Yes that’s a really horrible use of an old grammatical technique to catch your attention: alliteration. Use so many words that start with the same letter and the human eye is tricked into reading what is written below…or maybe it’s just a wicked tongue twister. Either way, you’re reading this and here we are in the heart of November, Thanksgiving is around the corner and people are literally freaking out about what to drink with a turkey-dominated feast and why they didn’t buy that certain bottle of rare and new whiskey.
As liquid consultants and sales people we hear absolute statements all the time. Here is a little Q for your A:
“I only drink Single Malt Whisky.” The single malt phenomenon is actually relatively new since for decades Blended Malt and even (gasp!) Blended Grain whiskies dominated the market…and they still do. Blended Whisk(e)y and specifically blended Scotch is still a leader in the world market. A “Single” Malt whisky is one that is made only from malted barley and produced in a single distillery…but before that spirit ever goes from the bottle into your glass, it has to be BLENDED from several hundred barrels, from different vintages, to create a whisky that is true to the style of the name on the bottle.
“Campari is SO bitter.” Try it again. Ok, one more time. Yes, Campari is bitter, but if you stop 
and examine the texture on your palate it is actually quite sweet. It is this balance of bitter and sweet that makes it so delicious. This darling of the cocktail world can even be found premixed and packaged with soda in vending machines in Europe. Although Campari is an acquired taste, it is considered by many to be the perfect aperitif or “palate opener” consumed before a meal. It is also a mandatory ingredient in cocktails such as the Negroni, Americano and Boulevardier. And no, it’s not an urban legend…For over a century the red color was derived from the skeletons of cochineal insects!
Traditionally this is the busiest time of the year in the ‘drinks’ business, yet we always take the time to reflect on what has happened in the past while remaining thankful for those around us who make us smile and bring success to our team and our clients. Happy Thanksgiving!