After spending the last few weeks focusing on loved ones, the January sales are a chance for shoppers to think about their own wishlist, writes Grainne McGuinness.

In the 1980s there were just two distilleries in Ireland. Today there are at least a dozen. Peter Mulryan explores this boom in his new book, The Whiskeys of Ireland, writes Leslie Williams.

8pm, Sligo — and life has transposed, like it always does, into a scene from The Edwardian Farm. 

Net sales of Guinness in Ireland grew by 1% year-on-year in the six months to the end of December, marking the iconic stout’s first sales increase in six years.

Global drinks giant Diageo has confirmed the disposal of iconic Irish whiskey brand Bushmills as part of a $400m (€320m) deal to strengthen its presence in the global tequila market.

One of Ireland’s oldest whiskey distilleries has been bought by a Mexican tequila giant.

Diageo is nearing a deal with Jose Cuervo that would give the British liquor company full ownership of Don Julio tequila in exchange for its Bushmills Irish whiskey label, the Wall Street Journal reported over the weekend.

Antique Irish glass features on day one of the Dreweatts and Bloomsbury two-day summer sale at Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire next Thursday (Aug 28).

A 10ft set of headphones crafted from age-old whiskey barrels will form the centrepiece at a gig with a difference in the North this summer.

Global sales of Guinness fell by 1% during the second half of 2013, mainly due to declining beer markets in its traditional core regions of Ireland and Nigeria.

ABOUT 2,300 glasses of Baileys are consumed every minute of the day across the world.

Net sales of Guinness in Ireland fell by 5% in the past 12 months but, due to an overall contraction in the beer sector, the brand maintained its healthy market share.

Incoming Diageo CEO Ivan Menezes, the latest Indian-born businessman to head a global multinational, is likely to continue the strategy of his predecessor by focusing on growth in emerging markets, writes John Daly

Global drinks giant Diageo is committed to its Irish operations, despite seeing continued “tough market conditions” here, as Guinness maintains its 32% market share.

Diageo is in talks to acquire a stake in Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya’s United Spirits Ltd, reviving an on-again, off-again courtship that would ramp up its presence in the world’s largest whiskey market.

Diageo chief executive Paul Walsh’s salary more than doubled last year to £11.2m (€13.9m), after an 88% rise in the drinks company’s shares over the last three years boosted his rewards from long-term incentive schemes.

Drinks giant Diageo, the maker of Guinness and Baileys, has reported a 5% year-on-year fall in net sales at its Irish operations for the first six months of the year.

It was wet, it was windy, but nothing was going to stop fans turning out in huge numbers today for the first Irish Open in Northern Ireland since 1953.

Irish whiskey is the world’s fastest growing spirit, though coming from a low base, according to a report by Davy Stockbrokers.

The maker of Guinness, Smithwick’s, Bushmills, and Bailey’s said its annual growth in Africa is set to accelerate beyond the current 15%, helped by its zero-duty Senator keg beer in Kenya and a strong rise sales of Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff.

Ireland’s top sports administrators are strenuously arguing against any Government plans to ban alcohol sponsorship.

Ireland's oldest distillery will host a music festival this summer.

A change in Dutch tax rates has resulted in Guinness owner — Diageo — writing off €624 million in deferred tax assets.

THE two top spirits producers in the world Diageo and Pernod Ricard have reported continuing improvements in their trading performances for the first nine months of their respective trading years.

THE politics of whiskey production perplexed several government departments in 1979 and 1980, as they struggled for a legal definition of Irish Whiskey that would not heighten tensions over Northern Ireland.

I WOKE up the other morning, turned around, and remembered he wasn’t there. Of course, he wasn’t there. He killed himself seven months ago.

A lifeguard from Bulgaria won a global Bushmills challenge to help create a new blend of the whiskey.

London: Guinness and Bushmills owner Diageo Plc said yesterday it is seeing the “green shoots” of recovery for its higher-priced products in the developed markets of North America and Western Europe.

DIAGEO, makers of Guinness, Baileys and Bushmills in Ireland, reported yesterday first-quarter sales that fell short of expectations.

Bank of Ireland Governor Richard Burrows spoke today of his horror over the theft of four laptops containing personal details of 10,000 customers.

DIAGEO’S products, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Baileys Original Cream Liqueur both picked up awards at the world renowned 7th annual San Francisco world spirits competition.

GUINNESS has blamed warm weather and fewer people going to bars for a fall-off in sales of the black stuff.

IRISH whiskey could soon gains access to India, the world’s largest whiskey market.

IRISH Distillers’ Jameson whiskey brand is outpacing all its rivals on the world stage in terms of its current growth rate, according to figures published yesterday by the group’s parent.

DIAGEO is to use its €300 million acquisition of Bushmills to try and topple Jameson as the world’s top selling Irish whiskey.

The FTSE 100 Index secured its highest finish for three months today as investors ignored claims of a consumer-led recession in the retail sector.

Pernod Ricard, the French drinks giant that owns the Midleton Jameson distillery, has sold off its Bushmills whiskey brand to Diageo for €298m.

Drinks giant Diageo led the London market higher today after news that Pernod Ricard’s proposed acquisition of Allied Domecq would allow it to cherry-pick key brands.

GUINNESS owner Diageo has swooped to buy Irish whiskey maker Bushmills for €295 million.

Drinks giant Diageo today backed the £7.4bn (€11bn) takeover of Allied Domecq by French rival Pernod Ricard after being allowed to cherry-pick key brands.

Drinks giant Allied Domecq today confirmed it was the subject of takeover interest from rival French group Pernod Ricard, which counts Midleton, Jameson, Powers and Bushmills whiskeys among its brands.