Pernod Ricard Vodka company Absolut will start prototype trials for a new paper bottle in the UK and Sweden later this month in the next step towards sustainability.

The paper bottle prototypes will be tested with two products, Absolut Vodka (40% ABV) and Absolut Mixt (4% ABV) and will be launched initially in the UK and Sweden.

The bottles are made with 57 per cent paper and 43 per cent recycled plastic, and are themselves recyclable. The first production run is set to go into testing this November; if successful, TAC will start work on a fully bio-based bottle – its ultimate goal.

Niclas Appelquist, innovation director of future packaging at Absolut, said, “We’ve taken a concept and created a real-world prototype that is planned to be in controlled consumer testing in a matter of months.

“Our sustainability strategy is making a commitment to a fully circular process, and the rollout of our prototype is a step in the right direction toward that goal.”

The company will incorporate customer feedback into the second pilot scheduled for next spring. Danish beer company Carlsberg announced a paper bottle in 2019 and other beverage companies like Pepsi have taken steps to reduce plastic in their bottling processes. Johnnie Walker announced that they would introduce a paper bottle in spring 2021.

Global Tequila Brand Don Julio has teamed up with Sony Music Latin artists to introduce ‘A Summer of Mexicana‘  to celebrate and highlight inspiring Mexican creatives who live Por Amor.

With the meteoric rise of Música Mexicana, Tequila Don Julio will bring modern Mexico to the mainstage through a series of summer concerts featuring artists, including award-winning singer-songwriter Christian Nodal, as well as performances on Jimmy Kimmel’s Summer Stage and an in-app Spotify program that will encourage further shareability of this growing genre.

“With the introduction of ‘A Summer of Mexicana‘ we continue to toast those who live Por Amor and uphold Don Julio González’s legacy of passion and dedication to craft,” says Karen Harris, Vice President of Tequila Don Julio. “As a brand born from Mexico, we strive to celebrate the rich and vibrant culture of modern Mexico and look forward to spotlighting these talented creatives.”

Kicking off in May, Tequila Don Julio is bringing ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ to life through a series of immersive experiences including:

• ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ Tour: Mexican artists have influenced the music industry as Música Mexicana has become one of the most popular genres among mainstream listeners. Tequila Don Julio and Sony Music Latin artists are coming together for a private concert series this summer featuring some of Sony Music Latin artists hottest musicians who are taking over the charts – making stops in Houston featuring celebrated singer-songwriter Christian Nodal, Los Angeles, and a stop in Chicago during the Sueños Music Festival.
• Jimmy Kimmel Live Concert Series: To further showcase the beauty of Música Mexicana and the Latin genre as a whole, Tequila Don Julio will highlight breakthrough musicians on Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Concert Series, starting with a performance from Christian Nodal followed by talented artists throughout the summer.
• Personalized Playlists: Spotify, the world’s #1 streaming platform, and Tequila Don Julio are bringing Música Mexicana to the center of summer celebrations with personalized playlists custom created according to each listeners preferred vibes. With Latin music now the 4th biggest collection of genres on Spotify, there’s something for everyone – whether lounging poolside or celebrating a night out with your crew.
• ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ Artist Edition: Tequila Don Julio Blanco and Tequila Don Julio Reposado take center stage as Mexican illustrator Dia Pacheco has teamed up with the brand to release the ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ Artist Edition available just in time for Cinco de Mayo and through the summer season. Each carefully drawn box design showcases vibrant symbols of Mexico reminiscent of Pacheco’s own experience growing up in the colorful town of Merida, Yucatán. The limited-edition Tequila Don Julio Blanco and Tequila Don Julio Reposado artist boxes are sold for an SRP of $44.99 and $49.99 for standard 750ml bottles at select retailers nationwide including online at ReserveBar and Caskers while supplies last.

To continue to uplift those who live Por Amor, the Tequila Don Julio Fund is partnering with charity organizations at each concert stop in Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles to support communities of emerging creatives beginning with The Houston Art Alliance, a local arts and culture organization whose principal work is to implement the City of Houston’s vision, values, and goals for its arts grantmaking and civic art investments.

A grand total of $500K will be donated to national and local charities throughout the summer leading up to Mexican Independence Day on September 16^th. To learn more about the Tequila Don Julio Fund visit donjulio.com/fund.

Actress Busy Philipps has teamed up with the award-winning Olmeca Altos Tequila to help US fans have the ‘key’ lime ingredients to make the best Margaritas at home.

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo (and continuing throughout the month of May), the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime will deliver fresh limes (and other key margarita-making essentials) to the lucky winners’ doors.

If you’ve forgotten your juiciest Margarita ingredient, call the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime – 888-268-1261 – to enter for a chance to win a Busy approved Altos Margarita Essentials package.

Eligible winners chosen will not only receive juicy limes via mail (thanks to Tropical Fruit Box), but the Margarita Essentials kit will also include Altos Tequila branded swag (cantaritos cups, a bucket hat, lime squeezer) and, of course, all the additional ingredients such as fresh limes and habanero mango honey to make a Busy-inspired Margarita.

“This incredibly fun partnership is one I couldn’t resist! Besides helping make sure people can have fresh limes to make delicious margaritas, I’ll also be surprising some winners and picking up the phone lines to chat,” Philipps says.

Select lucky callers will have a chance to talk about all things Margarita-related with Busy herself.

