Oct 2009 Final Issue

28

12 beam global: back to basicsAn in-depth look at the company’s renewed commitment to the trade and a simplifi ed route to market.

22 a changing FaceProximo’s Three Olives Vodka keeps the vodka category fresh with a myriad of fl avors—and a clever marketing campaign.

24 small is beautifulAs the local food movement continues to surge, a small, artisan distiller community is following suit.

28 scotch: holding its ownDespite an uncertain economy, single malt Scotches remain an affordable luxury, and premium blends are not far behind.

40 cheaper by the dozenTwenty ways to convert your customers into case buyers.

features

October 2009 bay state beverage guide 3 October 2009 bay state beverage guide 3

1a brand indeX

25a abcc decisions

31a Massachusetts License saLes & transFers

brand Index

contents

4 Publisher’s Page

6 insider’s view

9 operations management

8 talkin’ tech

1224

10 off-Premise viewpoint

10 on-Premise viewpoint

44 New Products & Promotions

46 around town

48 Newsfront

49 shopping Network

on the coverBobby “G” Gleason, Beam Global

Spirits & Wine, Inc. Master Mixologist, at Char No.4, Brooklyn, NY

photographed by andrew kist

departments

4 bay state beverage guide October 2009

Bay State Beverage Guide massachusetts edition

Volume 1, No. 10

Bay State Beverage Guide is devoted to the interests and welfare of the retail spirits, wine and beer licensees of Massachusetts. Published monthly by Vinegar Hill LLC, D/B/A Bay State Beverage Guide, 84 Sherman Street, Cambridge, MA 02140. Telephone: 617-864-1677. Fax: 617-864-1655. Subscription rates are: United States - $60 per year; Canada - $75 per year; Foreign - $99 per year. Postmaster, please send changes to: Bay State Beverage Guide, 84 Sherman Street, Cambridge, MA 02140. Nothing may be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher. Contents copyrighted 2009 by Vinegar Hill LLC.

PublisherTerence F. Connaughton

[email protected]

editoriaL

managing editorKristen Wolfe Bieler

editorAlia Akkam

assistant editor Ariel Boorstin

contributing editorsDale DeGroff, Mary Ewing-Mulligan, David T. Kratt, Jeffery Lindenmuth,

Ed McCarthy, Gregg Glaser, W.R. Tish, Jean K. Reilly

art & design

art directorLarry Lee

graphic designerDana Buonincontri

assistant designerJosue Romero

advertising

Terence F. Connaughton617-864-1677

[email protected]

puBlIsher’s page

They both shared the same fi rst name. Both of their families have ties to the liquor industry dating back to Prohibition and

they both have family in politics. They each called Massachusetts home while both spent some adventurous time in the Palm Beach, FL area. One found his joy by boat on the sea, the other by land on the golf course.

The fi rst Ted, signifi cantly more pub-lic and polarizing, was just one of those fi gures that people seemed to always have a fairly animated opinion of. Young or old, from Boston or Billerica, people seemed to either passionately question or adore him. But whether you liked or disliked him, one thing was for sure; you couldn’t ignore Ted Kennedy. I have to admit, as my wife and kids made an impromptu family gathering of his weekend-long ceremony, I’m guilty of not appreciat-ing all that Ted Kennedy accomplished both legislatively and for humanity. I was particularly struck by how Joe Kennedy described ‘Uncle Ted’s’ amazing ability to fi ll the paternal void left for the chil-dren of his two fallen brothers. Family really did mean more than anything to Ted Kennedy.

The second Ted was much less public but no less a family man in every sense of the word. Thanks to a mutual friend, I had the priviledge of playing 18 holes with Mr. Rubin in a charity tournament in Rhode Island a few years back. It was one of those times where he left a last-ing impression on me but why wasn’t completely obvious. It wasn’t until I read the article about him in the Boston Globe when it struck me. What I witnessed that

day was someone with a very rare abil-ity to be competitive yet likeable at the same time. Our mutual friend was a big retail customer of Ted’s but not for one hole or one shot did that change how Ted Rubin approached the game. I can almost recount word for word how highly and impressively he spoke of the Ruby Wine company employees. He seemed to consider himself more as a member of the Ruby team rather than an owner. Again, it was only 18 holes but anybody who golfs will tell you that a round of golf can tell you a lot about someone. It was ob-vious to me Mr. Rubin was a guy people loved being around, plain and simple.

