The information age has bred a new kind of consumer who seeks variety and adventure. From its drinks to its décor, cellar bar Whistling Shop immerses visitors in Old-London heritage while offering a familiar entry point.

Hedonism is taking a dark and dirty twist: seedy is cool, erotica is mainstream, and taboos are being overturned. But in these fantasy worlds, are we really as liberal as we think we are?

Around 90% of people worldwide consider spirits to be an affordable luxury. No longer is drinking vodka, rum and gin just a means of intoxication – it's an experience to be savoured. But with the definition of ‘craft’ unclear, is it becoming little more than a marketing tag?

Just like beer before it, spirits are getting the craft treatment. Tapping into the emphasis on quality over quantity, Diageo has launched an accelerator programme to raise the next generation of craft distilleries. But why isn’t Diageo just creating its own premium brand?

When it comes to drinking, Brazilians thirst for quality as well as quantity. They’re consuming more alcoholic drinks than ever, and becoming more adventurous in their choices. As the industry continues to grow, what does the beer – and cachaça – taste like at the top?

Whether coffee or chocolate, pizza or pencils, connoisseurship has become a pastime for the masses. But if anyone can become a connoisseur of anything, will the concept lose its mystique?

After releasing the world's strongest beer, punk Scottish brewer BrewDog reacted to criticism from regulators by releasing an even stronger beer, and packaging it in roadkill. This personality is exactly what keeps fans coming back for more.

Performed mainly by men, Passinho is a new way of dancing funk born in the favelas of Rio. It highlights a new side to Brazilian men: a growing obsession with vanity. But how does it challenge favela stereotypes? And what does this new behaviour reveal about Gen Y?