Busy suggests, “You might want to add the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime number to your speed dial now.”

“My margarita recipe is simple,” Philipps continues. “A great tequila, like Altos, and fresh limes are a must.  Add a touch of homemade simple syrup and a half-salted rim, and you’re set.  Easy peasy unless you realize you only have old, hard limes or no limes at all.  We’ve all been there.  So, I’m here to help fix that with my friends at Altos Tequila.”

For more information about the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime and full sweepstakes and participation rules, please visit Emergency HotLime – Olmeca Altos and YouTube. Follow us on Instagram at @altostequila and @busyphilipps.

Mexico City bar Handshake Speakeasy has been named the best bar in North America and the Best Bar in Mexico at this year’s North America’s 50 Best Bars.

Making history as the first bar in Mexico to be named No.1, Handshake Speakeasy narrowly beat out New York City’s Superbueno, who won The Best Bar in Northeast USA 2024 and the title of Disaronno Highest New Entry.

Toronto’s Civil Liberties, No.21, won the title of The Best Bar in Canada for the third year in a row. Puerto Rico’s La Factoría, at No.18, was also recognised as The Best Bar in the Caribbean for the third year.

Overall, the U.S. led the list with 26 bars, followed by Mexico with 15 bars, seven from Canada and two on the list from the Caribbean.

“What a momentous occasion for the Mexico cocktail scene! We give our biggest ¡Felicidades! to Handshake Speakeasy and head bartender Eric van Beek for the team’s incredible work in delivering excellence,” said Emma Sleight, Head of Content for North America’s 50 Best Bars.

“Handshake Speakeasy continues to push the boundaries of the art of cocktail creation as well as always putting service first, so we are pleased to see them crowned the first bar in Mexico City named No.1 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list.

“We also extend our congratulations to all the other incredible bars on this year’s list, which are testaments to how exciting, innovative, and dynamic the North American bar scene truly is,” Sleight continued.

New York continued its lead with the most top bars in the North America list with 12 of the 26 U.S. listees. These included Superbueno (No.2), Overstory (No.3), Martiny’s (No. 4), Double Chicken Please (No.7), Katana Kitten (No.12), Employees Only (No.15), Dante (No.20), Attaboy (No.31), The Dead Rabbit (No.33), Maison Premiere (No.41), new entry Angel’s Share (No.43), and Milady’s (No.44).

Jewel of the South (No.7) was named The Best Bar in the South USA, with Thunderbolt (No.8) named The Best Bar in themiko (No.19) from Chicago was named The Best Bar in the West USA and Ku Midwest.

San Francisco’s True Laurel (No.30), another new entry, won the Kettle One Sustainable Bar Award, with a new entry from Chicago Meadowlark (No.32) taking home the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.

Handshake Speakeasy is joined by Mexico City’s Rayo (No.5), Licorería Limantour (No.9), new entry Tlecān (No.10), Café del Nadie (No.17), Baltra Bar (No.26), Kaito del Valle (No.28), Hanky Panky (No.42) and Brujas (No.45).

Simpl Things in Toronto joins the stellar lineup as Campari One To Watch, and Grand Cayman’s Library by the Sea (No.35) earns the London Essence Best New Opening Award

To view the full list, go to theworlds50best.com

American Gin brand Aviation wants fans to marvel at its ‘ginematic’ universe with six new limited-edition Aviation American Gin bottles inspired by Marvel Studios’ “Deadpool & Wolverine”.

“I discovered Aviation American Gin while shooting the first Deadpool movie,” said Ryan Reynolds, Aviation American Gin’s Co-Owner.

“Back then, Aviation wasn’t big enough to tie-in to a big summer movie, and Deadpool was lucky to get any sponsors at all. A few hundred weeks and drinks later, here we are! They grow up so quickly, don’t they?”

Encased in sleek black glass and accented with red custom strip stamps and metallic details, the limited edition bottles have been designed by Maximum Effort and Sandstrom Partners.

Offering a nod to the iconic character, each bottle variant showcases one of six distinctive Deadpool icons, while the exterior of each gin case simulates the look of Deadpool’s signature suit fabric.

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“Our collaboration with ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ to create this series of bottles is a first-of-its-kind promotion for Aviation American Gin with one of the most iconic characters in pop culture history,” said Ricky Collett, Global & US Brand Director for Aviation American Gin at Diageo.

“The custom bottle embodies the irreverent spirit of both brands and showcases our commitment to pushing cultural boundaries and redefining the gin drinking experience,” Collett continued.

Each limited-edition bottle is filled with the same perfectly crisp, smooth Aviation American Gin fans know and love. Distilled in its unique American style and crafted with a blend of botanicals delivering an approachable and balanced flavour profile, Aviation American Gin is a versatile spirit, perfect for any cocktail occasion.

“The ‘Deadpool’ film franchise has been a cultural phenomenon since its inception,” said Holly Frank, Walt Disney Studios’ VP, Partnership Management and Operations, Marvel. “We’re so excited to be collaborating with Aviation American Gin to give fans a chance to engage with the world of Deadpool in a whole new way leading up to the eagerly anticipated theatrical release of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’.”

The limited-edition bottles will be available while supplies last from early summer at retailers nationwide, online, as well as the Aviation Distillery, and in select countries (US/UK/CAN/AUS).

For more information, go to aviationgin.com and follow @AviationGin on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook