Molly, Mixologist and Spirits Education Manager at Total Wine & More, brings a unique blend of expertise to her role. She works across various departments and is in charge of training team members on mixology. In a recent interview with USA Spirits Ratings, she shared how her on-premise bartending experience has influenced her current role, particularly in social media engagement and creating innovative cocktail recipes with specific challenges. From mastering cocktail demos to crafting innovative drinks on social media, Molly continues to push boundaries in the spirits world.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

1. Tell us about yourself and your role

I started my career in restaurants during college to earn some extra money, but quickly fell in love with the industry. After graduating with degrees in Philosophy and Public Relations, I moved to Washington D.C. and picked up a waitressing job at Founding Farmers. I worked my way up to bartender and then helped open a new restaurant for the group, Farmers Fishers Bakers, where I became Head Bartender and gained a deeper understanding of cocktails. After a couple years, I opened a restaurant with my close friend and mentor Jen Meltzer – All Set Restaurant & Bar – that taught me a lot about how people in different areas like to drink.  After the pandemic, I joined Total Wine & More as Mixologist and Spirits Education Manager, where not only do I get to work with people across almost every department, from digital to marketing to merchandising to training and events, but I also get to work with such an incredible breadth of products and passionate producers. My favorite parts of the job are training our team members on mixology, helping customers find ingredients for recipes they’ve never heard of, and coming up with new, fun recipes and filming videos of them for social media.

2. You had been a Bartender and worked on-premise before, what skills are you using in your current role especially now that you work for one of the leading off-premise retailer chains?

The longer I am in this role (I just had my 4 year anniversary), the more I find myself using skills and knowledge from my on-premise experience! For one thing we are now doing a lot more with social media, so purely from a practical standpoint my skills and techniques from working behind the bar and moving with efficiency and grace are certainly coming in handy. I have also done a handful of cocktail demonstrations on live news segments, as well as a podcast, and I think the ability to converse comfortably and naturally while actively making drinks or even just fielding unexpected questions is something that most of us who have worked behind the bar for a long time have really cultivated. And of course, coming up with new recipes with limitations (‘needs to be green’, ‘must have these two ingredients and no more than 3’, etc.) is a constant and fun challenge that years of making up cocktails on the fly for customers ordering ‘dealers choice’ has really prepared me for!

3. From where do you draw inspiration behind making new recipes for cocktails?

Oftentimes the best inspiration is from the ‘challenge’ – kind of like in Top Chef, when they actually do some of their most creative food when the challenge has very specific requirements! I’m often designing a simple cocktail for a new product, so the flavor profile and style of the spirit is great inspiration.  And of course there’s another fun approach of designing a cocktail to match a punny or themed name!

4. How do you stay updated with all the innovations happening in the world of mixology?

Now that I’m at a desk rather than the bar most days, I’ve had to find new ways to stay on top of trends. Luckily there are PLENTY of opportunities to do so. On the industry side – where things tend to happen first before filtering down to home mixologists – there are events such as Tales of the Cocktail, Portland Cocktail Week and many more where I can see what everyone is highlighting, excited about, and mixing. Also, as a Judge at the competitions like the Ascot Awards, and for the first time this coming year the ADI International Spirits Competition, and gives me a great opportunity to connect with incredible industry vets and experts and talk about what’s hot and what’s next. Publications like Imbibe are great, as are Punch.com’s digital articles. And then, of course, there is the massive consumer interest trend platform that is #cocktailing on TikTok!

5. How do you use your education and staff training to grow sales at Total Wine?

There are two separate elements of education our team members need to feel comfortable driving spirits sales. The first prong is basic Spirits education, such as what is the difference between a wheated bourbon and a high-rye bourbon, how do they taste and how are they best used in different cocktails, etc. Once we establish foundational knowledge, we can start going more in depth on the science of the cocktail, basic cocktail ratios and formulas, and how to make the right recommendations based on how the customer will be using the product. We also do a lot of tastings in stores, which helps our team members develop their palate and their understanding of how flavors work together and why certain types of spirits work best in different situations.

                                                                                                  Image Source: Molly Horn

6. As a Spirits Education Manager, what modules do you train your staff on?

Since we have over 240 spirits stores across the country, I am usually not the one conducting the actual training with our team members, although at times I will lead virtual training from basic foundational knowledge on major categories, to more advanced modules. There is always something new to learn in the world of spirits and mixology. It’s exciting to watch team members develop their knowledge, and I have a lot of fun developing modules and creating content for our leaders in the field to help train their teams! All of the training also involves tasting examples of products or cocktails to help connect the information with the practical application of spirits.

7. What type of supplier education and training do you prefer they do with your staff or you?

Calling out key flavor notes, brand or producer stories that distinguish the product from others similar on the shelf, and a great and easy recommended use, are the most helpful bits of information when it comes to brand-specific training and education. We love the opportunity to educate our customers as well! We have a really robust customer classroom program. They can range from more foundational education, to cocktails and mixology, pairing, and in-depth tasting events taught by our own team or vendor-led. They’re incredibly engaging and oftentimes fully book up!

8. While developing training programs for the staff, what are the key things to keep in mind?

There are few important elements to consider. For one thing, some new team members are either very new to the world of spirits, or have very firmly held opinions about their preferences. It’s kind of like training behind the bar – you either have a brand new never-held-a-jigger-before person who has a lot to learn including the very basics, or you have an industry vet whose past experience might not be an initial match for your bar’s style and culture. This presents an interesting challenge in that I have to design the training to be approachable and digestible for those who are just getting started, as well as engaging and thought-provoking enough to keep those with prior knowledge and preferences interested and perhaps even open minded to new products and approaches to selling.

9. What trends do you see shaping the spirits industry nowadays and leading into 2025?

I am excited about the movement toward more sustainable products and packaging, as sustainability has always played an important role in cocktailing on-premise (it just makes sense to repurpose back-of-house ingredients from a cost and waste-reduction perspective, both ethically and fiscally) but there haven’t traditionally been a lot of options for spirits that align with these values. On the cocktail side, I’m really enjoying seeing some of those nostalgic 70’s/80’s/90’s classics getting dusted off and refreshed – they are super approachable for both sides of the spectrum (cocktail enthusiasts and new-to-spirits appreciators alike) since the flavors are relatable and easy to understand, and the ingredients are easy to find or simple to make on your own. They’re also easier to put your own personal spin on depending on personal preferences, such as all the Espresso Martini riffs we are seeing using every type of spirit available, or the elevated Lemon Drop Martinis and craft Grasshoppers.

Conclusion

Molly’s ability to adapt to evolving trends, such as the rise of sustainable products and the revival of nostalgic cocktails, keeps her at the cutting edge of the mixology world. Her passion for spirits education and her commitment to delivering fresh, innovative ideas not only inspire those around her but also elevate the customer experience at Total Wine & More. Through her unique blend of creativity, expertise, and adaptability, Molly is making a lasting impact on the future of spirits education and mixology, setting a high standard for her team and leaving a positive influence on the industry.

Header image by Total Wine & More

Related Links:

Optimizing Cocktail Menu for Profitability with Samantha Lindquist Mixologist for Alila Napa Valley
Tamir Benshalom On USA Spirits Ratings and Drinks Trends

The 2025 USA Spirits Ratings looks to recognize, reward and help promote spirits brands that have successfully been created to identify with and target a specific spirits drinker. It will single out and shine the spotlight on those spirits brands that consumers really want to buy and have a clear market value for trade buyers. Stand out in the market, connect with your target audience!