Delegates from the world of brown spirits gathered in London today for day one of the two-day World Whiskies Conference. You can expect more from us over the next couple of days, but here are some choice quotes from the speeches so far.  Follow live conference updates from us on Twitter.

“Campari is like a guerilla fighter that has come down from the mountains for Wild Turkey and will now probably go into its cave for the time being,” John Wakely, independent industry analyst with The Angels Share and an ex-investment banker with Lehman Brothers.

“Young people are particularly affected by cheap sales. A UK child’s average weekly pocket money is enough to buy 57 units of cider,” Don Shenker, chief executive of Alcohol Concern.

“There is a correlation between affordability and alcohol consumption – alcohol morbidity is linked to alcohol affordability,” Don Shenker. He is believed to have made it out of the industry-dominated conference will all four limbs in working order.

“Fortune Brands must be thanking God that they didn’t buy Absolut last year,” John Wakely.

“We estimate that 100m young people in India will attain legal drinking status in the next five years. It is a marketer’s delight,” Vijay Rekhi, president of United Spirits India.

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“The Scotch Whisky Association is rather vigilant on the mislabelling of whisky [as Scotch],” Vijay Rekhi.

“Fortune Brands may have difficulty surviving in its current entity,” John Wakely.

“Going from a Johnny Walker Red to a Black is quite a taste difference. It’s quite a big decision to go [back] the other way, compared to a Carlsberg drinker going for some other kind of pilsner,” John Wakely, on why higher end whisky may be relatively okay in the recession.