Market Watch magazine Market Watch magazine is a trade publication that even consumers can enjoy flipping through. Each issue is a blend of heavy information for alcohol industry people and brief bits on new products, restaurants, cocktails, and so forth. It is produced by M. Shanken Communications Inc., who also turn out the well known glossies Wine Spectator and Cigar Afficionado. Market Watch appears to be a magazine on the move. Back in the year 2000, each issue consisted of about 96 pages. Then, just as 2000 was turning into 2001, page

counts climbed to about 112. This growth didn't involve rejiggering the magazine or trashing the mag; rather, it was just a fattening up of both the ads and editorial content- both of which, as a trade person, I like oggling.

In all sincerity, I find that Market Watch is a superb source for what's happening in the world of beers, wines and spirits. The May 2001 issue, which I nabbed from my editor, was a real firecracker. It had data on what are the hottest selling brands, a ditty about a website on Sherry that I, to my chagrin, hadn't heard of, and a particularly good piece on rum, among other things.

I could rave on but you get the point. Market Watch is a great magazine.
-Charles Westbrook