three of the category’s 20 best-selling brands recorded year-over-year losses in volume sales. The remaining 17 saw sales spike by 2.2 percent or more. The article The 20 Most Popular Vodka Brands in the World for 2026 appeared first on VinePair .
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Old Fitzgerald Adds 10-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to its Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series
Today, Heaven Hill Distillery announced the spring edition of the Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series, a 10-year-old bourbon bottled at 100 proof that will be allocated to select markets beginning in July. The release is available in 750-milliliter decanters with a suggested retail price of $149.99, according to a press release. Old Fitzgerald’s Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series has biannual releases each fall and spring. The article Old Fitzgerald Adds 10-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey to its Bottled-in-Bond Decanter Series appeared first on VinePair .
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Four Roses Launches New Experimental Series With Japanese Mizunara Oak-Aged Bourbon
Four Roses Distillery is launching the Experimental Series, a line of limited-edition whiskeys aimed at innovating within its tried-and-true, 10-recipe format. The line’s first release, Experimental Series No. 001, will be available at the Four Roses Distillery Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, Ky., beginning July 30 with a suggested retail price of $55 for each 375-milliliter bottle, according to a press release. Experimental Series No. 001 is a 104-proof blend of bourbons aged for six years in Japanese mizunara oak barrels. The article Four Roses Launches New Experimental Series With Japanese Mizunara Oak-Aged Bourbon appeared first on VinePair .
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Willett Distillery Barrels First Whiskey at New Kentucky Facility
Willett Distillery is expanding its bourbon and rye production to a second Kentucky location after nearly 90 years at its flagship Bardstown facility. The company announced the new distillery, situated in Springfield, Ky., today. The Springfield facility, just 18 miles from Bardstown, spans 150 acres and is slated to offer 35 full-time jobs, according to a press release. In addition to the distillery, the new location features barrel-aging warehouses. Willett inaugurated operations at Springfield by barrelling its first whiskey last Thursday. The article Willett Distillery Barrels First Whiskey at New Kentucky Facility appeared first on VinePair .
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The 10 Most Popular American Whiskey Brands in the World for 2026
Many industries have felt the effects of the second Trump administration’s ongoing tariff war, and American whiskey is no exception. Last year, global American whiskey exports plummeted by 19 percent, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). That drop was largely a result of the industry having front-loaded exports to European Union markets in 2024 in anticipation of retaliatory tariffs and of Canada’s province-wide boycott of American liquor. Despite the dips in certain regions, American whiskey was the country’s most exported spirit with major growth in new markets like Brazil and Australia. The article The 10 Most Popular American Whiskey Brands in the World for 2026 appeared first on VinePair .
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The 10 Most Popular Tequila Brands in the World for 2026
In the late 2010s, tequila exploded in the U.S., but recent years have brought a slight downturn in the market. In 2025, the United States imported 32.1 million nine-liter cases of tequila and mezcal, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), a slight dip from 2024’s figures. The Spirits Business’ annual Brand Champions Report, which ranks brands based on nine-liter case sales, found that six of the top-selling tequila producers posted lower sales numbers in 2025 than in the previous year. The article The 10 Most Popular Tequila Brands in the World for 2026 appeared first on VinePair .
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Trump Threatens 100% Tariff on French Wine and Champagne, Macron Resists
Hours before taking off for France to attend a summit with other world leaders, United States President Donald Trump threatened a 100 percent tariff on French wine and Champagne. The levy would come in retaliation for the French government’s 3 percent tax on services from American tech companies. Trump announced the ultimatum today in an interview with the New York Post. Unless French President Emmanuel Macron ditches the sales tax on American tech, Trump claims he would have “no choice” but to impose the 100 percent tariff on all French Champagne and wine. The article Trump Threatens 100% Tariff on French Wine and Champagne, Macron Resists appeared first on VinePair .
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The 20 Most Popular Scotch Brands in the World for 2026
While Scotch whisky sales surged in 2021 and 2022, the industry has since taken consistent hits. Last year, global Scotch whisky exports slid by 4.3 percent in volume, according to The Spirits Business’ annual Brand Champions Report. The report, which ranks the world’s 20 top-selling Scotch brands by 9-liter case sales, found 13 of the biggest brands were down year-over-year. The Spirits Business attributes the sagging sales to the tug-of-war over tariffs, mounting operational costs in the U.K., and wilting demand for Scotch in general, but the outlook isn’t entirely grim. The article The 20 Most Popular Scotch Brands in the World for 2026 appeared first on VinePair .
