Nicola Carruthers

England, London

Deputy Editor at The Spirits Business

Deputy editor @spiritsbusiness

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Articles

The big interview: Emilie Giffard

1 week ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

Since its inception in 1885, French liqueurs and syrups company Giffard has been a family affair. Now, the latest generation is taking the firm into the future, as co-managing director Emilie Giffard explains. *This feature was originally published in the April 2025 issue of The Spirits Business magazine.
Cognac and baijiu drag APAC spirits down

1 week ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

Spirits volumes in Asia Pacific fell by 2% last year, driven by declines for Cognac, Scotch and baijiu in China. According to data from IWSR on the Asia Pacific region, total beverage alcohol (TBA) volumes fell by 2% last year, with value down by 3%. All major categories were in decline, except for the ready-to-drink (RTD) sector, which rose by 1% last year. Spirits (including national spirits such as Chinese baijiu) saw a smaller decrease than wine, which dropped by 4%, and beer (down 2%).
Global gin volumes up 2% in 2024

1 week ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

Gin volumes grew by 2% globally last year, led by emerging markets such as Italy and India, while the UK and the US continued to decline. Chris Pitcher, drinks analyst at Redburn Atlantic, hosted a seminar at Ginposium last Friday (13 June) on insights into gin consumption trends across key markets. Citing data from IWSR, Pitcher noted that worldwide gin consumption reached approximately 107 million nine-litre cases in 2024. Gin consumption was 25% ahead of 2019 levels.
Dekantā marks 10 years with 6YO Japanese whisky

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

To celebrate its 10th anniversary, retailer Dekantā has released a six-year-old Japanese whisky from the Wakatsuru Saburomaru Distillery. Dekantā was founded in June 2015 as an online retailer offering an extensive range of Japanese spirits. Since its founding, Dekantā has launched its own independent bottling range featuring rare single malts and exclusive blends, and a cask ownership scheme in partnership with Japanese whisky makers.
Tequila growth slows to 1% by mid-2026

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

Negative growth rates for spirits in the US are expected to improve by the second quarter of 2026, with Tequila on a path of stabilisation. Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) released its SipSource second-quarter (Q2) forecast figures, which predict depletion growth rates across spirits for the 12 months until the end of June. SipSource noted that its latest data showed stabilising negative growth rates by the end of this year, after the industry saw steep declines between 2022 and 2024.
The Spirits Business

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

Iichiko believes shochu has “strong potential” to enter the mainstream by targeting the US on-trade, where it hopes to become the go-to spirit for cocktails. The world’s biggest-selling shochu brand, Iichiko, has been on a mission to boost its presence in the US on-premise. The Japanese brand introduced a higher-ABV shochu, Saiten (43% ABV), exclusively for the US market in 2019. It was designed specifically for cocktails and is set for a global launch this year.
Whiskey House of Kentucky faces $1.65m debt

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

A construction company has filed a US$1.65 million legal claim against Whiskey House of Kentucky for fees owed to the build of its new distillery. Bardstown-based Buzick Construction filed a lien (a right to keep possession of a property until a debt is paid) on 28 May 2025 in Hardin County court. It claimed that Whiskey House of Kentucky has failed to pay US$1,653,648.79 for labour, materials, equipment and supplies for the construction of its new distillery.
Alma del Jaguar Tequila signs Blue Ridge deal

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

Blue Ridge Spirits & Wine Marketing has formed a strategic partnership with Alma del Jaguar Tequila, whose sales soared by 429% in the past 12 months. Atlanta-based sales and marketing company Blue Ridge has teamed up with Alma del Jaguar Tequila and Waymar House Gin, which are both owned by Morningside Brands. The company did not confirm if the partnership includes a stake in either brand.
Brown-Forman CEO bets on Gin Mare and Diplomático

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

As its Tequila sales slip, Brown-Forman CEO Lawson Whiting believes Gin Mare and Diplomático could be key to driving long-term growth. Last week, Brown-Forman reported organic full-year revenue growth of 1% despite a decline in its fourth quarter and struggling Tequila sales. During a conference call on 5 June for the group’s full-year results ending 30 April 2025, Whiting noted the growth potential of newer additions to the firm’s portfolio.
Supreme Brand Champion 2025: Nemiroff Vodka

2 weeks ago | thespiritsbusiness.com | Nicola Carruthers

As Ukrainian vodka company Nemiroff is named Supreme Brand Champion 2025, we discover the secret behind its success and its plans for growth. We’ve seen Tequila, whisky, and rum become the Supreme Brand Champion in the past decade, but never has a vodka producer been able to take the top title until now. This year’s Supreme Brand Champion is Nemiroff, a Ukrainian vodka maker that has been making waves internationally, particularly in Europe.