For those of us in this industry, it’s been easy to fi nd reasons not to be happy; with more new taxes, elected offi cials buying their liquor in NH, and most re-cently the introduction of a bill to ban all alcohol advertising on public prop-erty (see page 6), there really hasn’t been much to be proud of in Massachusetts re-cently. But we can be proud of two home-grown natives who, in different ways and to varying degrees, made a real difference in the lives of so many people in and around this great state.

terence connaughton, Publisher

[email protected]

terence connaughton,

Massachusetts Loses Two Teds


ACROSS THE COUNTRY

NatioNal: igNitioN iNterlock devices may become realityToyota has confirmed it has been developing anti-drunk driving equipment that would lock the ignition of a vehicle if high levels of alcohol are detected in the driver. The system features a hand-held breathalyzer equipped with a digital camera that detects alcohol consumption and photographs the driver’s face for identification and send a message to fleet administrators. The device is intended for fleet vehicles of government and companies. In related news, the Califor-nia assembly unanimously approved a bill last month that would require first–time offend-ers convicted of driving under the influence in four counties to install an ignition inter-lock device. The pilot program would start next July and run until 2016, at which time it could become statewide law. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has not yet decided if he’ll sign the bill, according to a spokesperson.

ACROSS THE COUNTRY

arouNd the regioN: ct Package stores closed oN suNday aNd moNday oF labor dayConnecticut Blue Laws kept package stores closed on Sunday and Monday this past La-bor Day, reported DISCUS. They’re one of only three states that still bans, beer, wine and spirits sales on Sundays. “It’s laughable that in 2009 a 1930s law forces package store owners to close for two consecutive days during one of the busiest home entertain-ing weekends of the year,” said Jay Hibbard, council VP. “Outdated laws hurt enterprising store owners, but also inconvenience con-sumers and deny the state treasury millions in much-needed tax revenue.” Consumers could still order drinks on-premise though.

AROUND THE STATE

bostoN: ma state laW PreveNts ab From holdiNg beer, WiNe aNd sPirits liceNseAnheuser-Busch Inc.’s bid to sell liquor in the Bay State suffered another legal setback after the MA Court of Appeals ruled that Anheuser-Busch can only sell beer and wine and denied its bid for a wholesale li-quor license. AB won a license to sell all al-coholic beverages in 2006 but in June 2007 the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of Mas-sachusetts challenged its validity in court. The Alcohol Beverage Control Commis-sion then took back AB’s larger license in 2007, and an appeals court agreed that state law prevents AB from holding a license for beer, wine and spirits. The state appeals court upheld the ruling in state superior court citing “the commission reasoned that the language of controlling statutes prohib-ited the grant of the all alcoholic beverages license to AB,” the appeal court wrote in its recent decision.

ma laWmaker caught buyiNg taX-Free alcohol iN NeW hamPshireAlthough we know this is old news, the irony and sheer comedy of it all bears re-peating. Massachusetts Democratic law-maker and member of the state House Ways and Means Committee, Michael Rodrigues, was caught “stocking up” on tax-free alco-hol in New Hampshire. The irony again, is that Rodrigues voted to raise state alcohol taxes by 6.25%. It is against Massachusetts law to transport more than 20 gallons of malt beverages or three gallons of any other alcoholic beverage into the state. Although Rodrigues denied he was trying to evade paying taxes, he has stated that he will comply with state law and pay the sales tax on the three bottles of hard liquor and two bottles of wine he and his wife bought at the NH store.

ma iNtroduces bill to baN Public alcohol adsIn more Massachusetts news, a group of consumers and public health advocates are supporting a bill ( HB1113) filed recently by state Rep. Martin Walsh (D-Dorchester) that would forbid alcohol advertisements on public property. The 24-word proposal pro-hibits “alcohol advertising on any property owned or operated by the commonwealth.” Opponents and industry officials are call-ing it an unconstitutional infringement on speech and ineffective at combating under-age drinking while supporters of the propos-al argue that kids are “pervasively overex-posed” to alcohol advertising and are more likely to drink earlier and more frequently as a result. Proponents of the legislation also say numerous studies show advertising is a driver of underage drinking. State Repre-sentative Steven Walsh (D-Lynn) suggest-ed that distillers submit written suggestions as to what lawmakers should do to prevent underage drinking if they believe advertis-ing restrictions are not the answer.

attorNey geNeral coakley coNFirms ballot iNitiativesProposals to eliminate tolls in Massachusetts, repeal the sales tax on alcohol and slash the 6.25% sales tax rate were certified recently by Attorney General Martha Coakley’s of-fice. The designation means proponents are free to begin collecting thousands of signa-tures needed to move through the next phase in the initiative petition process. The state constitution requires that each petition must be in proper form and must propose a bind-ing law, cannot be substantially the same as any proposal that appeared on the ballot in the last two statewide elections and cannot address any of a limited list of matters ex-cluded from the initiative process. Laws re-lating to the powers of courts or to religion, laws making specific appropriations and laws that apply only to limited parts of the state are barred from being proposed by initiative petition. In all, Coakley’s office certified 25 petitions covering 12 topics. Petitions that survive the signature-gathering and verifi-

