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?

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.

Asian demand for better quality, premium beer is on the rise. Kagua, a luxury craft beer that's infused with herbs and special yeasts, is now available in over 170 restaurants and bars across Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Our/Vodka is a spirits brand from Pernod Ricard that's distilled in select cities and made by local producers. But how can the same company that produces 11.3 million cases of Absolut sit alongside indie distilleries? And are people willing to buy ‘local’ from a global giant?

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?

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?

A campaign by South African craft brewery Garagista Beer Company pokes fun at a large part of its target market - hipsters. With craft breweries growing around 10.9% over the last decade, its popularity has moved far beyond the hipster, and Garagista wants to leave them behind.

Beer consumption in Japan has declined from 7 billion litres in 2000 to just over 6 billion in 2014. Can microbrewery Yo-Ho Brewing shift people’s perceptions of handmade alcohol, and appeal to health-conscious youth with its Japanese tweaks on American craft beer?