Distillery Samples

Montana-licensed distilleries may provide product samples to all-beverages licensees, agency liquor store agents, and the public — but only through specific channels and within set limits. The rules differ depending on whether the sampling happens at a retail establishment, an industry trade show, a catered event, or a public tasting.

Providing Samples to Licensees & Agency Liquor Stores

Who can buy and deliver samples

  • Liquor sample cases may only be purchased through agency liquor stores by a registered liquor representative (vendor rep). The posted price for a sample liquor case is $12.00.
  • The vendor rep may bring sample bottles from a purchased sample case directly to a licensed retail establishment.
  • An agency liquor store agent may taste samples at an on-premises licensee’s place of business or take the bottle home to sample. 

Quantity limits

  • A vendor rep may not give more than three liters of a distilled spirit or fortified wine as samples to an all-beverages retailer or agency liquor store agent.
  • Samples are limited to an annual maximum of 200 liters per product.

Bottle requirements

  • Sample products must be in their original containers.
  • Samples are limited to bottles containing no more than 750 milliliters. If a vendor does not produce a product in a size of 750 milliliters or less, the next largest size may be substituted.

Restrictions

  • Samples may only be given to licensed all-beverages licensees or agency liquor store agents.
  • Samples may not be given to a recipient who has purchased the brand within the last 12 months.
  • On-premises consumption of samples may only take place at a licensed all-beverages establishment or a department-approved industry trade show event.
  • Alcohol consumption is not allowed at an agency liquor store.

Samples at a Department-Approved Industry Trade Show

  • Employees or agents serving must have a current vendor rep permit.
  • The vendor rep may bring sample bottles from the distillery, or trade show cases purchased from an agency liquor store, directly to the licensed retail establishment.

Limits and leftovers

  • A distillery may provide a maximum of 9,000 milliliters of each product per industry trade show.
  • After the trade show, any remaining liquor must be retained by the licensee or manufacturer, its employees, or the vendor rep.
  • Opened bottles may not be returned to the distillery.

See the Department-Approved Industry Trade Show fact sheet for more specifics.

Liquor Manufacturing Industry-Specific Catered Events

Also known as a Distillers Guild event.

  • A Montana-licensed distillery must apply to the Cannabis & Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD) to sponsor an industry-specific catered event with an all-alcoholic beverages licensee that holds a catering endorsement.
  • All liquor provided for on- or off-premises consumption at the catered event must be purchased by the all-beverage licensee from an agency liquor store. The distillery may not bring any bottles to the event.
  • The all-beverage licensee may sell liquor in original packaging for off-premises consumption at the event. The distillery may not sell the bottles — the sale must occur with the retailer.

Public Tasting Events

Where and how

  • Distilleries may participate in public tasting events to serve and promote their product to the public only at an on-premises licensed establishment, or at an event catered by an on-premises licensee.
  • A registered vendor rep may only serve members of the public with the licensed on-premises retailer’s permission.
  • The distillery’s vendor rep must purchase the product from the retailer at not less than the ordinary retail price, and never under the posted price.

Not allowed

  • Bringing the product directly to the event.
  • Bringing the product back to the distillery.

See the Public Tasting Event fact sheet for more specifics.

Questions?

Contact an Alcohol Licensing Specialist.

Legal References

All licensees must comply with all federal and Montana alcoholic beverage laws and rules. See sections 16-1-307 and 16-2-107, MCA; ARM 42.11.211, 42.11.213, 42.11.243, 42.11.244, and 42.12.150; and 27 CFR Part 6 Subpart D § 6.91 (Samples)

Updated May 2024. Please note the information in department communications may have been modified, superseded, or made obsolete by changes in federal or state law or the Administrative Rules of Montana. To verify the current validity of any Department of Revenue communication, please contact us at DORCARDEducation@mt.gov.