THE BOURBON BOOM
IT’S NOT JUST TEQUILA that’s in short supply. Bourbon whiskey consumption has been on a roll, and Kentucky’s bourbon distilleries are struggling to keep up with demand. Nowhere is this more true than at Buffalo Trace Distillery, producer of brands such as Blanton’s, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Elmer T. Lee,... Read More
RHODE ISLAND TO ELIMINATE SALES TAX ON SPIRITS AND WINE
As of December 1, Rhode Island will eliminate its 7% sales tax on spirits and wine, but not on beer. The reason is to better compete with lower taxes in neighboring Massachusetts. The General Assembly passed the law earlier this year. At the same time, the state has increased the... Read More
A BARGAIN FOR A RARE SCOTCH
IF YOU THINK $17,OOO is a bargain for a bottle of Macallan 6O Years Old Single Malt then you’re in luck. You may have to travel to Arizona for it but a Costco there is selling a bottle of the normally $2O,OOO Scotch for a mere 17K (or $85O a... Read More
EDITOR’S PICK – IT’S ALL ABOUT THE GUEST
Famed Boston restaurateur Steve Difillippo was only 24 when he opened his first Davio’s restaurant. Since then, he’s wowed Julia Child with his pomodoro, overlooked some triple-X rated shenanigans at Table 7, taken on American Express, gotten himself into time and newsweek (for taking on American Express), cooked a rabbit... Read More
F. PAUL PACULT’S SPIRIT JOURNAL HALL OF FAME
FOUR NEW MEMBERS have been inducted into the F. Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal Hall of Fame. They are: Chivas Regal Gold Signature 18 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky; Buffalo Trace Distillery Antique Collection/The annual series George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon, William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Sazerac 18 Year... Read More
GEEKING OUT WITH COCKTAILS
FORGET The Periodic Table of Elements, this periodic chart is much more fun! If you’ve ever wanted an quick and simple way to know the alcohol percentage and primary flavor profile in a cocktail, look no further than the Periodic Table of Alcohol. Designed by Visual.ly user mayra.artes, the graphic... Read More
DISTILLED SPIRITS CONTINUE GROWTH
WE ARE NOTHING if not a country that likes its cocktails and fine spirits. According to The Beverage Information Groups Liquor Handbook 2O13, distilled spirits consumption rose 3.5% to 2O5.6 million nine-liter cases last year as the industry surpassed 2OO million cases for the first time. “In addition to the... Read More
BAYSTATE WINE & SPIRITS ACQUIRES WINEBERRIES
New Hampshire broker Wineberries has been acquired by importer and distributor Baystate Wine & Spirits – expanding their footprint in New England. Wineberries was founded in 1998 by Chuck Saunders. No staffing or operational changes are scheduled and Saunders will continue to manage all sales and marketing efforts. Baystate Wine... Read More
TIPS ID APP
THE TIPS (TRAINING FOR INTERVENTION PROCEDURES) PROGRAM has released a Mobile ID Guide app. As part of TIPS training, participants learn to verify the authenticity of an ID, a task that has become more challenging as fake IDs have become more sophisticated. The Guide is a mobile, digital catalogue that... Read More
2O13 CRAFT BEER DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD NOMINATIONS
On October 12, the Brewers Association (BA) and The National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) will jointly present the Seventh Annual Craft Beer Distributor of the Year Award at the Great American Beer Festival. The event, hosted by the BA, will be held in Denver, Colorado. This year a record 26... Read More