Why would Maker’s announce that they were reducing the percentage of alcohol in their bourbon from 45 percent to 42 percent (90 proof to 84 proof), cause an uproar and then reverse the decision within days?   

As we wrap up 2012 in Cincinnati, we’ve got a helluva story to tell — and some bragging to do. I write about drinks and dining, and I can’t even get around to all the new places that are opening.  

I just returned from my third annual visit to Tales of the Cocktail, an almost week-long event that, for mixologists and the media who cover them, is what the Cannes International Film Festival is to movie critics: a little bit glamorous, a lot of information to drink in and a lot of fun.