LAWRENCEBURG, Ky., Sept. 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a world where trends come and go in the blink of an eye, Wild Turkey, the award-winning Kentucky bourbon brand, is drawing a line with the launch of its new global campaign: "When You Know It's Right, Don't Change a Damn Thing."

These days, there's always a new version and endless pressure to chase what's next. But what good is change for change's sake? While some may call it stubborn, Wild Turkey calls it conviction, and it's how they've been making bourbon for over 100 years. This message is clear throughout the new campaign films, launching globally this month, as an unmistakable line is drawn on the ground. Wild Turkey has been faithful to its recipe for over a century and, with it, has created a legend.

At the heart of the story is an iconic heritage brand helmed by legendary Wild Turkey Master Distiller and Bourbon Hall of Famer Jimmy Russell, who helped save bourbon from a fate worse than death: becoming like everything else. In the 1970s and 1980s, when the industry turned toward lighter spirits, Jimmy refused to bend to fleeting fads and water down his signature Wild Turkey 101 bourbon. He kept making his bourbon the same way, aged longer and full of bold, pre-prohibition flavor. Today, Jimmy is celebrating 71 years with Wild Turkey, as the longest serving master distiller in the spirits industry. He is joined by his son, Master Distiller and Bourbon Hall of Famer Eddie Russell, and grandson, associate master blender Bruce Russell, to carry the recipe of Wild Turkey forward.

The campaign is an homage to the time-honored and the enduring, including classics like Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, which still has the same signature bold flavor as it did over a century ago. The creative treatment for the campaign films, directed by Kiku Ohe, reflects this message. Featuring a compelling mixed-media approach incorporating film stock (8mm/35/Digital), digital and historical photos and artifacts. Reinforced by memorabilia from Jimmy's seven decades in the industry – including old notebooks filled with recipes, newspaper clippings, and archival family photos – these pieces illustrate the brand's rich history, heritage, and philosophy.

"Every bottle of Wild Turkey bourbon tells a story of conviction," says Raul Gonzalez, Global Managing Director of Whiskey & Rum at Campari Group. "The brand's steadfast approach is one reason why Wild Turkey is so beloved and respected all over the world today. There's pride in ordering Wild Turkey bourbon, and we're excited to bring Jimmy and Wild Turkey's story to a new generation of fans with this new campaign."

The campaign features notable cameos from four members of the Russell family including Master Distiller Jimmy Russell, his son Master Distiller Eddie Russell, his grandson Associate Blender Bruce Russell, and Jimmy's granddaughter and Wild Turkey US Brand Ambassador Joann Street. The films also include bartenders and fans of Wild Turkey from some of the brand's top global markets including Toure Folkes from New Orleans, US, Sam Russ from Brisbane, Australia and Naoto Ogawa from Tokyo, Japan.

"Wild Turkey is a brand that knows exactly who it is and refuses to compromise," said Lucas Bongioanni, Chief Creative Officer, GUT New York. "In an era obsessed with innovation and reinvention, it's rare to find a story that's about staying true to its origins. We are honored to bring that special kind of bravery to life in a way that feels as bold as the bourbon itself."

The first new global brand campaign since "Trust Your Spirit" debuted in 2021, "When You Know It's Right, Don't Change a Damn Thing" will begin to roll out in global markets in fall 2025, starting with the US, Japan, Australia, and South Korea. The campaign includes a variety of films and bold key visuals to be used across channels, including digital, social, TVC, and print.

For more information, visit wildturkeybourbon.com or follow Wild Turkey at @wildturkey.

This TIFF season, Don Julio is making history. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Toronto International Film Festival, the brand is officially debuting its new Don Julio 1942 minis in Canada – offering a bold, stylish way to toast life’s most cinematic moments.