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Green River Launches Distillery Select Line with Toasted Double Oak, Its Oldest Bourbon to Date
Green River Distilling Co. is releasing its oldest product yet: Toasted Double Oak Bourbon, bottled at 115.1 proof at eight years old. The high-proof whiskey will be the first in the new Distillery Select line, an innovative series launched to allow Green River to experiment with proofs, finishes, and rickhouse selection. Toasted Double Oak Bourbon will be available at the Owensboro, Ky. distillery beginning June 20 and the brand’s tasting room in Louisville starting June 26. The article Green River Launches Distillery Select Line with Toasted Double Oak, Its Oldest Bourbon to Date appeared first on VinePair .
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Elijah Craig Adds 21-Year-Old Bourbon to Single Barrel Lineup
Elijah Craig is adding to its Single Barrel portfolio with a 21-year-old bourbon bottled at 94 proof. The release will be a limited edition offering alongside the two bottles in the existing, permanent Single Barrel lineup, which consists of a 15-year-old and an 18-year-old bourbon. The 21-year-old whiskey will be available at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown, Ky., beginning June 14 with a suggested retail price of $299.99. Brand tasting notes highlight toasted oak, leather, and robust spices on the nose, followed by a palate rich with chocolate, toasted nuts, and caramel. The article Elijah Craig Adds 21-Year-Old Bourbon to Single Barrel Lineup appeared first on VinePair .
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Four Roses Releases Its Oldest Bourbon Yet to Inaugurate ‘Ultra-Premium’ Anthology Line
Four Roses Distillery will launch its oldest bourbon to date to inaugurate its new “ultra-premium” Anthology line this summer, the brand announced today. Anthology will be a series of annual, limited releases intended to honor the distillery’s nearly 140-year history. The series debuts with a 21-year-old, 124.9-proof bourbon named Chapter One: Origin, which will hit markets on July 10 at a suggested retail price of $500. This announcement comes at a time when many other distilleries are also doing the same. The article Four Roses Releases Its Oldest Bourbon Yet to Inaugurate ‘Ultra-Premium’ Anthology Line appeared first on VinePair .
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Uncle Nearest Receiver Files Letter of Intent to Sell the Whiskey Brand
Nine months after being named receiver of Uncle Nearest, Inc., Phillip G. Young, Jr., filed a non-binding letter of intent to sell the embattled whiskey brand this past Friday. The filing comes just three days after the case’s presiding judge denied founder Fawn Weaver’s motion to reverse the company’s receivership. Young will potentially hand all assets of the company — with the exception of three — to an undisclosed, African-American-owned investment firm, should the court approve the sale. The article Uncle Nearest Receiver Files Letter of Intent to Sell the Whiskey Brand appeared first on VinePair .
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Wild Turkey Debuts 16-Year-Old Gold Foil Edition, First in New Austin Nichols Archives Line
Wild Turkey is launching its Austin Nichols Archives line with the release of a 120-proof, 16-year-old bourbon called Gold Foil Edition, the brand announced today in a press release. Gold Foil Edition, one of the most anticipated spirits releases of the year, is now available in select markets at a suggested retail price of $400. Austin Nichols Archives will be an annual, limited-edition series dedicated to celebrating the most famed dusties of the distillery’s past. The article Wild Turkey Debuts 16-Year-Old Gold Foil Edition, First in New Austin Nichols Archives Line appeared first on VinePair .
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Pabst Discontinues Schlitz, the Beloved American Lager Brand
Last week, Pabst Brewing Company announced its plan to discontinue Schlitz, a once-beloved brand known as “the beer that made Milwaukee famous.” Pabst cited rising storage and shipping costs as the reasons for the decision to shut down the historic brand. Wisconsin Brewing Co. — which has brewed Pabst products in the past — will brew the last batch of Schlitz on May 23, Milwaukee Magazine reports. The article Pabst Discontinues Schlitz, the Beloved American Lager Brand appeared first on VinePair .
