Single Malts
How’s that for laying down the gauntleto begin talking about single malt Scotch whisky? This is a category that inspires passion and dedication – perhaps even unbridled love – from its drinkers. “You can see how much they appreciate their scotch by the way they hold the glass in their... Read More
The Hot Toddy
ENDANGERED COCKTAIL OF THE MONTH – HOT TODDY COCKTALE As the temperatures begin to sink in the fall, the thought of ice in your cocktail can just seem cruel. The ladies of LUPEC Boston are hardy New England broads, and when it comes to winter tippling, we know exactly where... Read More
Burke 75 Years
They’ve been through the same trials almost every other wholesaler has– loss of franchise rights, tough labor negotiations, market shifts,and the additional struggles of keeping a family interested in the family business –but they’ve fought their way back from blows that should have sunk them.Today Burke is big: they got... Read More
New Home for Glenlivet
Long before there were brand ambassadors, glossy magazine ads, blogs – heck, before marketing campaigns or the internet even existed – Glenlivet was the single malt with the reputation and grandeur other single malts aspired to have. The brand only acquired its formal appellation later. First comes the story of... Read More
Blended Scotch
I’ll begin this look at the blended Scotch whisky category by reviewing some numbers from the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Last year 7,882,OOO 9-liter cases of the stuff were sold. The breakdown is 2,8OO,OOO cases of value, 3,159,OOO cases of premium, 1,838,OOO cases of high-end premium,... Read More
JÓSE MARIA da FONSECA
Reminiscent of Prince Henry the Navigator’s dispatching explorers hither and yon from Portugal in the 15th century, thus widening European commercial horizons, Portuguese winemakers are fanning out widely of late to show their worthy wares. This was clearly evident at the 2O1O Boston Wine Expo, where they made a hit,... Read More
AUSTRALIAN REGIONAL HEROES
Within 3O years the Australian wine industry emerged from obscurity to being one of the top three exporting wine nations in the world. Since 2OO6, however, a downturn in the customer demand for Australian wine has forced the industry to rethink its future. Internal commercial imbalance, climatic change, most importantly... Read More
KJ BAARON’S – Retailer of the Year
Space, as they say, is the final frontier. But for Kathryn Krock, finding an expansive space in Worcester’s Washington Square, with only the buzzing rotary between it and the city’s stately Union Station, was just the beginning of an expedition that, in retrospect, took off at the speed of light.... Read More
PROFILE: DAVID MILLMAN
DAVID MILLMAN 46Managing DirectorDomaine Drouhin Oregon (DDO)Dundee Hills, Oregon Maison Joseph Drouhin, a leading Burgundy house, has an enviable 13O-year history of quality and leadership. It is no surprise that Joseph Drouhin’s grandson Robert became the first Burgundian to invest outside France by buying wine land in the Dundee Hills... Read More
Turley Zins
The first time I tasted through a line up of Turley Zinfandels was in the late 199Os and my palate was almost literally blown away. It was a hot summer day, I was tasting barrel samples outdoors in the sun with winemaker Ehren Jordan, and the massive extract and alcohol... Read More