Official Government Website
State Store Tasting Events
During the 2020 legislative session, the Idaho Legislature passed and Governor Brad Little signed H575 into law, authorizing sample tastings in-state retail stores beginning July 1, 2020. The store tasting opportunity brings spirits closer to parity with beer and wine, facilitating the dissemination of product information.
Sponsors of store tasting events may offer product tastings to educate consumers while they visit Idaho State Liquor Stores. Store sample tasting events will be conducted at times most convenient for the public, such as Tuesday through Friday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturday afternoons from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The following requirements have been established and must be adhered to for all store sample tasting events. Suppliers and their Representatives are responsible for relaying all information under the provisions outlined in Idaho Code 23-313 and 23-314 to any persons contracted on their behalf.
Who may conduct a product tasting?
- Distilled Spirits Supplier or its Representative may conduct a store sample tasting event at the discretion of the Director.
- “Sampling Specialist” is defined as any person twenty-one (21) years of age or older and may not be an employee of the Division.
Are state employees prohibited from participating in or assisting the sampling specialist in the tasting event?
- Division employees are prohibited from pouring, dispensing, and serving samples to the public; nor shall they encourage consumer participation in the event.
- Employees and Vendors of the Idaho State Liquor Division shall not consume alcoholic beverages on the premises. Idaho Code 23-313
What are the general rules of operation for a tasting event?
- Distilled Spirits Supplier or its Representative must obtain approval from the Division to conduct a sample tasting event at least forty-five (45) days before the date of the proposed event.
- All requests must be submitted by the submission deadlines listed below:
SUBMISSION DEADLINE MONTHLY TASTING EVENTS MAY 15TH JULY JUNE 15TH AUGUST JULY 15TH SEPTEMBER AUGUST 15TH OCTOBER SEPTEMBER 15TH NOVEMBER OCTOBER 15TH DECEMBER NOVEMBER 15TH JANUARY DECEMBER 15TH FEBRUARY JANUARY 15TH MARCH FEBRUARY 15TH APRIL MARCH 15TH MAY APRIL 15TH JUNE - All approved events will be posted in a monthly calendar by the 8th of the previous month to the supplier/broker portal/ISLD Reports/JUN25-Tasting-Calendar
ISLD Reports
- Before the store sample tasting event, Suppliers or their Representatives must demonstrate evidence of liability insurance in an amount to be determined by the Division and sign and submit an Idaho State Liquor Division Indemnity Against Liability form to the Division for the record. The signed form and certificate of insurance will be kept in the file for 1 year.
- Before the store sample tasting event, suppliers or its representatives must submit the tasting request form online at Idaho State Liquor Division - State Store Tasting Events with a list of products to be available to consumers, date of the event, time of the event, the person(s) conducting the event, supplies needed, supplies provided, POS materials to be handed out and requested store locations.
- No alcoholic beverages may be served to people under the age of twenty-one (21) years, visibly intoxicated people, or habitual drunkards.
- Only one (1) broker may conduct a store sample tasting event at any one time. The broker may support multiple suppliers during the event.
- Samples must be served in a specifically identified area within the retail store. Such areas were designed so that the person conducting the tasting event can observe and control people in the area to ensure that no person under twenty-one (21) years of age or visibly intoxicated people possess or consume alcohol.
- Customers must remain in the roped-off tasting area until they have finished consuming the sample. No exceptions!
Is there a maximum time limit for store tasting events?
- The duration of a store sample tasting event is limited to a maximum of two (2) consecutive hours.
What stores will be hosting sample-tasting events?
- We have identified store locations in each of the following marketing areas.
- Products used during the store sample tasting event must be purchased from the Idaho State Liquor Division, and the manufacturer of the distilled spirits shall pay all taxes for such distilled spirits.
- Spirits used during a store sample tasting event must be dispensed from original containers prepared by the manufacturer with labels visible to the consumer.
- The maximum number of products allowed shall not exceed (10) ten.
- Private Select Barrel Releases. This is the only M Code exception.
- New Items in the premium, super-premium, ultra-premium, and luxury categories.
- Innovation in the premium, super-premium, ultra-premium, and luxury categories that are:
• paired with related items we offer
• flavored items
• new entrants, i.e., American single malt, Irish American, etc. - Underperforming categories for Idaho compared to other NABCA member states.
- NO Products listed with the following status: M Codes, RWR, Special Order, or Delisted should be submitted for tasting events.
- Only one-quarter (¼) ounce of alcoholic liquid may be served to any (1) consumer for each product tasted. A sample may be mixed with another alcoholic liquor or nonalcoholic beverage. No consumer shall be furnished with more than three (3) one-quarter (¼) ounces of alcoholic liquid in any 24 hours.
- Food, such as cheese and crackers, are encouraged to be provided by the sampling specialists during the store sampling tasting event.
- The supplier, representative, or sampling specialist is responsible for providing all supplies and equipment associated with a store sample tasting event, including, but not limited to, ice buckets, dump buckets, water glasses, tasting containers, extension cords, napkins, and table coverings.
- After the store sampling tasting event, sampling specialists must remove any unused product from the premises.
- Sampling Specialists must dispose of all empty alcohol containers.
- Unused products, bottles, or containers shall not be furnished to employees of the Idaho State Liquor Division.
Cities available for Events Ammon Lewiston Blackfoot McCall Boise Meridian Caldwell Moscow CDA Nampa Chubbuck Pocatello Eagle Post Falls Garden City Rathdrum Hayden Sandpoint Idaho Falls Star Kuna Stateline Twin Falls How are products acquired for use in a store tasting event?
How many products may be available for sampling at any one tasting event?
What products can be submitted for in-store tasting events?
How much alcohol may be served to any (1) consumer at a tasting event?
What items are necessary for the Supplier or its Representative to provide in conjunction with a tasting event?
How should sampling specialists dispose of unused portions of open alcohol containers and empty containers?
All other state and federal laws and regulations governing liquor must be observed during in-store tasting events.
Event recaps should be submitted online within 5-days of the event conclusion.
Store Sample Tasting Event Training Document (Best Viewed in Chrome)
Insurance & Indemnification Requirements Fill this out and email back with a certificate of insurance to StoreTastings@liquor.idaho.gov
Revised July 2025