Ascend Media is delighted to announce the arrival of The World of Fine Spirits, the first digital publication dedicated to ultra-premium spirits.
Since launching its newsletter in September 2025, The World of Fine Spirits has built a loyal community of connoisseurs, collectors, and curious drinkers. With the launch of the full website, all that editorial content – interviews, columns, expert reviews, and in-depth features – is now available in one beautifully crafted digital destination.
“It’s such an exciting time to be writing – and reading – about spirits,” says Alex Martin, editor. “The market may feel difficult and unpredictable for brands, but for the drinker, there are more high-quality products than ever before.
“We’ve assembled a team of contributors who have spent their working lives in this world and given them a simple brief: find the drinks worth talking about and tell the truth about what’s in the glass.
“That level of insight only comes one way: going to the distilleries, meeting the people who make these spirits, and tasting everything we write about.”
Sam Hall, managing director of Ascend Media, says: “I’m delighted with the launch of The World of Fine Spirits. It is a natural extension of The World of Fine Wine, taking the same commitment to editorial quality and integrity into a category our UHNWI audience cares deeply about. Until now, no dedicated platform has spoken to this demographic about fine spirits in this way. I believe The World of Fine Spirits will become the industry’s defining voice.”
Uncompromising Approach
The World of Fine Spirits brings together some of the most respected voices in drinks writing, including award-winning journalists Millie Milliken, Neil Ridley, Joel Harrison, and Brad Japhe, among others.
Central to the site is Tasting Notes, a searchable library of spirits assessed using a consistent 100-point methodology that values balance, character, and distinctiveness. Users can sign up to Tasting Notes for free, gaining access to concise, cliché-free reviews by a panel with more than 50 years of collective tasting expertise.
Landmark features live under “Stories”, with an emphasis on first-person experience. Here, the people and places matter as much as the liquid. Today, spirits worth talking about are made everywhere from the remote hills of Sichuan to the heart of bourbon country, Kentucky via Scotland, Ireland, and almost everywhere in between.
Neil Beckett, editor of The World of Fine Wine, says: “I’m delighted to have The World of Fine Spirits as a sister title, where Alex Martin and his distinguished pool of respected, talented writers share the same ambition, standards, and values as The World of Fine Wine — to be authoritative, distinctive, and engaging on the objects of their passion, seeking out the spirits most worth talking about for their discerning and knowledgeable readers.”
Landmark Moments
The website’s arrival is just the start. After its official summer launch party, The World of Fine Spirits debuts an original cocktail video series in partnership with one of the industry’s most recognizable personalities – the first of two seasons airing this year.
In September, The World of Fine Spirits will unveil the winner of its inaugural World’s Best Spirits List award, presented at the World’s Best Wine List awards ceremony at The Savoy. This landmark moment will offer a taste of what will become the definitive benchmark for excellence in spirits list curation.
