Photo/Erb Photography
Westborough – The hottest new trend in liquor? Whisky. If you haven’t jumped on the band wagon yet, you are missing out. Westborough-based liquor superstore Julio’s Liquors has been on top of this trend for years now, so much so that it has won the award for “Whisky Retailer of the Year – Single Outlet” from Icons of Whisky America 2015, presented by Whisky Magazine.
The liquor store won the same award in 2013 and 2014. Julio’s Liquors also won the Massachusetts’s Beverage Business’s Retailer of the Year award in 2011. In 2012, Julio’s owner Ryan Maloney became a Market Watch Leader and was inducted into Keepers of the Quaich, a highly exclusive group of Scotch whisky affiliates.
“I can sum up my nomination for Julio’s Liquors for Icons of Whisky in one word passion,” said one of the store’s nominators. According to Whisky Magazine, “Julio’s provides more than just a platform for buying a vast range of whisky. With 17,000 square feet worth of shopping and a dedicated tasting room offering free tastings, this store guarantees a true whisky experience.”
In addition to winning the prestigious Icons of Whisky Award, Julio’s Liquors will be celebrating its 10th Annual “Go Whisk(e)y Weekend” this month. In celebration of the 10th anniversary, the weekend is extending into a five-day event packed with seminars, experts, and tastings beginning Wednesday, Feb. 25 and ending Sunday, March 1 with a Grand Dram tasting.
The Loch & Key Whiskey Society has been hosting Go! Whisk(e)y Weekend for the past 10 years. Preceding the recent surge of whisky popularity, Maloney created the Loch & Key Whisk(e)y Society as a resource for people interested in sharing their knowledge of whisky.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Go! Whisk(e)y Weekend,” said Maloney. “We have added even more events this year, and hope to see all whisky lovers, whether they are developing connoisseurs or long time experts, to join us at this exciting and educational event.”
