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- news
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 .
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Sazerac Invests in Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila
818 Tequila, founded by Kendall Jenner, has received an investment from Sazerac, a partnership that will also loop the trendy tequila brand into the Louisville, Ky.-based spirits producer’s sales and distribution network. Sazerac announced the deal today in a press release that did not disclose the terms of the transaction. Jenner started 818 Tequila — which is owned by Calabasas Beverages — in 2021, and it experienced rapid growth right off the bat. Within the first seven months of business, 818 had sales of 136,000 cases. The article Sazerac Invests in Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila appeared first on VinePair .
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RNDC to Sell Off Oregon and Washington Markets to Columbia Distributing, With More Moves to Come
After Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) withdrew from California in 2025 and sold off twelve of its markets to Reyes Beverage Group (RBG) earlier this year, the shakeout is set to continue. RNDC — once the second-largest wine and spirits distributor in the U.S. — plans to hand over the majority of its operations to multiple competitors, including Martignetti Companies and Columbia Distributing, Shanken News Daily reports. The article RNDC to Sell Off Oregon and Washington Markets to Columbia Distributing, With More Moves to Come appeared first on VinePair .
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These Are the 50 Best Bars in North America (2026)
North America’s top bartenders were posting selfies and pictures of their suitcases from airports across the continent this weekend while cocktail enthusiasts watched from their phones. Those industry pros were en route to Vancouver, Canada, to attend this year’s awards ceremony for the North America’s 50 Best Bars. New York City’s Sip & Guzzle took the No. 1 spot, jumping up from last year’s No. 5 ranking. Behind it are Bar Mauro (No. 2) in Mexico City and Bar Snack (No. 3) in NYC. Bar Snack is the highest-ranking new entry on the list. The article These Are the 50 Best Bars in North America (2026) appeared first on VinePair .
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Four Roses Releases Second Iteration of Its 100-Proof Single Barrel Collection
Four Roses Bourbon is releasing the second iteration of its Single Barrel Collection consisting of three, 100-proof whiskeys ranging from 7 to 9 years in age. The collection offers a trio of distinct flavor profiles geared toward different taste preferences. Each single-barrel expression comes with a suggested retail price of $49.99, and the nationwide rollout will begin in May. The bottles’ names — OESQ, OESF, and OBSK — are codes that refer to their respective recipes. The article Four Roses Releases Second Iteration of Its 100-Proof Single Barrel Collection appeared first on VinePair .
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Archaeologists Discover Ancient Beer Receipts From 4,000 Years Ago
Cracking open a cold one is a common post-work ritual across many cultures today, but archaeologists discovered the practice dates back at least 4,000 years. The National Museum of Denmark has been home to a robust collection of tablets inscribed in now-extinct languages from early Middle Eastern civilizations for over a century, but archaeologists there, along with colleagues from the University of Copenhagen, only recently began to research them. The scholars deciphered a list of kings, administrative documents, and magic spells written in cuneiform — the tablet-writing system that ancient cultures in Iraq and Syria adopted around 5,200 years ago. The article Archaeologists Discover Ancient Beer Receipts From 4,000 Years Ago appeared first on VinePair .
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Firestone Walker and Duvel USA to Acquire Stone Brewing From Sapporo
Firestone Walker and Duvel Moortgat USA have agreed to acquire the Stone Brewing brand from Sapporo USA for an undisclosed amount, Brewbound reports. The transaction is slated to finalize within the second quarter of the fiscal year. California-based craft brewery Firestone Walker — in which Duvel USA acquired a majority stake in 2015 and continues to operate independently — will assume ownership of the Stone Brewing brand in California, Texas, and other western U.S. markets, along with overseeing national accounts. Duvel USA will handle Stone’s distribution east of the Rocky Mountains, according to Brewbound. The article Firestone Walker and Duvel USA to Acquire Stone Brewing From Sapporo appeared first on VinePair .