Industry Legislation and Regulation

InsIder’s VIew

October 2009 bay state beverage guide 7

cation process, which takes months, are marked for the 2010 ballot, with the excep-tion of constitutional amendments, which are not eligible for the ballot until 2012 at the earliest.

legal seaFood iNtroduces miXologistPatrick Sullivan has recently joined Master of Wine Sandy Block and Legal Sea Foods’ unparalleled beverage program to become the mastermind behind its ever-evolving cocktail options. Sullivan will create and manage the “Raising the Bar” cocktail lists, unique to each Legal Sea Foods location. Sullivan has spent years honing his skills to become an industry expert in the land of cocktails. In 1998, Sullivan opened the famous B-Side Lounge in Cambridge, MA, to rave reviews and popularity. With the B-Side Lounge, Sullivan did something revolutionary: he offered vintage cock-tails, meticulously prepared, using only the freshest ingredients and reawakening the forgotten liquors of days past. Sullivan was responsible for arguably creating the most comprehensive drink menu in Greater Boston, categorizing his lists simply and precisely: “Whiskey Base,” “Gin Base,” etc. Sullivan looked to past generations for inspiration, catering to everyone in a different way. In late 2008, Sullivan closed the doors to the B-Side Lounge.

rememberiNg ted rubiNBay State Beverage Guide would like to offer our condolences to the immediate and extended Rubin family on the recent passing of Ted Rubin, President & CEO of Ruby Wines inc. Ted was one of the most well-liked and well-respected indi-viduals in our industry. Over the years and in many ways, he exhibited extraor-dinary dedication and commitment to the entire hospitality industry here in Massa-chusetts. In 2008, along with his brother Bob, Ted was recognized by the National Restaurant Association and honored as an inductee into the Massachusetts Hos-pitality Hall of Fame.

As the President & CEO of Ruby Wines, Ted was instrumental in building a corporate culture of caring with his em-ployees. He supported countless charities and non-profi t organizations around Mas-

sachusetts. Among them, Ted was a found-ing member of the Guild of Oenopholists, the group that created the Boston Wine Expo. He was also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Spinazolla foundation and played an instrumental role in raising money to support the foundation’s work. He also worked with the Jimmy Fund and Italian Home For Children in their fund–raising endeavors. Many of us knew Ted Rubin as an avid golfer who won a record 13 club championships and 12 ‘father and son’ titles at Spring Valley Country Club. Many of us also know that Ted was very proud to have his son Brad on board to help continue the Ruby Wines corporate values of family, strength, integrity and loyalty for another generation.

In addition to his wife Hilary, his sons Brad and Doug, Ted Rubin leaves six grandchildren.

AROUND YOUR TOWN

beverly: Former bar to be home For veteraNsA barroom that once plagued the neigh-borhood with noise, fi ghts and drugs is scheduled to be turned into housing for low-income veterans.The former Press Box building across from the train depot is under agreement to be purchased by Cari-tas Communities, the largest nonprofi t owner of lodging houses in Greater Bos-ton. The organization plans to renovate the four-story building and provide 25 to 30 single-room apartments for male and female veterans with incomes of less than $30,000 a year.

sWamPscott: oFFicials mull maNdatory tiPs traiNiNgSelectmen are looking into possibly re-quiring one-day liquor license holders to hire someone who is state certifi ed to serve alcohol. Selectman Anthony Scibelli said it is important for the town to have a poli-cy that is consistent and would protect the public. Selectmen are taking a look at the feasibility of requiring the training and in what instances it would be appropriate.


talkIn tech by Ian Griffith

EvENTS CALENDAR

bay state beverage guide Wants to KnoW

What is happening!

Please inform us of upcoming events and tastings. Send upcoming events to:

Bay State Beverage Guide, 84 Sherman Street,

Cambridge, MA, 02140 Attention: Events or email at:

[email protected]

Learn about seLLing Wine onLine

Sign up for our next Webinar on Thursday, October 17th, 2009

at 10am EST. See how a store uses the BMG eCommerce system to maintain and promote products on a website. For more information

visit: bevnetwork.com/retailweb

OCTObER 2009

8th neW Ma Wine & spirits WhoLesaLers’ FaLL tasting Westin Hotel, Waltham, 3pm-7pm

13-14 u.s. drinKs conFerence Helmsley Park Lane Hotel, NY www.usdrinksconference.com Phone: 860-676-7900 $795 for two-day access to all sessions.

14th Ma pacKage store association annuaL trade shoW Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center, Marlborough

14th Ma restaurant association & capture

code - MarKeting seMinar Capture Code 1000 Winter St Suite 4000

Waltham, MA

17th the return oF the beLgian beer Fest

The Cyclorama at Boston Center for the Arts

19th Mra’s neW Ma data privacy reguLation seMinar - What every restaurant needs to KnoW

Hampshire House 84 Beacon St, Boston, MA

after years of supporting wine stores online, I take it for granted that most any retailer can benefit from

a presence online. So it was with some puzzlement that I revisited this question for a presentation at the Empire Wine Merchants’ Retail Seminar.

