George Washington’s Distillery Letter on Display in D.C

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

One of the few remaining letters in which George Washington discusses his distillery at Mount Vernon will be on display every Friday until July 31 at the Decatur House in Washington, D.C.

We were part of a small crowd of about 100 people who came together at a preview event at Decatur House sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S. and the White House Historical Association.  The historical association, founded by Jacqueline Kennedy when she was First Lady, not only maintains Decatur House but also raises funds to repair and rehab antique furniture in the White House.

The George Washington letter was loaned to the Historical Association by DISCUS, which purchased it at Christie’s, the New York auction house, about 20 years ago.

At the time of its construction, Washington’s distillery was “likely the largest distillery in the U.S.,” Steve Bashore, director of historic trades at Historic Mount Vernon, said. In 1799, Washington produced 11,000 gallons of whiskey, yielding a profit of $7,500.  In today’s money, that would be $217,70, after adjusting for inflation, according to OfficialData.org, which notes that the average inflation rate between 1790 and today was 1.47%.

 

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Chicago Mayor Seeks to End Package Store Sales at 10 p.m.

Posted on May 27, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

That’s the current closing hour under pandemic regulations.  But Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot says a permanent ban on package sales after 10 p.m. would prevent people from loitering around stores that sell alcohol.  It’s a safety concern, she says.

Before the pandemic, Chicago liquor stores, groceries and convenience stores were allowed to sell packaged alcohol until 2 a.m. Sunday throuh Friday and until 3 a.m. Saturday.

Chicago liquor store owners voluntarily agreed to close early during the pandemic as a way to encourage people to stay home.  They’re not happy about the new proposal:

“To spring this on this particular set of business owners and not provide any justification, not engage in advance discussions, is really a slap in the face to all of these business owners,” says Rob Karr, president/CEO, Illinois Retail Merchants Association.

Some aldermen – Chicago’s title for city council members – question the idea.  “We’ve seen early curfews during the year, but we have not seen a corresponding decrease and incidents of violence,” said Ald. Jason Ervin.

One retailer scoffed at Lightfoot’s suggestion a 10 p.m. closing would reduce crime. “The city has much more problems than a liquor store being opened until 1 or 2 a.m. Crime is all over and she wants to focus on this matter.”

The proposed ordinance would also allow bars and restaurans to sell cocktails to go permanently.

The 10 a.m. closing is tucked in a 94-page pandemi relief ordinance.  Ald. James Cappleman, a sponsor of the proposal, tweeted Wednesday afternoon that the portion of the ordinance limiting liquor sales “was supposed to have already been removed. It will be removed before it goes for a vote,” he tweeted. “The goal is to help our businesses, not hurt them.”

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Who & What

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

APPOINTED;  A-K Hada, most recently the beverage director for Dante in New York, as national brand ambassador for Bacardi Rums.

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Boxt Launches Limited-Edition Rose for National Rose Day

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Boxt, the female-founded, direct-to-consumer winery launches its first-ever premium rosé wine, just in time for National Rosé Day on June 12. Profile Nine, the latest fine wine to the Boxt collection is whole cluster pressed, rosé of Pinot Noir. With its delicate apricot color, subtle floral aroma and refreshingly bright acidity, this elegant blush rosé is cool, crisp, bright and dry.

Boxt is a monthly membership-based subscription service with fair and simple pricing. One eco-friendly box ($74) features 3 liters of wine – 4 bottles in every Boxt – the equivalent of $18.50 a bottle. Shipping is included with membership, and Boxt members receive a personal wine concierge, the ability to earn rewards points on every purchase, refer a friend & purchase discounts, exclusive access to live & virtual events, and the flexibility to change their profile or pause or cancel their subscription at any time.

“I’m thrilled to add a rosé to our range of fine wines,” said Sarah Puil, founder/CEO of Boxt. “Rosé is a wine lover’s summer essential, and with our beautiful, eco-friendly box, we’ve made it easy to enjoy a glass of rosé all summer long.”

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Talisker to Help Restore 1 Billion Oysters To New York Harbor

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky said it is collaborating for a second year with Billion Oyster Project on oyster reef restoration efforts and public education initiatives aimed at restoring 1 billion oysters – and a ‘wild spirit’ – to New York Harbor by 2035.

Talisker is the lead sponsor of Billion Oyster Project’s Shell Collection Program, a cornerstone of the nonprofit’s work and an essential recycling process for the resource. Oyster shells provide the base material for oyster reefs, which offer a home for young oysters to grow and hundreds of species in New York Harbor to thrive.

Talisker will support Billion Oyster Project’s ongoing shell collection operations, which are expected to collect more than 200,000 pounds of oyster shells from 50 NYC restaurants and divert them from landfills in 2021.

This year, Talisker is also joining Billion Oyster Project in supporting Senate Bill S4741 in New York State. If passed, the bill will award restaurants that donate shells to oyster reef restoration organizations a small tax credit per pound of shell donated.

In addition to supporting this crucial environmental initiative, the tax credit will help restaurants who have struggled due to closures and restrictions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Moët Hennessy Partners for Sustainability

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Joel Whitaker

In the wake of the International Day for Biological Diversity, Moët Hennessy, world leader of high-quality wine and spirits, is thrilled to announce it is joining the Pour une Agriculture du Vivant (PADV) movement. This partnership is born from a shared vision and desire to promote and develop sustainable agricultural and winemaking practices to protect soils and biodiversity.

As part of the partnership, Moët Hennessy’s teams will be trained on regenerative viticulture, technical advice will be provided on winemaking practices, particularly regarding plant covers, and a measurement tool, the regeneration index, will be tested and adapted to the wine industry.

“Protecting ecosystems is a priority for Moët Hennessy, and we know that our winemaking and agricultural practices can make a difference. For many years, our teams have been implementing sustainable grape-growing practices in line with the most stringent environmental certifications for our various regions throughout the world. Promoting biodiversity and regenerating the soil of our vineyards are some of our key actions and we are going to amplify them. Our partnership with PADV will enable us to better measure our initiatives and go further,” Sandrine Sommer, Chief Sustainability Officer, Moët Hennessy, said.

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