Proposal seeks to permit sampling distilled spirits

BOISE – Hayden Lake Rep. Jim Clark has a proposal for an “economic development tool” for the state: Allow samplings of distilled spirits, just as Idaho now authorizes wine tastings.

“I am here today because I have a constituent in North Idaho who would like to build a distillery for distilled spirits beverages, i.e., gin,” Clark told a House committee Wednesday. “In his business plan, he would like to add in that they can go do gin sample tastings within his operation.”

Clark said his bill would benefit not only that planned project, but also existing Idaho distilleries like Bardenay, which has three locations including one in Coeur d’Alene for its distillery/bar/restaurant.

Though Idaho lawmakers historically have been loath to expand liquor availability, the House State Affairs Committee agreed to introduce Clark’s bill with just one dissenting vote.

“It’s a good idea – if the wine people can do it, why can’t the distilled spirits people do it?” Clark said after the vote.

Clark noted that in 2004, Idaho lawmakers passed legislation authorizing and regulating wine tastings at Idaho wineries and retail stores with just one no vote in the House (it had nine no votes in the Senate).

Clark’s bill would permit only manufacturers of distilled spirits or licensed bars to hold tastings of hard liquor. Portion sizes would be limited to 1 ounce, as opposed to the 1 1/2 ounce limit in the wine tasting law; and the frequency of tastings would be limited.

According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, at least 36 states permit hard-liquor tastings in bars and restaurants, and 27 of those allow it in retail stores. The council maintains that “product tastings are a traditional, responsible marketing tool.”

Dyke Nally, director of the Idaho State Liquor Dispensary, said he’s been watching Oregon and Pennsylvania, which have enacted laws allowing samplings in state liquor stores. “Pennsylvania has done well with it, in terms of sampling upper-end products,” he said. That prompts buyers to buy the more expensive products and doesn’t increase overall alcohol consumption, he said.

Nally said he’s held off on proposing the practice for Idaho’s state liquor stores until seeing more on how it works in Oregon, which just enacted the law two years ago. He said he supports Clark’s bill, which he said could be especially helpful to a distillery in Rigby that attracts tourists from around the world but can’t offer any samples of its potato vodka and other products on-site.

“I think it’s a good idea for people to be able to taste what they’re buying and to support the Idaho distilleries,” Nally said.