To be sure the last year has seen the first online sales contractions in U.S. retail ecommerce history. According to Com-Score’s measurements, online retail sales in Q2 2009 were down 1% on the previous year, a negative showing only surpassed by last year’s holiday season. Yet the forecasts are pretty consistent that the recovery has probably already begun, and that by next year we should see modest growth online.

Wine-Searcher currently lists 2,119 U.S. Wine Stores across 49 states, includ-ing 268 in New York, the second largest market to California. When wineries and brokers are added to its list Wine-Searcher shows a total 5,480 wine web-sites. The past five years in particular has seen a significant increase in the number of wine stores that list their inventory on-line with the vast majority now offering ecommerce. The question is whether this increase in access to wine has outpaced the needs of the online wine consumer.

From our experience with newly

launched wine websites it has been get-ting harder to lift the traffic and sales on sites that don’t have a strong marketing position. In the early days of the Internet a corner store could launch a website and the orders would start coming in. Today early success depends much more on in-ventory selection and price, while long–term success depends on a strong shop-ping experience and customer service.

The Power of IntegrationWhile the past year has been a tough one in retail, we’ve been seeing consistent interest from retailers in e-commerce as a sales channel that continues to offer growth. While retailers are often look-ing for access to new markets, the value of an online presence for many stores will likely be much more local. The more a store can integrate its website with activities in the store, the more the store can benefit from customers that are online but who choose not to place orders through the shopping cart. Also, customers online who may never visit the store are more likely to trust a merchant that displays interesting store events. Your credibility is increased, you offer more opportunities for customers to find you online and you support store customers with more information about events they plan to attend.

The marketplace is a different place than it was 5 or 10 years ago, but for many stores this underlines the convic-tion that to compete they need to be on-line. As the Internet has become more integrated into our daily activities, stores need to include the Internet as an inte-grated part of their marketing. While the opportunities online require more effort by the store, the risks have also grown that stores that do not operate online can become marginalized in a way that hurts its options for longer term growth.

to learn more about how beverage media can help with a website for your store visit www.bevsites.com, contact ian griffith at 617-864-1677, or follow us on twitter at twitter.com/bevsites.

Are There Still Opportunities Online for Wine Stores?

eMarketer expects that pent-up demand will

continue to drive positive growth. Their prediction is that the rate of growth will peak around 2012, before

settling into a trend of strong, but slowing growth.


operatIons management by Harry Conforti

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e very September guarantees two things for those in Boston: One, the Red Sox – Yankees rivalry will be in full force; Two, students will flock into Boston in numbers that no other city

in the world can imagine. One of the most important items on most of the underage students’ agendas will be “how do I get into the bars in the area”? The answer, of course, is obtaining a fake ID.

One other thing is for certain: the under aged patron that know-ingly attempts to deceive will not be punished for this premeditated fraudulent deed. It is the licensed establishment that suffers the wrath of the governing bodies regardless of the steps taken to prevent this criminal act. That is why it is imperative that you have covered the basics and trained your staff. Remember someone is trying to get away with underage drinking every minute of every day.

Here are some basic tips to review:• Look at the ID under a bright light for better inspection • Check the birth date to see that the person is over 21• Check to see if the birth date has been altered • Check the ID photo and the recorded height for resemblance with customer

• Compare the hairline, eyebrows and chin shape on the photo because these are the most difficult features to change

• Check the expiration date--an expired ID is not a valid ID • Hold the ID in your hand and feel for any unusual raised surfaces • Look for tampering around the edges • Remember to return the guest’s ID • When in doubt ask for another form of identification or for personal information, such as an address, birth date, age, middle initial or zodiac sign.

A few other important things to remember:Accepting out-of-state licenses increases your risk of validating false identification and accidentally selling to a minor. If your company policy is to accept them, use an I.D. checking guide to identify genu-ine documents. Look up the format in the booklet; make sure you take the extra step of scrutinizing the information on the document just as you would your state’s I.D. If your company’s policy is to seize I.Ds make sure that you have checked into all the legal issues that may result.

In Massachusetts, to have a defense against the charge of selling or serving alcohol to a minor, identification must be checked on the day of service, even if you have checked the guest’s ID previously.

after serving many years as vice-president of beverage for the lyons group, har-ry conforti founded special oPs - a massachusetts-based on-premise services company that specializes in the area of alcohol beverages. Widely known and well- respected throughout the industry, harry currently serves as president of the company.

