1️⃣ The Great Tequila Heist The Oceans 13-level heist of Guy Fieri and Sammy Hagar's Santo Tequila was so perfectly made for Hollywood, I’m still waiting for the reveal that it was a George Clooney prank. In November, two trucks carrying Santo Tequila’s year-end shipment – a total of 24,240 bottles – were part of an extra smooth operation that disappeared what the company estimated is $1 million in total retail value. Since then one truck has been recovered, with the Laredo police saying that the value was actually much less and the incident was more of a misrouting versus a hijacking. The case is still under investigation. 2️⃣ Additive-Free Gets... Criminal Speaking of the po-po, in the past few years, “additive-free,” a term used to designate tequila that’s been produced without artificial ingredients, has evolved into a buzzword. But it’s not just wellness crowds that have clocked the trend— it’s Mexican federal authorities, too. An ongoing conflict between Tequila Matchmaker’s Additive-Free Alliance initiative, which offered the only database of additive-free brands, and the group that certifies and regulates tequila culminated in a raid in April of a Mexican property belonging to Tequila Matchmaker’s founders. Since then additive-free is no longer allowed on tequila labels, leaving drinkers looking for their tequila sans glycerin with more homework. 3️⃣ Celebrities, They’re Just Like Us! Last year, “The Avengers” actor Jeremy Renner celebrated his recovery from a devastating snow plow accident by announcing his new role as co-owner of Sweet Grass Vodka, a Charleston-based craft distillery touting its use of local potatoes. But less than a year later, the actor has distanced himself from the business as its founder faces bankruptcy, state labor investigations and angry investors. You say locally sourced potato, I say scam. 4️⃣ Brown-Forman Ripped Off Frederick Douglass’s Image A poster of George Garvin Brown, the founder of the Brown-Forman Corporation, stole the “suited, bow-tied body” belonging to Frederick Douglass, legendary Black abolitionist, and replaced his face with Brown’s. The black-and-white photo hung across from the Old Forester distillery for over ten years. This excellent reporting from Dave Infante came off the heels of the company dropping its DEI policies. 5️⃣ Whiskey Honoring Woman Whiskey Maker Still Made By A Man In 2023, Pernod Ricard released Mary Dowling Whiskey Co, positioned as a tribute to a successful but underrecognized female distiller in the very male-dominated world of pre-prohibition bourbon. To truly honor her, the spirits grouped tapped a man whose accomplishments have been plenty recognized, instead of, you know, one of the amazing female whiskey distillers or whiskey companies owned by women, who still experience the challenges of not receiving equitable treatment and access to resources as men in the industry. I thought it might just fizzle (because I hear consumers care about authenticity) but instead they released another expression this year. The patriarchy is hilarious 😩 | 
