Because we didn’t learn our lesson the first time.
World Whisky Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in May. It was founded in 2012 by Blair Bowman, a Scottish graduate student at the University of Aberdeen and whisky enthusiast. It initially started out as a Facebook page encouraging others to enjoy a wonderful drink. It soon struck a nerve (or taste bud) and by 2014 an estimated 250,000 people participated in hundreds of events in over 40 countries including China, New Zealand and Azerbaijan. In February 2015, World Whisky Day was sold to drinks magazine Hot Rum Cow. We’re not sure what to make of that but there seems no untoward fallout as of yet.
Scotchology is celebrating World Whisky Day for the second year in a row by offering a tasting in Minneapolis. We had a wonderful time last year and got a lot of great feedback. We also learned a lot and can’t wait to make this year even better. The format will remain roughly the same, with a general welcome and introduction to whisky, followed by showcasing each of the six featured whiskies, interspersed with shots of information and trivia. With plenty of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages to keep participants otherwise satiated, everyone can have an enjoyable time and leave safely. This is an RSVP event, meaning we know most of the people who’ll be attending, and since one of us is hosting, the numbers will be small but manageable (10-15 people).
What are we drinking this year? We’re glad you asked. To celebrate the global nature of World Whisky Day, we endeavored to find quality whiskies from all over the world. Since we drink a new scotch every other month of the year, it’s nice to change it up every once in a while. Without further ado, here are the guests of honor for our tasting and where they hail from:
Westland American Single Malt (United States)
Amrut Fusion (India)
Kavalan Concertmaster (Taiwan)
Armorik (France)
Glen Breton 10 Year (Canada)
Springbank 10 Year (Scotland)
So what can you do if you’re not in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area and unable to attend our little tasting? Celebrate in your own way, big or small. Find a few friends and go in together on a bottle or two. Head to your favorite pub or watering hole. Explore a whisky you’ve never tried before. Look up something on the distilling process to amaze your friends and confound your enemies. Read up on the varied history of whisky in Scotland, Ireland and around the world. It’s about appreciating the tradition, creativity and craftsmanship that go into making whisky, along with appreciating it with friends new and old. We’d be interested in hearing what you did or plan on doing for World Whisky Day, so post your responses here or find us on Facebook or Twitter to share. Sláinte!