Putting the Kibash on Fake ID’s


iknow that when things seem livable, no one wants to see changes. New ideas are not embraced and planned growth is often bushwhacked by the “nimby” thinking constituencies

that will do all that can be done to implant themselves squarely in the path of progress. When it comes to our own passionate in-terests, we seem to simply and conveniently forget the opposing point of view when it endangers all that we have come to accept. I think it’s only fair to acknowledge that we are all comfortable with that which helps us, or at least, does not hurt us before I take a shot at the other guy.

It is often mind consuming and utterly frustrating when we consider all that could be called into question as our state deals with its fiscal issues and revenue shortfall. Is it that those of us on the front line see it so clearly or is it that those benefiting are just putting up that good of a fight? Is it an illusion that we see what is plainly right in front of us and don’t react or are we just much too accustomed to not making a difference?

Sure, this is just one man’s point of view but isn’t it time or would it be too much too consider that jobs being offered by our state are just too rich for our wallet? That we really haven’t ex-amined the issue of pension and retirement plans? That elected officials (including politicians) should be accountable for a full workday or at least come close for what we pay them? That we have not had true ethics reform or at least enough of it? That auto dealers should not be able to use “dealer plates” for their personal cars? That public awareness programs emanating from specific social habits should be funded from efforts within that specific industry and clientele? That whether we have policemen or flagmen at roadway construction isn’t so much the issue as the fact that they are getting paid at an overtime rate which is also reflected in their state pension? Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a supporter of our law enforcement folks but as we look to the an-niversary of 9/11, I am reminded of one law enforcement depart-ment in our fair state that fought to insure that 9/11 is classified as a holiday for them and all that entails and the town they work for granted it. I hope they are not over budget.

You know, at this point I’m sure I could go on and on and get a dissenting opinion from just about everyone I’ve just offended but at the end of the day, I’m still going to argue for my con-stituency and the fact that alcohol lost its sales tax exemption in Massachusetts and it’s wholly unfair. You already know all of the arguments and the fact that the product is already taxed at al-most a 40% rate imposes an additional hardship on our custom-ers and patrons, but then again, why should we care; we don’t have to pay it, do we? Peter kessel is the owner of the WiNeXPress and the president of the ma Pack-age stores association. the views and comments expressed above are personal and should not be construed to represent any opinions or official statement of any organization or entity.

Just One Man’s Opinion

off-premIse VIewpoInt by Peter Kessel

irecently had the opportunity of being at a meeting led by Michael Roman, the president and founder of Catersource. He is without a doubt one of the catering gurus in the country. I swear that I could

listen to him all night as he is so knowledgeable and brings with him the experience of wisdom that he picks up from traveling around the country. For more information about Catersource or their annual tradeshow, you can go to www.catersource.com.

However, Mike did mention a couple of things that could apply to all restaurants who are looking for group business. First of all, now is the time to start booking your holiday parties. I know that a lot of folks don’t like for your sales departments to feel too pushy. Well, they don’t have to be pushy. Instead, have them try calling some of the companies they have booked in years past to remind them that your space will fill up fast and because they are special customers, you want to make sure that they have the opportunity of booking now. If nothing else happens, you will probably find out more about the time frame in which they will be mak-ing their decision and you can plan your marketing accordingly.

Another great idea that Mike had for caterers that might work for restaurants as well is to facilitate the party planning for the guest and to capture the emails of their guests for future marketing. You graphically create a very nice email registration for the guest list and personalize the invitation. You send it out to the entire guest list that you are given and have the RSVPs come to you (with a copy to the host). This allows you to use your professional skills to create a piece that they might not be able to do, to extend your service by making their lives easier and to capture a future marketing list at the same time. It seems pretty brilliant to me.

It seems that the corporate business is beginning to return. We are not seeing as many of the big, expensive parties we have in past years, but at least they are beginning their bookings again. In some cases, there are larger corporations that are hosting the parties for their clients, smaller businesses that are financially unable to hold their own.

Another movement that you might consider is to host a party for several smaller companies. You provide the food, beverage, entertain-ment and atmosphere and allow the smaller companies to buy table in order to fill the room.

The MRA is looking at some relatively new software that can be used for your function space. The software will not only help you fulfill your leads and insure that you don’t miss any, but it will also allow you to manage your function space better with the resources and people that you have available. It’s too early to announce anything yet, but we hope to have a “deal” worked out for our membership very soon.

It may seem early to you for planning your holiday parties, but there is no time like the present to begin the process. For all you know, your competitors may have already begun.