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NYC Health Department Launches Anti-Alcohol ‘Buzzkill’ Campaign
The New York City Health Department is urging New Yorkers to cut back on alcohol consumption due to the associated risk of cancers in a new campaign dubbed “Buzzkill.” While other U.S. cities and states like Worcester, Mass., and Oregon kickstarted movements against underage drinking, drinking and driving, and excessive drinking, the NYC Health Department’s “Buzzkill” initiative marks the first time a major city is campaigning against alcohol consumption specifically for cancer risk. The article NYC Health Department Launches Anti-Alcohol ‘Buzzkill’ Campaign appeared first on VinePair .
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Memo: RNDC to Shed Five More Markets as Firesale Continues
Following a chaotic week of deal announcements for most of Republic National Distributing Company’s (RNDC) collapsing empire, the wholesaler has made arrangements with two rivals for five of its remaining markets, VinePair has learned. According to an internal memo sent Tuesday morning by RNDC chief executive Marc Sachs, the unraveling firm has received a letter of intent from BreakThru Beverage Group (BBG) for its joint-venture operations in Kentucky and Indiana. RNDC has also separately reached an agreement with Quality Brands Distribution for a “potential transaction” for its Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota business. The article Memo: RNDC to Shed Five More Markets as Firesale Continues appeared first on VinePair .
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Employees at NYC Cocktail Institution Attaboy Vote to Unionize
Today, employees at Attaboy on Manhattan’s Lower East Side voted 13-8 in favor of unionizing under the moniker Attaboy Local 134, bartender Samaiyah Patrick, who is part of the workers’ corps, confirms to VinePair. The result marks the first time a major New York City cocktail bar’s staff has been successful in forming an independent workers’ organization. “There’s a lot of work ahead, but it’s nice to have some momentum and to do something that hasn’t really been done before,” Patrick says. The article Employees at NYC Cocktail Institution Attaboy Vote to Unionize appeared first on VinePair .
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Stitzel-Weller Releases Its Oldest Bourbon Yet — A 31-Year-Old $3,000 Limited Edition
Stitzel-Weller Distillery is releasing Stitzel Reserve 31-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey, its oldest bourbon yet, the brand announced today in a press release. The 31-year-old bourbon is now available exclusively at the Diageo-owned Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville, Ky., for $3,000 per 750-milliliter bottle, and, with only 176 bottles available, purchase is limited to one per person. The article Stitzel-Weller Releases Its Oldest Bourbon Yet — A 31-Year-Old $3,000 Limited Edition appeared first on VinePair .
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Exclusive: The Wine Group Acquires ‘Phony Negroni’ Maker St. Agrestis
The Wine Group (TWG) has acquired St. Agrestis, the company behind the rapidly growing non-alcoholic ready-to-drink (RTD) Phony Negroni, chief marketing officer Helen Kurtz tells VinePair. TWG has not disclosed the transaction’s sum. In addition to the Phony Negroni — a non-alcoholic riff on the classic cocktail and the brand’s most popular product — St. Agrestis’s portfolio includes other zero-proof and alcoholic RTD aperitivos and Negronis. TWG’s purchase marks its first significant foray into the spirits sector, but Kurtz says the company plans to hone in on St. Agrestis’s non-alcoholic portfolio. The article Exclusive: The Wine Group Acquires ‘Phony Negroni’ Maker St. Agrestis appeared first on VinePair .
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High Noon Launches Golf-Inspired Transfusion Vodka Seltzer as Its First Limited Flavor
Today High Noon is releasing High Noon Transfusion, a vodka seltzer inspired by the cocktail popular among golfers, the brand announced in a press release. The launch marks the first time the popular ready-to-drink (RTD) vodka seltzer brand has brought a limited-edition product to market. High Noon Transfusion, which is made with real vodka and juice and tastes like the classic grape-juice drink with accents of lime and ginger, is now available nationwide but in finite allocations in each market. The article High Noon Launches Golf-Inspired Transfusion Vodka Seltzer as Its First Limited Flavor appeared first on VinePair .
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Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman Abandon Merger Talks, Both Confirm
Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman are no longer pursuing a potential deal, both companies confirmed in separate press releases today. Brown-Forman’s stock fell by 5.08 percent as of 4:54 p.m. in after-hours trading following the announcements. News that discussions have been terminated comes just over a month after Pernod and Brown-Forman’s will-they-won’t-they saga came to light. In late March, both spirits producers confirmed they were exploring a business deal, which they described as a “merger of equals.” Sazerac threw its hat into the ring when it offered to buy Brown-Forman for $15 billion. The article Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman Abandon Merger Talks, Both Confirm appeared first on VinePair .