2020 has been a year unlike any other. What can remain the same with so much changed?
With the world in pandemic and subsequent stages of isolation, it looked likely that not only our annual World Whisky Day event but also our normal monthly gatherings would have to go on hiatus for the first time nearly seven years. Yet we humans are adaptable creatures. We have tools and technology and creativity, and for the past few months our monthly Scotchology gatherings have gone virtual. It has worked surprisingly well with enough management and planning. After a few months, we started to extend the idea…could our World Whisky Day tasting still happen, but in a virtual space? With a little exploration and bravery at the unknown, we’ve decided to take the plunge.
Scotchology is going to be celebrating World Whisky Day for the seventh year in a row by offering a virtual tasting on June 20, 2020. Yes, we realize the official World Whisky Day was May 16 and we’re a month behind. This isn’t the first time. Though many things have changed this year, one that hasn’t has been our participation in the international initiative Drams4Fams that was started by the Edmonton Scotch Club in 2016 and has to date raised over $80,000. To date, 15 whisky clubs across North America have taken part and continue to take part, which is saying something given how 2020 has been. Our proceeds (minus some for shipping and handling) will go to local food charity People and Pets Together, a surrender prevention program founded during the Great Recession dedicated to helping people in financial distress keep their pets by providing local food shelves with pet food and supplies. If you’re not able to make our tasting, please consider contributing via our event link HERE and choose the ‘Additional Donation’ option.
The theme of our World Whisky Day 2020 tasting is cask finishes. Whereas the bulk of a whisky’s maturation might be in new oak or an ex-Bourbon barrel, distilleries will sometimes transfer the whisky into a barrel that previously held another distilled spirit, wine, or even beer for an additional length of time, resulting in a whisky that takes on some of its flavors and characteristics. It’s fun and tasty. Trust us. As always, the identities of our five featured whiskies will be kept secret until you’re ready to try them. However, we can tell you that they come from Ireland, the United States, Canada, and Wales.
Which country gets a double feature? What cask finishes will be featured? Will we finally feature an American whiskey someone has heard of before? You’ll only know if you sign up. We know this pandemic is making many things, like getting together with friends at a bar to try a new whisky, more difficult for the foreseeable future. And while it might seem at first blush a little tone deaf to be promoting a whisky tasting during a pandemic, there is something to be said for trying to keep some sense of familiarity as we all try to grapple with our new circumstances. And never mind that a charity like the one we’re featuring needs your help now more than ever. So pull up a chair at our virtual table with us. You don’t have to worry about calling a cab to get home. You won’t even have to turn your camera on to show other people your quarantine beard or uncurled hair. We’ll just be glad to have you there as we share some fun whiskies for a good cause.
Good whisky, good friends, and the sharing of both no matter the day and age. Because some of the best things in life are timeless.