As the Official Tequila Sponsor of TIFF, Don Julio is leaning into the festival’s biggest stages and most coveted after-dark experiences with cultural partnerships that spotlight style, exceptional flavour, and celebration:

Nobu At Night: (Sept. 10–13): Running alongside the festival, Don Julio is partnering with Nobu for a four-night series that transforms Nobu Bar & Lounge into Toronto’s ultimate late-night experience, with Don Julio at the heart. From Sept. 10–11, guests with bar and lounge reservations will receive an exclusive Don Julio 1942 mini bottle cocktail to toast the festival. On Sept. 12–13, the experience evolves with a guided speakeasy-style mini bar tour on arrival, where each guest is welcomed with a mini bottle cocktail before being escorted to their table. With limited bottles available nightly, this marks the first opportunity for festival-goers to experience the 1942 minis in a venue setting.Following the TIFF festival, the Nobu At Night series will continue every Friday through October 31, inviting guests back to keep the celebration going with Don Julio.

By The Namesake Collaboration: Don Julio has partnered with Canadian luxury brandto create limited-edition tote charms designed to hold the 1942 minis. The collaboration taps into the cultural moment around collectible bag charms while celebrating shared values of craftsmanship, detail, and luxury. Exclusively available to TIFF VIPs during the festival, the tote charms reinforce Don Julio’s role at the intersection of culture, fashion, and celebration.

Tribute Awards Gala & Elevation Studios: At TIFF’s Tribute Awards Gala and throughout Elevation Studios programming, the Don Julio 1942 minis will be seamlessly incorporated – from a unified toast at the festival’s most prestigious evening to Don Julio cocktail moments across screenings and after parties. Together, these touchpoints extend the presence of the minis across TIFF’s most celebrated stages.

Every touchpoint is designed to immerse TIFF audiences in the world of Don Julio, reinforcing the brand’s premium positioning and celebrating moments of craft and style.

September 4, 2025 - Toronto, ON: As the end of patio season nears, new research from technology company Square found that the “buy Canadian” movement remains stronger than ever, and has grown beyond the grocery store to restaurants, bars, and breweries. According to a survey commissioned by Square, 65% of respondents say they have prioritized homegrown spirits, beer, and wine over U.S. brands when enjoying a drink this patio season.

“Whether it’s due to national pride, support for local producers, or backlash over shifting trade dynamics, it’s clear that Canadians are increasingly choosing domestic alcohol over U.S. imports,” said Ming-Tai Huh, Head of Food and Beverage at Square. “Canada has some incredible wine, beer, and spirits, and consumers see buying local as both a way to get premium products and to keep more of their spending within local communities.”

Canadians Tip Big After Hours

The later into the night, the bigger the tip: Square’s nighttime economy data confirms Canadians are most generous at 3:00 a.m., leaving an average bar gratuity of 17.8% across seven of its largest cities. And Winnipegers lead the pack; at the peak hour, their tips jump to 19.7%, making them English Canada’s most generous nighttime tippers.

Bar tips also consistently outpaced those in Canadian cafés and restaurants. Between 2020 and 2025, bar tips were notably higher than in other types of Food & Beverage businesses, routinely averaging 14–15%.

Overall, in July 2025, tips in every Food & Beverage category were stable or slightly down compared to pandemic peaks. For example, bar tips averaged 14.4% across cities, while tip percentages at cafés were 12.7% on average during the month.

Canada’s New “Party City” Power Duo

For the second year in a row, Calgary has tied for the title of Canada’s “Top Party City,” but this year it has a new partner at the top: Edmonton. The two Alberta cities have the nation’s top nighttime economies for 2025 based on the share of transaction volume from businesses using Square’s tools and services across Canada.

Square looked at millions of in-person transactions in some of Canada’s largest cities and found that both Alberta cities have the largest share of nighttime spending (32%) at bars, cafés, and restaurants occurring between 7:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. 

Toronto, which tied with Calgary for the top spot last year, has seen a significant decline in its nighttime economy in 2025, dropping to second to last place with only 21% of transactions occurring at night. Vancouver placed last with a mere 17%.

Toronto isn’t an outlier; overall nighttime spending is down in major cities across the country for the second year in a row, including our Party City co-leader Calgary, whose share of nighttime spending is down from 38% the previous year (Edmonton was not previously ranked). 

“The slowdown we’re seeing in Canada’s nighttime spending is really a sign of changing times,” said Huh. “With rising living costs, Canadians are watching their budgets more closely, and hybrid work may mean fewer after-work get-togethers. But despite the challenges, bars and restaurants have a big opportunity: by creating memorable experiences—whether through great service, unique offerings, or seamless payment options—they can stand out and build loyalty with customers.”

