Flor de Caña has been honoured with the prestigious “Sustainability Award,” the highest distinction given during the 2020 The Drinks Business Green Awards.

The judges considered Flor de Caña’s efforts to employ the most efficient and effective sustainable practices in all aspects of production, including environmental stewardship and community development.

Today, Flor de Caña is the only global spirit to hold the world’s two top sustainability certifications: Carbon Neutral and Fair Trade. The judges were impressed by the brand’s use of 100% renewable energy to distill its rum, planting 50,000 trees annually since 2005 and its programs to support the local community.

The Carbon Neutral certification, issued by Carbon Trust, assures consumers that Flor de Caña offsets all carbon emissions during the entire lifecycle of the rum, from field to market. Meanwhile, the Fair Trade certification, issued by Fair Trade USA, verifies that the rum is sustainably produced in compliance with over 300 rigorous labour, social and environmental standards.

RumFest is the latest show to be returning to real life, as the organisers have announced that 2021 will be taking place between 15-17th October in London.

A significant date in the calendar for the rum trade since its inception in 2007, RumFest has added a new element this year with the inaugural Spiced Rum Show curated by industry figure Ian Burrell,

The festival will once again include a trade day and conference as well as a consumer day split across two sessions while the event will be streamed online for those unable to attend in person.

Across the three days at ILEC Conference Centre there will be a series of seminars, demonstrations, tastings and exhibitions from new and established distillers and blenders.

The return of the Rum Experience University will also see master blenders, master distillers and ambassadors teach a three-hour, in-depth tutored course to those in the trade looking to expand their knowledge of the rum industry.

Formoreifomationad ticket prices, go to rumfest.co.uk

Single Malt Scotch whisky producer, Glenmorangie has announced the opening of its new, innovative distillery named the Lighthouse.

Located in Tain, overlooks the Dornoch Firth’s dramatic coastline, the towering 20m high glass building will give creators the space and ability to control all parts of distilling, letting them create entirely new taste profiles in their whiskies.

Designed by Barthélémy Griño, The Lighthouse features two signature Glenmorangie copper stills and a state-of-the-art sensory laboratory, as well as providing everything the famed makers need in order to develop their brand and reach new heights of taste experimentation.

Speaking on the new venture, Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden said, “Our Lighthouse is the new home of imagination. Here, we can indulge our most fantastical ideas as we strive to create a whole array of different flavours. We will be able to play with whisky’s core ingredients, making small adjustments and big changes in ways never tried before. Nothing is off-limits in the Lighthouse, as long as it’s delicious.”

To celebrate the new venture, Glenmorangie has released a new limited-edition expression titled Lighthouse, a silky 12-year-old single malt with sumptuous flavours of apricot and orange, limited to 3,000 bottles. This new expression will only be available at the Distillery Visitor Centre.

For more information, go to glenmorangie.com

We’ve all had a drink or two on a plane but what if you could get out of that cramped seat and in a booth? That’s right, Virgin Atlantic has created an area they are calling ‘The Booth’, so you and your travel mates can enjoy cocktails together at 30,000 feet?

Virgin Atlantic has launched the new social drinking “Booth” on its newest A350 aircraft. The airline describes the new room as “a cosy corner, providing comfy lounge-style seating” and will feature two 27” touch screen monitors, and two Bluetooth audio jacks.

“We’re famous for our onboard social spaces and the introduction of The Booth elevates the customer proposition for our leisure travellers to new heights,” said Corneel Koster, Virgin Atlantic’s chief customer and operations officer. “I’m delighted that we’ve curated The Booth specifically for our customers jetting off on holiday to our sunny destinations, such as Orlando, offering a truly stylish start to their trips.”

The Booth has been “designed with beautiful, tactile finishes, including Scottish leather seats and a pressed wool effect table,” explains the brand. “It’s a luxurious spot just for two, to enjoy anything from a wine tasting experience to a romantic dinner, a nightcap, or just a change of scene.”

People travelling between London Heathrow and Orlando will be the first to experience the Virgin Atlantic Booth as a social drinking space with the first flight currently scheduled for December 2021.

Other leisure destinations, including Barbados, will receive the new aircraft with The Booth later in 2022.

Virgin Atlantic’s Airbus A350 and its Boeing 787 also already houses a separate communal bar in which upper-class customers are encouraged to socialise in mid-flight. On its bookings site, the airline reminds its travellers that drinks on board its flights are included in its ticket prices, stating: “Our onboard bar is a great spot to meet up with colleagues and catch up with friends. The drinks are on us.”

For more information or to book your trip, head over to Virgin Atlantic’s official website.

After four and a half years in planning and construction (including, of course, Covid-enforced delays) and with a price tag of £150 million (US$208 million), Diageo has now officially opened its new Johnnie Walker Princes Street centre.

Set in the middle of the Scottish capital Edinburgh, the centre will host tours featuring personalized whiskies, exclusive tasting experiences, two rooftop bars (one covers whisky, the other cocktails), an enormous retail shop, and a terrace with stunning views of the Edinburgh Castle.

Housed in a former department store, the Johnnie Walker centre is the single largest investment ever made in Scotch whisky tourism and has already earned itself a Green TourismGold Award — the top sustainability certification for tourism sites. The building includes roof terrace planters to provide herbs for garnishes and infusions for drinks, as well as a sedum roof covering and bird boxes to encourage biodiversity.

Laid out across over 71,500 square feet, the facility is the centrepiece of Diageo’s £185million investment in scotch whisky tourism in Scotland.

“This is a proud day for everyone,” said Diageo chief executive Ivan Menezes. “Johnnie Walker Princes Street is a landmark investment in scotch whisky and into Scotland and it sets a new standard for immersive visitor attractions.”

The visitor centre has taken on more than 150 employees speaking 23 languages and guests on the Journey of Flavour tour will have their personal flavour preferences mapped with drinks tailored to their palate.

The centre will open its doors to the public on 6 September. Tickets for tours start from £25 per person, including a 90-minute tour and three personalised scotch whisky samples.

For more information, go to johnniewalker.com

Kentucky Bourbon brand Woodford Reserve has partnered with home retailer Williams Sonoma to produce a range of cocktail mixers

The partnership is kicking off just in time to celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month.

The new range features classic Bourbon serves such as the Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, and Mint Julep.

Master distiller Chris Morris said: “Woodford Reserve was crafted to be enjoyed on its own or in delicious cocktails. I cannot think of a better partner than Williams Sonoma, which is known for bringing people together around food and drink.

In addition to the mixers themselves, the pair is also offering virtual online cocktail classes on September 15^th and 29^th where consumers will learn how to make the signature cocktails and hear about the history of bourbon from Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall.

The Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour and Mint Julep cocktail mixers are now available at Williams Sonoma stores across the U.S., online at www.williams-sonoma.com, and at the Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky.

For more information on the mixers and for cocktail recipes, visit www.woodfordreserve.com or www.williams-sonoma.com