September 3rd, 2025: Drinks preferences across the EU and other news
EU summer preferences, Irish Drinks Forum, a US distiller about tariffs, company news, Constellation Brands forecasts, Hong Kong two-months-aged whisky, Tasmanian whisky and more...
Hello everyone!
Here is today’s news round-up, covering consumer preferences, company news, financial forecasts and a few other bits I hope you’ll find interesting. Let’s get started.
Circana: Drinks trends in the EU
Data analysis agency Circana has released a consumer survey on drinks preferences in the European market throughout the summer season.
You can read the news on VinoNews24 here (no author mentioned):
Circana: bevande estive 2025, in Europa il must è sobrie, frizzanti e social
I’m summarising some key-points for you:
alcohol-free is a definite trend
low sugar is also in vogue
consumers are keen on innovative products
energy drinks are on the up
out-of-home experiences are being replaced by in-home ones
Does any of that ring a bell?
You can find the official Circana press release on their website here:
Irish Drinks Forum underway today and tomorrow in Athenry
The Irish Drinks Forum 2025, an annual two-day event held at BIA Innovator Campus in Athenry, Co. Galway, kicked off today. The discussions will be focused on the resilience of the national drinks industry, with various speakers from major associations and companies. I’ll keep you up to date if anything significant comes out of the talks.
Aisling O'Brien announces the event at the Irish publication Agriland:
Local distiller discusses US tariffs’ impact from Washington DC
Todd Thrasher from Thrasher’s Rum, a micro-distillery in Washington DC, spoke to NBC Montana about how Trump’s custom duties are affecting his business, particularly regarding sourcing materials and ingredients, and how he has had to subsequently adjust his prices.
Interview by Athra Elnashar for NBC Montana:
Company news
Nashville Barrel Co to open new distillery in Kentucky
US single cask bottler Nashville Barrel Company is planning to open a new distillery and visitor centre in Louisville.
The Louisville Barrel Whiskey Co, as it will be named, is set to open in early 2026, and will featue a tasting bar, a bottle shop, and a space for private distillery experiences.
You can read the article by Ted Simmons on The Spirits Business here:
Fiscal reports
Constellation Brands expects sales decline
The group has updated its fiscal 2026 outlook, forecasting a decrease in organic net sales by 6%-4%. “We continue to navigate a challenging macroeconomic environment that has dampened consumer demand and led to more volatile consumer purchasing behavior since our first quarter of fiscal 2026,” said Constellation Brands President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Newlands.
You can read the full outlook on their official website here:
New products
Hong Kong distillery launches two-months-aged whisky
This news from The Drinks Business caught my attention. Hong Kong-based Kowloon distillery has developed an accelerated ageing technology and has launched two whiskies after just two months of ageing.
From an European point of view, this couldn’t even be called whisky (according to the EU regulations, the spirit must be aged for at least three years). Anyway, the experiment seems to have achieved its goal: all the bottles sold out. I’d be very curious to taste it.
I tried looking for more details about this accelerated ageing process, but the information doesn’t appear to be on the company’s website.
You can read Joyce Yip’s article for The Drinks Business:
Hong Kong’s Kowloon Spirits launches whisky made in two months
Meanwhile, I have a question for you: How much would you pay for a 2-months-aged whiskey?
You can check the price on their website, if you are curious:
Something to read
Outgoing Lucas Bols CEO on today’s trends
Huub Van Doorne is about to retire from his role as CEO of Dutch firm Lucas Bols. He gave an interview to The Spirits Business, focusing on cocktail culture and some global trends. I found his comments on RTD brands and the challenge of shelf life particularly insightful.
You can read the interview by Rupert Hohwieler on The Spirits Business:
Tasmanian whisky
Sudeshna Ghosh guides us into the world of Tasmanian whisky in the Australian publication SBS Food. Once a land where whisky distilling was forbidden, Tasmania has since grown into a vibrant industry that has gained significant recognition.
You can read the article at this link:
Why this Australian island is home to some of the world’s best whisky
That’s all for today.
Oh, and I didn’t include the news about Suntory Holdings CEO, Takeshi Niinami, resigning after police investigation into the alledged purchase of illegal “supplements”. Even though it’s popping up on many publications, I don’t think it’s relevant for understanding how the industry is developing.
If you’re interested, you can read this article by Anton Bridge and Mariko Katsumura at Reuters:
Whisky maker Suntory's CEO resigns after possible purchase of illegal supplements
I’ll see you on Friday ;)
Cheers!