Peter christie is a veteran of the restaurant industry. he is currently president and ceo of the massachusetts restaurant association, a position that he has held for the past 20 years. Prior to this, he owned and operated three restaurants with his family.

on-premIse VIewpoInt by Peter Christie

How to Secure Group Sales

1 Godiva Liqueurs ARE DELICIOUS ON THE ROCKS Luxury chocolate maker Godiva now brings its craftsman-

ship to a line of reformulated chocolate liqueurs. Available in Chocolate, Caramel, White Chocolate and Mocha, each smooth, cream-based liquid can be enjoyed in creative sea-sonal cocktails like the “Godiva Truffletini.” New packages featuring oval labels serve as an amplified branding tool, offering greater visibility and distinction between all flavors. Available in 50ml, 375ml and 750ml (with box). Visit www.godiva.com/liqueur

2 Absolut SELECTS BOSTON AS ITS NEXT DESTINATION Absolut’s newest city-inspired flavor is Absolut Boston,

made with black tea and elderflower. Sold in an eye-catch-ing iconic bottle paying tribute to Boston’s famous left-field wall, Absolut Boston arrives after the successful launch of Absolut Los Angeles in 2008 and Absolut New Orleans in 2007, capturing the true flavor of these historic cities.

SRP: $24.99 for 1L bottle. Visit www.absolut.com

3 Connemara PEATED SINGLE MALT IRISH WHISKIES LAUNCH NEW SERIES Connemara is the only modern-day whiskey produced by

the 18th and 19th century method of drying malting barley over peat fires. To pay homage to its roots, Connemara has a new contemporary look, celebrated by limited edition bot-tlings of new Connemara Peated Single Malt expressions. The first in the “Small Batch Collection Series” is finished in sherry casks. Visit www.cooleywhiskey.com

4 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Triumph: THE NEWEST EXPRESSION FROM THE NÀDURRA RANGE The newest addition to The Glenlivet Nàdurra range is

the Nàdurra Triumph 1991. Created using a single source of grain, the Triumph barley, which is no longer used at The Glenlivet distillery, this release, distilled and casked in Speyside in 1991, is truly distinct. Available beginning in November, it has a SRP of $85. Visit www.theglenlivet.com

5 Nocello GEARS UP FOR THE HOLIDAY Toschi’s specialty Nocello liqueur, made from walnuts, traces

its roots back to the Middle Ages, when a walnut elixir was made for the tables of princes and kings. Nocello also adds kick to an espresso or cappuccino. Underscoring the con-nection between Nocello and coffee, for the holidays, the Nocello gift pack conveniently includes an Italian espresso cup. SRP: $24.99 Contact: Nneka Watkins 516-869-9170

6 Parrot Bay INTRODUCES 90-PROOF COCONUT Joining Parrot Bay Strawberry and Parrot Bay Orange, Parrot Bay Coconut adds another tropical dimension. Easily prepared with cranberry and other juices, Parrot Bay

Coconut offers a refreshing reprieve. Available in 50ml, 375ml glass flask, 750ml, 1L and 1.75L PET.

Visit www.captainmorgan.com

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2

3

5

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1

ABSOLUTBOSTON

sold in an eye-catching iconic bottle paying tribute to Boston’s

famous left-field wall

NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS


1 Godiva Liqueurs ARE DELICIOUS ON THE ROCKS Luxury chocolate maker Godiva now brings its craftsman-

ship to a line of reformulated chocolate liqueurs. Available in Chocolate, Caramel, White Chocolate and Mocha, each smooth, cream-based liquid can be enjoyed in creative sea-sonal cocktails like the “Godiva Truffletini.” New packages featuring oval labels serve as an amplified branding tool, offering greater visibility and distinction between all flavors. Available in 50ml, 375ml and 750ml (with box). Visit www.godiva.com/liqueur

2 Absolut SELECTS BOSTON AS ITS NEXT DESTINATION Absolut’s newest city-inspired flavor is Absolut Boston,

made with black tea and elderflower. Sold in an eye-catch-ing iconic bottle paying tribute to Boston’s famous left-field wall, Absolut Boston arrives after the successful launch of Absolut Los Angeles in 2008 and Absolut New Orleans in 2007, capturing the true flavor of these historic cities.

SRP: $24.99 for 1L bottle. Visit www.absolut.com

3 Connemara PEATED SINGLE MALT IRISH WHISKIES LAUNCH NEW SERIES Connemara is the only modern-day whiskey produced by

the 18th and 19th century method of drying malting barley over peat fires. To pay homage to its roots, Connemara has a new contemporary look, celebrated by limited edition bot-tlings of new Connemara Peated Single Malt expressions. The first in the “Small Batch Collection Series” is finished in sherry casks. Visit www.cooleywhiskey.com

4 The Glenlivet Nàdurra Triumph: THE NEWEST EXPRESSION FROM THE NÀDURRA RANGE The newest addition to The Glenlivet Nàdurra range is

the Nàdurra Triumph 1991. Created using a single source of grain, the Triumph barley, which is no longer used at The Glenlivet distillery, this release, distilled and casked in Speyside in 1991, is truly distinct. Available beginning in November, it has a SRP of $85. Visit www.theglenlivet.com

