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David Wondrich

David Wondrich

Keynote Speaker: Barroom Historian & Columnist

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David Wondrich Biography

David Wondrich is widely hailed as one of the world’s foremost authorities on the history of the cocktail and one of the founders of the modern craft cocktail movement. Dr. Wondrich (he has a PhD in Comparative Literature from New York University) is the author of countless newspaper and magazine articles (most significantly, the almost 17 years’ worth he wrote as Esquire’s Drinks Correspondent).

He is the Editor in Chief of the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails, winner of the American Library Association’s 2022 Dartmouth Medal for best reference book published in the preceding year, and the author of five books, including the hugely influential "Imbibe!," the first cocktail book to win a James Beard award (2007; an expanded and thoroughly revised edition was published in April, 2015), and "Punch," which came out in late 2010 to broad acclaim and did much to spark the current boom in punch-making.

As a consultant, he has been involved in the creation of several spirits that are found on the backbars of practically every craft cocktail bar on the planet, including Ransom Old Tom gin and the multiple award-winning Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum. He is a founding partner in Beverage Alcohol Resource, America’s leading advanced training program for bartenders and other spirits professionals, and a frequent guest lecturer at venues such as the Smithsonian Institute, the Museum of the City of New York and fine bars on five continents and ships at sea.

His writing, lecturing, podcasting and mentoring have earned him a record eight Tales of the Cocktail Spirit Awards and an IACP Trailblazer Award; in 2019, he came in at number three in Drinks International’s inaugural list of 100 most-influential people in the bar world, based on a poll of top industry professionals.

He is a longtime resident of Brooklyn, New York.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on David Wondrich and other top speakers and celebrities.

David Wondrich Speaking Topics

On Beyond Zombie: A New Look at Old Drinks

If from time to time you like to sip a little old bourbon on the rocks or a bracingly cold Dry Martini, you’re likely to have at least a glancing familiarity with the main categories of spirits as we generally conceive them, if only to know what you can tolerate and what you can’t. Brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey; done. If you’ve got a favorite category, you’re likely to know something more than that: some history of distillation, some brand history, something about production, and so on.

As Editor in Chief of the 860-page Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (winner of the American Library Association’s 2021 Dartmouth Medal for reference work of the year), David Wondrich had the job of going beyond all that; of exploring what the whole world drinks, not just the part of it that takes credit cards. In doing that, he has spent the last decade visiting remote distilleries and digging through archives to try to tie together ancient traditions and track technologies and trade routes as they developed. Please join him for a lively look at some of the more obscure corners of the world of spirits and cocktails, considered from the point of view of what’s in our glasses, or could be.

David Wondrich Videos

A Sip of Knowledge with David Wondrich
“On Dive Bars” with Dr. David Wondrich, Author & Cocktail Historian
David Wondrich talks about genever and martini

How do I book David Wondrich to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like David Wondrich for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for David Wondrich, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for David Wondrich or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book David Wondrich for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for David Wondrich, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fee for a live event is Below $10,000. For the most current speaking fee to hire David Wondrich, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does David Wondrich speak about?

David Wondrich is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Food & Beverage, News & Media, Writing, Authors, Education, Entertainers, Hospitality and Entertainment.

Where does David Wondrich travel from?

David Wondrich generally travels from Brooklyn, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for David Wondrich?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like David Wondrich for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book David Wondrich for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host David Wondrich or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


David Wondrich is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Food & Beverage, News & Media and Writing. The estimated speaking fee range to book David Wondrich for live events is Below $10,000. Please contact us for virtual event fees. David Wondrich generally travels from Brooklyn, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Shirley Chung, Derek Brown and Dale DeGroff. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling David Wondrich for an upcoming event.

David Wondrich Speaking Topics

  • On Beyond Zombie: A New Look at Old Drinks

    If from time to time you like to sip a little old bourbon on the rocks or a bracingly cold Dry Martini, you’re likely to have at least a glancing familiarity with the main categories of spirits as we generally conceive them, if only to know what you can tolerate and what you can’t. Brandy, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whiskey; done. If you’ve got a favorite category, you’re likely to know something more than that: some history of distillation, some brand history, something about production, and so on.

    As Editor in Chief of the 860-page Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails (winner of the American Library Association’s 2021 Dartmouth Medal for reference work of the year), David Wondrich had the job of going beyond all that; of exploring what the whole world drinks, not just the part of it that takes credit cards. In doing that, he has spent the last decade visiting remote distilleries and digging through archives to try to tie together ancient traditions and track technologies and trade routes as they developed. Please join him for a lively look at some of the more obscure corners of the world of spirits and cocktails, considered from the point of view of what’s in our glasses, or could be.

David Wondrich Videos

A Sip of Knowledge with David Wondrich
“On Dive Bars” with Dr. David Wondrich, Author & Cocktail Historian
David Wondrich talks about genever and martini
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