Arthur Shapiro's Blog, page 7
October 13, 2016
Now On Tap…
Well folks, it finally happened. My first book, Inside the Bottle: People, Brands, and Stories is now on Amazon in both print and eBook versions.
Some of the early reader reviews have been great and I hope you’ll check it out.
September 26, 2016
Why don’t you write a book about the booze business?
Ever since I began this blog, writing a book has been a goal of mine. After 5 years the time has come, as I get ready to publish Inside the Bottle: People, Brands, and Stories.
Some of my friends have asked, “Is this a tell all book?” You’ll have to read it to find out. Seriously, to some extent it is. Hey, it’s the booze business and I have some 30 years of crazy and wonderful stories, experiences, and lessons le...
August 21, 2016
Behind the Stick: The Changing Bartender
From a job to a career The last 30 years in the booze business has seen fundamental shifts in all aspects. The industry has consolidated at all levels: manufacturer (supplier), distributor, and retailer. Consumer preferences have gone from whiskies to vodkas and back to whiskies. Mass-produced brands are losing ground to craft and micro distillers. The cocktail has reemerged with a vengeance.
Consider the arguably most important person in the drinks business chain, the influencer, the gateke...
July 21, 2016
The World of Booze
I came across this infographic from TogetherWeek and thought it was interesting and informative. There are even some national drinks we weren’t aware of.
Hope you enjoy it.
Infographic courtesy of TogetherWeek
July 14, 2016
Hella Company
That’s the tagline of a fascinating company that has entered the bitters business and is claiming a stake in the cocktail culture and beyond.
The Hella lineup. It is also the story of three friends with entrepreneurial skills and passion who, with the help of Kickstarter, started a business and making quite an impact. Just like the bitters they make, their diverse and eclectic backgrounds merge very nicely to create an outstanding product and a company with vision and...
June 9, 2016
Beyond Mezcal: Spirits from Mexico
When you think of Mexico and booze, you think of tequila, beer and mezcal. But a few weeks ago I attended a tasting at Astor Center and learned about some outstanding mezcal but also about a mezcal based gin and whiskey distilled from ancestral (heirloom) corn.
The company conducting the tastings was Pierdre Almas from Oaxaca. The company, the people running it, and their business model are most unusual.
I was invited to the tasting by Yira Vallejo, who I’v...
May 3, 2016
F. Paul Pacult
I first met Paul Pacult in the early 90s when I was running marketing for Seagram Americas. He and Gary Regan 
invited me on their radio show to discuss Single Malts and The Glenlivet. Over the years I’ve come to admire his passion for the spirits and wine industries.
I consider him to be among the top experts in the business. Consequently it’s not a surprise that I jumped at the opportunity to attend his first The Whiskey Authority (TWA) session in...
March 10, 2016
Malfy Gin
I’ve always found gin to be a fascinating category. While some will tell you that gin is really flavored vodka, don’t 
believe them. From my standpoint, flavored vodkas are based on added flavorings that, while not artificial, often taste that way to me. Gin is made with juniper berries, of course, and other botanicals as part of the distillation process. Some gins fall into the citrus camp but most use exotic spices and herbs.
What also make the category...
