Irish Liquor Lawyer Speaks to Vinepair about Direct to Consumer Spirits Shipping

Irish Liquor Lawyer, Sean O'Leary spoke to Vinepair about direct to consumer spirits shipping.

Mr. O'Leary has been heavily involved in the direct to consumer shipping on the wine side of things. He believes spirits direct to consumer shipping has a long way to go to catch up to wine but is hopeful. "Fewer states allows spirits shipping versus wine shipping, however, I am hoping with markets changing and becoming more modern this will change soon."

Chicago-based alcohol lawyer Sean O’Leary is helping the organization draft a bill to send to the governor. The proposal sets out a clear guideline for how to-go cocktails can be sold safely and responsibly.

Among the measures, the group believes all deliveries should be carried out by bartenders and servers rather than third-party services. This will reduce any risk of alcohol being sold to minors or those who are overly intoxicated, because bartenders and servers are educated on these factors during BASSET training. (Illinois state law requires all on-premise servers and those checking IDs for alcohol service to be BASSET-certified.) This provision also means license holders will be fully accountable for any violations. “We know the concerns and now we are bringing our solutions,” O’Leary says.