Demand for Mocktails Continues Trending Upwards

Another big story this summer involves the mocktail, which has enjoyed a meteoric rise in popularity since the pandemic. While not surprisingly, businesses are still earning more from cocktails nationally, in Winnipeg, non-alcoholic beverages outperformed cocktails between November 2024 and February 2025. In Edmonton, sales of mocktails are consistently higher than their alcoholic counterparts. 

“To stay relevant, breweries and manufacturers are investing into zero-proof options, leading to high quality drinks that are virtually indistinguishable from their alcoholic counterparts," said Stuart Wheldon, CEO of Junction Craft Beverage Co. in Toronto, who began producing and offering non-alcoholic alternatives in 2022. "As the 'sober curious' movement continues to gain momentum, this is great news for Canadians who want to cut down on alcohol while still enjoying a night out. It also allows businesses to diversify their menus and appeal to evolving consumer tastes and preferences.”

For more information about how Square’s integrated ecosystem of commerce products can help bars and breweries start, run and grow, visit .

*Methodology: An online survey of n=1,533 Canadians, 18+. Completed between July 25 and July 27, 2025, using Leger’s online panel. No margin of error can be associated with a non-probability sample (i.e., a web panel in this case) For comparative purposes, though, a probability sample of n=1,533 respondents would have a margin of error of ±2.5%, 19 times out of 20. Incidence weighting was completed by gender, age, region, education, and language, based on Statistics Canada data

GRIMSBY, ON, Sept. 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Today, Forty Creek announces the retirement of Master Blender Bill Ashburn, marking the end of a 38-year career with the business during which he redefined whisky in Canada. An icon in the industry and a central figure in Forty Creek's legacy, Ashburn will retire from his role at the end of December.

"For me the pleasure of making whisky is in trying to push the boundaries, trying to do things differently and trying to find new flavours and expressions. I've been fortunate enough to do that with the team at Forty Creek," said Ashburn. "Whisky will always be a passion of mine, but I'm excited to begin a new chapter focused on family and my work as a breeder and trainer of wire fox terriers."

Ashburn began his career in the wine industry over four decades ago, before moving to Reider Distillery in 1987, the location that would later become Forty Creek. Throughout his tenure, his relentless curiosity and pursuit of excellence pushed the bounds of what Canadian whisky could be, establishing Forty Creek as one of Canada's most celebrated whisky brands. A pioneer in the industry, Ashburn's unique approach to grain specific blending and barrel aging trailblazed a new path for the industry.

In 2000, Forty Creek's inaugural whisky Barrel Select, launched under Ashburn's direction, quickly becoming a best-selling product and setting a new benchmark for quality in the industry. Ashburn's portfolio is a testament to his creativity and mastery in the field, from the launch of Barrel Select to annual Limited Time Offerings and ground-breaking innovations like Confederation Oak. Other limited-edition blends like Double Barrel proved so popular they became permanent offerings. His work has been celebrated on the national and international stage including Canadian Master Blender of the Year and Whisky Maker of the Decade.

"Bill's legacy is woven into every bottle we produce," said Doug Costantini, General Manager, Campari Canada. "His dedication, innovation, and mentorship have left an indelible mark on our team and the Canadian whisky industry at large. We are deeply grateful for his contributions and look forward to carrying on the time-honoured traditions of craftsmanship, quality and innovation that he established within our walls."

Ashburn's final release as Master Blender will be unveiled later this year, acting as a tribute to his historic career and capturing the essence of his decades-long body of work.

As Forty Creek ushers in a new era, the distillery remains steadfast in continuing Ashburn's legacy, reiterating Campari Group's commitment to the Grimsby plant and proudly producing Forty Creek in Ontario. Mentored personally by Ashburn, the innovation team will continue to push boundaries with bold, complex blends that reflect the brand's commitment to creativity and excellence. Meanwhile the blending and quality teams will ensure that every bottle of Barrel Select tastes the same as when Bill first crafted it in 2000.

Canadians hoping to bid farewell to Ashburn before his retirement are encouraged to visit the Forty Creek Distillery located at 297 South Service Road in Grimsby during Whisky Weekend September 20 and 21, 2025.