Bourbon is booming, rye is on the rise and Tennessee is thriving as US drinkers fall back in love with dark spirits. But a clever ad campaign isn't always enough for a brand to stand out. How did Jack Daniel’s grab people’s attention and remind them that whiskey is the drink of rock and roll stars?

Flavoured whiskies are the fastest-growing segment in the bourbon industry, accounting for nearly 75% of whisky growth in 2012. And people are clamouring for cotton candy-flavoured vodka and cinnamon-spiked rum too. But who are these sugar-sweet variants targeted at, and is it more than a passing fad?

Whiskey has long been considered a serious drink to be enjoyed by men of a certain age – picky Scotch drinkers have a lifelong affiliation with their beloved brand of single malt. But now, Scotch sales are soaring in the US, and it's not the usual suspects that are buying it.

In today’s economy – in which ‘good’ jobs are typically knowledge- or tech-based – many well-educated young Americans are now choosing to pursue traditionally low-status careers. Canvas8 spoke to Richard Ocejo, author of Masters of Craft, to learn why it’s cool to be a butcher or a barber.