Hey. Ho. Let's go!

The New Year celebrations have been and gone and 2013 is now upon us. All of us here at just-drinks wish all of you out there a prosperous and peaceful year ahead.

While we were back at the coalface for only three days last week, there was still plenty going on to keep us out of trouble.

• In spirits, the Scotch whisky industry looks set for another bumper year, as figures released late last year showed that the category's performance stayed strong in 2012. The likes of Diageo, Pernod Ricard and the Scottish Government will be pleased.
• Coca-Cola Co started the year in buying mood, snapping up the sixth-largest Coca-Cola bottler in the US, Sacramento Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Could more soft drinks cash be splashed this year?
• Russian drinkers will have to work that little bit harder this year, with a ban on print media alcohol advertising coinciding with new laws on beer sales taking effect last week. With alcohol sales staying strong in the first 11 months of 2012, how will the measures impact consumption in the country in 2013?

If you'd like to take a look back at the global drinks industry in 2012, then head here for our December management briefing, in which we review the year.

And, click here to see what drove the traffic on just-drinks over the last 12 months.