5 Nocello GEARS UP FOR THE HOLIDAY Toschi’s specialty Nocello liqueur, made from walnuts, traces

its roots back to the Middle Ages, when a walnut elixir was made for the tables of princes and kings. Nocello also adds kick to an espresso or cappuccino. Underscoring the con-nection between Nocello and coffee, for the holidays, the Nocello gift pack conveniently includes an Italian espresso cup. SRP: $24.99 Contact: Nneka Watkins 516-869-9170

6 Parrot Bay INTRODUCES 90-PROOF COCONUT Joining Parrot Bay Strawberry and Parrot Bay Orange, Parrot Bay Coconut adds another tropical dimension. Easily prepared with cranberry and other juices, Parrot Bay

Coconut offers a refreshing reprieve. Available in 50ml, 375ml glass flask, 750ml, 1L and 1.75L PET.

Visit www.captainmorgan.com

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ABSOLUTBOSTON

sold in an eye-catching iconic bottle paying tribute to Boston’s

famous left-field wall

NEW PRODUCTS & PROMOTIONS


1 hiram Walker gingerbread and puMpKin spice LiQueurs Hiram Walker is bringing back its Gingerbread and Pumpkin Spice liqueurs. Gingerbread is made from a blend of

brown sugar, ginger, vanilla and spice; Pumpkin Spice marries the tastes of vanilla, graham cracker and pumpkin pie. Both are ideal for making seasonal winter cocktails. Available in 750ml and 1L with a SRP of $8.99-$11.99 for the 750ml.

2 panther rock Wine company Launches MasKed rider Winery Masked Rider, a new wine brand from Panther Rock Wine Company, has made its national debut. The embossed cowboy-themed label is nostalgic and sure to

invoke memories of past heroes from television and motion pictures. Masked Rider is available in 750ml and is produced in California. The fi ve red wines include: 2008 Cabernet

Sauvignon, 2008 Pinot Noir, 2007 Zinfandel, 2006 Petite Sirah and 2007 Gunsmoke Red. Contact 707-265-4050 or visit www.maskedriderwinery.com

3 ‘the Wait’ adds neW varietaL to its Line-up ‘The Wait Cabernet Syrah’ joins ‘The Wait’ wine collection of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec Rosé

and Torrentes, Argentina’s signature white wine. Available in 14 states with a SRP of $11.99 to $14.99, the

brand, produced in the Mendoza region of Argentina, is slated for national distribution by the end of the year.

Visit www.thewaitwines.com

4 Kahlúa coffee cream Liqueur hits sheLves For the hoLidays Throughout the holiday season, Kahlúa will release a

limited edition Kahlúa Coffee Cream Liqueur. Made with 100% Arabica coffee beans shade-grown in Mexico’s Vera-cruz region, and fresh, natural cream, it has a SRP of $17.99 for 750ml. Visit www.kahlua.com

5 a Festive hoLiday bottLe FroM grand Marnier

Ideal for the holidays, Grand Marnier is offering its 750ml size in a shiny red lacquer bottle, in very limited quanti-ties. The festive packaging lends itself to creating seasonal cocktails like a warming “Grand Marnier Hot Chocolate.” SRP: $64.99. Visit www.grand-marnier.com

6 van gogh debuts the First uLtra-preMiuM tripLe Wheat vodKa

Known for its distinct fl avored vodkas, including Double Espresso and Açai-Blueberry, Van Gogh now introduces Triple Wheat Van Gogh Blue vodka, the fi rst ultra-

premium vodka made from three international wheat sources. The wheat is sourced from central France, south-ern Germany and Zeeland in Holland, then triple distilled by master distiller Tim Vos. The smooth 80-proof vodka is crafted in small batches and available in 750ml with a SRP of $27. Visit www.vangoghvodka.com

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new products & promotIons

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GRAND MARNIERis offering a limited edition,

shiny red lacquer bottle for the holiday season

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absolut bostoN lauNch On Wednesday, August 26th, Absolut celebrated the pride and spirit of Boston with the debut of its newest city-inspired flavor – Absolut Boston. The limited-edition vodka is made with black tea and elderflower and has an SRP of $24 for 1L. As part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to the environ-ment and to further support the quality of life in and around Boston, Absolut has donated $50,000 from the sales of Absolut Boston to the Charles River Conservancy, a Boston area charity dedicated to the stewardship and renewal of the parklands along the urban riverbanks.

around town

summer soiree iii at caFé luNaMatt Haymer, wine buyer and owner of Café Luna, and Tyler Baillet of The Second Glass, treated customers to a special night of wine and music in Cambridge. The theme of the tasting was Italy vs. California and featured wines representing various regions of each place. Along with each wine, guests were treated to a delicious dish served up by the friendly staff at the café.

