Sales surge a good excuse for a drink and a toast

New year looks rosy for spirits and wine dealers

As the catering industry laps up what appears to be the entree in an upswing in business for which it has had a growing appetite for many months, one sign that this is no flash in the pan is surging sales of liquors.

Along with turnover in upmarket restaurants, sales of liquor have been particularly hard hit since the central government's austerity campaign began three years ago, but one of the standard bearers of high-end liquors, Cognac, has produced spectacular results this year.