2020 has been a year unlike any other. What can remain the same in 2021 with so much changed? What if the answer were whiskey?
Though a great deal has improved in our corner of the world since last World Whisky Day, it is not the same everywhere and even our own locale seems to teeter on a knife’s edge depending on variant factors. Because of the great success of last year’s World Whisky Day virtual tasting and others since then, we’ve decided to carry on in this manner for a second year. If we’re being honest with ourselves, holding a virtual tasting enables us to reach a much wider audience than before, even if it loses some in-person connectivity. Maybe this is our Next Normal.
Therefore, Scotchology will be celebrating World Whisky Day for the eighth year in a row by offering a virtual tasting on September 25, 2021. The official World Whisky Day was in May but a variety of circumstances suggested to us that pushing back into the autumn might be the wiser choice. We’re not sure if that wisdom still holds up but we’re charging ahead anyway. Again, we plan to participate in the Drams4Fams initiative that was started by the Edmonton Scotch Club in 2016 and has to date raised nearly $150,000 (Canadian) from almost 1500 people and 15 whiskey clubs spread across North America. The pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 have not halted this grassroots movement, only encouraged creative solutions. Our proceeds (minus a few incidental costs) will go to local food charity People and Pets Together, a surrender prevention program. If you’re not able to make our tasting, please consider contributing via our event link HERE and choose the ‘Additional Donation’ option. If you want the whiskey, choose the regular ticket.
This year, we are offering a tasting called Against the Grain: Exploring Wood-Finished Whiskies. Dating back centuries and continuing into the present day, nearly all whiskies from around the world are aged in oak casks. However, the American spirit of innovation has led to a number of US distilleries across the country to experiment with smoking, aging and finishing their spirits using a number of interesting native woods – with surprising and wonderful results. Join Scotchology as we explore five premium whiskies from across the USA, featuring the influence of cherry, mesquite, pecan, plum, and sugar maple.
One of the things the past year and more has shown us is how creative and resilient people can be, especially when it involves finding ways to connect with others over a shared passion. So pull up a chair at our virtual table with us for our World Whisky Day 2021 tasting, if you’re able, or read about our adventures after the fact via the forthcoming reviews. We’d be happy to share our time and spirits with you whether this is your first time with us or your fifth.
Which whiskies will be aged in weird woods and which ones smoked? What do we have against the classic American oak, which seems so standardized across the whiskey world? Will we finally feature an American whiskey someone has actually heard of before? You’ll only know if you get a ticket!