The Absolut Boston Wall of Pride

Charles River Conservancy founder and president, Renata von Tscharner with Tim Murphy, VP marketing, Absolut

Tim Murphy, VP Marketing, Absolut, welcomes guests at the Absolut Wall of Pride

Tyler Balliet, Second Glass; and Matt Haymer, Cafe Luna Elizabeth McNeill, Cafe Luna

Cafe Luna customers enjoy the wine tasting

Maggie Dayton, Kate Pluhar and Tyler Balliet, Second Glass


samuel adams oktoberFestConsidered by many as the official kick-off to the traditional Oktoberfest season, Boston Beer Com-pany and BeerSummit.com partnered once again to serve up more than 15 different styles and variet-ies of Samuel Adams beer in a traditional German Beer hall style setting. Featuring live bands, Ger-man sausages, festive costumes and table games, the highly anticipated and sold-out event took place at the Park Plaza Castle, the perfect venue for such an occasion. Beer industry icon and Boston’s own Jim Koch of Samuel Adams kicked off the event with the ceremonial “tapping of the keg”.

tuesday tastiNgs at tastiNgs WiNe bar & bistro Guests at Tastings Wine Bar & Bistro were treated to some of the best wines of Paso Robles, CA with a sampling of hidden gems from the Justin Winery. With Gillette Stadium as the backdrop, GM Dave Cicciarella shared samples of Justin Winery’s Sauvi-gnon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Syrah with a friendly crowd and great atmosphere.

around town

Jackie and Kevin DeLange Janyce Gagne and Drew Fitzsimons

Josh Goyer, Dave Cicciarella, GM & Sommelier;Bill & Patti Martin

Philippe from Masciarelli Wine Company

Kate Fitzgerald and Pamela Holland, Boston Beer Company, in full regalia

Tigh Rickman, Boston Beer Company; and Kelly DeLeonardis, Boston Beer Company

Bobby Batten and Justin Bucci, Boston Beer Company

Mike Munnelly of co-sponsor BeerSummit.com


newsfront

double cross vodka NoW available iN massachusettsOld Nassau Imports, a spirits company based in Princeton, NJ, announces the launch of its luxury flagship spirit brand, Double Cross Vodka, in on and off premise accounts through-out Massachusetts. The brand was successfully launched in New Jersey and metro New York last year, and the com-pany is partnering with Ho-rizon Beverage Company to introduce this award-winning vodka to consumers across the Bay state.

1800 teQuila shoWcases uP-aNd-comiNg artists With limited editioN bottle series Proximo Spirits, Inc. and 1800 Tequila are releasing the second annual collection of limited-edition “Essential Artists” bottles. With 12 new bottles designed by up-and-coming artists from New York to Hawaii, the 1800 Tequila “Essential Artists” series celebrates a dynamic range of original artwork on bot-tles of 100% Agave Silver Tequila, a unique and unexpected medium. This new line showcases 11 designs gathered from over 15,000 online submissions, and one special edition “celebrity artist” bottle designed by Shepard Fairey’s Studio Number One. Founded in 2003 and gaining global notoriety for this year’s Obama “Hope” de-sign, Studio Number One has built a reputa-tion as one of today’s most influential creative agencies in the country. Local retailers can be found by visiting www.1800Tequila.com.

JÄgermeister lauNches siX-bottle value added PackJägermeister has introduced its newest inno-vation to the bar scene – the revolutionary “Jägermeister Six-Bottle Shot Cooler”. The product is the first cooler/tap combination in the industry as well as the first six-bottle value-added-pack for spirits. The “Jäger-

meister Six-Bottle Shot Cooler” utilizes the state-of-the-art Jägermeister Tap Machine technology and is the perfect portable addi-tion to outdoor events. The “Jägermeister Six-Bottle Shot Cooler” comes with six 750ml bottles and 50 shot cups.

bombay saPPhire aNd gQ hail christiaN saNders as NeXt miXology kiNg Selected from over 39 bartenders from around the country at a recent Palms Las Vegas event, Bombay Sapphire and GQ magazine have chosen Christian Sanders as America’s next bartending sensation. Sanders won the accolade by presenting his “Green Sour Hour” cocktail, winning him the chance to be featured alongside his signature drink, in GQ’s December 2009 – ‘Men of The Year’ issue.

beeFeater Named “World’s best giN”Beefeater 24, the new super-premium ex-pression of Beefeater, has been awarded the prestigious Gin Trophy by the International Wine & Spirits Competition (IWSC) 2009. This top honor from the premier competi-tion of its kind is a testament to the work of Master Distiller Desmond Payne, who with over 40 years in the industry is the world’s most experienced gin distiller. This is the seventh time in the last 10 years that Beef-eater has received the IWSC Trophy.

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Oct 2009 Final Issue

Documents

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