Technique & Everyday Craft
Whiskey's New Front Lines: Influencers, China, and the NFL
From a Kentucky campus for creatives to a Chinese beer giant's move into whiskey, the industry's latest moves show where the growth bets are placed.
MGP's Contract Business Craters, Brands Hold
MGP Ingredients' second fiscal quarter of 2026 saw total sales fall 15% to $124.4 million, driven by a 42% collapse in Distilling Solutions to $29.2 million as new-make and aged inventory demand recedes. The Branded Spirits division slipped just 1% to $59.6 million, with premium-plus and mid-priced segments each posting 5% volume gains. Penelope led growth among premium brands, up 13% for the quarter after a 92% leap to 133,000 cases last year, per Impact Databank. Ingredient Solutions rose 2% to $35.5 million.
Great Northern Distillery Bets on Chinese Tastes
Dundalk-based Great Northern Distillery has struck a long-term partnership with Tsingtao Brewery to supply 3 to 21 year old whiskey, which Tsingtao will label and distribute across China. A specialist blending team will develop whiskeys tailored to Asian consumers. The deal follows Diageo's 2021 investment of about $120 million in a 710,418-square-foot Yunnan distillery, and Pernod Ricard's Chuan Malt Whiskey Distillery 800 miles north. Great Northern, owned by John Teeling and his sons Jack and Stephen, will also assist Tsingtao in building its own whiskey distillery.
Beyoncé Takes Full Control of SirDavis
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has acquired full ownership of SirDavis, the whiskey brand she co-created with Dr. Bill Lumsden of Ardbeg and Glenmorangie fame. The MGP-sourced rye will now be handled solely by SirDavis blender Cameron George in Houston, Texas. The move consolidates creative and business control under the artist, two years after the brand's initial launch.
Jameson Inks Multiyear NFL Sponsorship
Jameson Irish Whiskey has become the Official Spirits Sponsor of the NFL through a multiyear partnership effective with the upcoming season beginning in September. The deal includes stadium activations, branded hospitality, and sweepstakes at marquee events like the Super Bowl, NFL Draft, and international games. It follows the conclusion of Crown Royal's five-year contract with the league in April.
Beam Opens Its Campus to Creators
James B. Beam Distilling's new Creator Campus initiative invites influencers and creatives to use its distillery grounds as workspaces. Dedicated areas include American Outpost, Product Studio, The Kitchen Table, Baker Beam Home, and Cocktail Grove, where selected individuals can produce podcasts, videos, and music. Participants get access to whiskey tastings, special releases, and events, with Beam potentially amplifying their work via its digital channels. Applications are open online.
Next Century Spirits Buys Chicken Cock
Next Century Spirits has acquired Grain & Barrel Spirits' assets, including Chicken Cock Whiskey and its Circa 1856 tasting rooms in Bardstown and Louisville. The deal, which also includes Dixie Southern vodka, Elvis whiskey, and E.G. Booz, marks Next Century's first physical presence in Kentucky. Founder Matti Anttila joins Next Century's board and will continue overseeing Chicken Cock's growth.
Cedar Ridge Expands Via LibDib Platform
Iowa's Cedar Ridge has partnered with LibDib, a wholesale distribution technology platform, to deepen distribution in California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, and New York. The distillery already had presences in these markets but will now reach more retailers and on-premise operations. Cedar Ridge operates in 17 states through distributors including Southern Glazer's and Empire. LibDib's e-commerce platform, active since 2017, specializes in helping small-batch producers navigate the three-tier system.