Washington State Tasting Panel

[Guest Liberty Bar - Seattle]

Hello, Everyone.

Many of Washington's bar professionals & aficionados have been planning a regional tasting panel, and it's time that we took at least the first step, which would be to let all of you know that fairly soon we will be sending out invitations to submit spirits to our panel.

As you may know, Seattle is (arguably) one of the top three cities for spirits & cocktails, and many of our industry professionals are looking forward to hosting these tasting panels with the goal of not only recognizing the great spirits that are made in Washington, in the Northwest, in America & the world in general, but also using this panel to encourage our state's Liquor Control Board to open up their tightly-held control over what spirits are brought into our state. We'd love to use this panel to help you argue for a listing.

In the next few weeks, we will be starting this panel in earnest, but until then I really look forward to working with many of you to gain access to our state.

Andrew

[suzypingree]

I hope we have our labels approved by the time you set this up, Andrew. Great idea!

Suzy

San Juan Island Distillery

Friday Harbor, WA

[Mark Ryan White]

Hey Andrew- we've actually spoken once before.... I am grateful that you are so passionate about local and national craft distilling! You're exactly who we, as distillers, want as our judge/advocates. It is essential that we have your support to grow our business. I love the fact that as a collective voice you want to have some control/direction/influence over what you can get (however obscure) at your bar/restaurant and not have the WA bureaucracy TELL you what you can serve or not serve. I think the NW has established an environment that fosters artisan wineries,brewies bakeries etc.. and now should find a way to allow the distilleries to have an equal voice and influence in the market. Kudos to you for supporting us and the industry. I think with your support, and of others like you, we can open the doors for a fair/free/democratic and open market in which we all can benefit. Abolish state run ABC bureau's strangle hold on the spirits industry... including EFU Zoning!!!!!

Mark White

Indio Spirits

Portland OR

[cowdery]

This is a great idea. Customers banding together to strike a blow for quality is nothing short of revolutionary. Bravo.

A suggestion, based on some tastings in which I have participated. Include as part of the activity a brief, mandatory educational component -- a 'how to taste critically' seminar. If taught by someone who is truly qualified, and kept brief, it should be useful to even the most experienced taster and no one should be insulted about being required to participate.