In what will (hopefully) be a daily feature each Monday through Thursday here on Drinkhacker, we will be traveling the far corners of the internet to bring you the latest news and information on new products and hot news happening in the world of drinking from around the globe. So without further ado:

Mega conglomerate The Aristocrat Group Corporation announced it will be manufacturing and distributing its own brands of distilled spirits in the U.S. Per the press release, the Aristocrat Group is “a women’s lifestyle company that aims to make the transition into parenthood smoother and more rewarding than ever before. Our smart growth initiatives will position us as the premier resource for prenatal and postpartum resources.” No word on how selling booze is going to make this happen, exactly. [Daily Finance]

Technomic recently issued a report entitled “Special Trends in the Adult Beverage Industry.” Within the report, it notes flavored vodka expanded in 2011, with a 23.3 percent gain in overall vodka market share. Also among the discoveries:

• Smirnoff led all of the flavored vodka profiles which grew in 2011.
• Nearly 3/4ths of vodkas introduced in 2011 were flavored.
• Raspberry and citrus remained the most popular flavors.
• Pinnacle Whipped Cream vodka grew 324.5 percent to rank as a leading vodka brand.

Though the flavor craze continues to propel sales, there is currently no sign of a pizza-infused vodka on the horizon. [PRNewswire]

The return of bourbon distilleries to Lexington, Kentucky has been filled with bureaucratic headaches and tribulations. BizLex went behind the scenes to find out the challenges behind the making of the Town Branch Distillery. [BizLex]

And last but certainly not least, Julia Thiel chimes in with her review of the Independent Spirits Expo held in Chicago this past week. [Chicago Reader]

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