The Art Of Drinking

Mixology may be an art, but there are no starving artists in the spirits world — only advertisers. Billy Lyons talks to America's top label makers about what goes into selling you a drink.

- Billy Lyons

While history has seen tremendous changes in the way we consume alcohol — merlot and Moscow mules are now sold in cans — the connection we have with a spirit still likely begins with the bottle. Case in point: Moët & Chandon has barely updated the Dom Pérignon label since it became part of the company’s portfolio, perhaps because many people believe that French monk Pierre Pérignon designed the label himself for his namesake cuvée in the 17th century and that it constitutes the first known handwritten wine label. As false as that claim may be, a 1930s ad for the champagne’s 1929 vintage showcases a label nearly identical to the 2009 vintage’s. That’s because many casual drinkers still make their booze purchases based on the aesthetics — whether familiar, rare or peculiar—of the bottles. That’s all the more true during the season of giving, when the realisation that you’re heading to a holiday party giftless lands you in the fluorescent maze of your local beverage depot.

Today in the United States, drinkers are consuming more alcohol than ever before, and the industry will pull in almost $160 billion in revenue by New Year’s Eve, according to Statista. While it’s impossible to nail down the exact number of distilleries, wineries and spirits producers operating around the world, the largest distributor, Diageo, estimates shipping more than 200 million units this year. In other words, myriad options line your corner store, and spirits companies know they must work diligently to impress you from a crowded shelf.