Monday, April 19th @ 8:00 pm
We are hosting the perfect Whiskey opener with Diageo Master of Whiskey Marty Duffy. Marty will be sampling at least one whiskey from every major region in the world. Scotch, Bourbon, Irish and Canadian Whiskies will be sampled. We will be discussing all aspects of Whiskey – ideal for the novice and expert alike. Free.
The week of March 26th – April 2nd, 2009 we are having some very special whiskey related events to coincide with The Malt Advocate’s Whiskeyfest Chicago at the Chicago Hyatt Regency. All events are free to attend.
- Thursday, March 26th, 8pm
We are having an Ardbeg Scotch Whisky tasting of several of their expressions to kick off Whiskeyfest Week. In addition we are showing paintings of the Ardbeg Distilery by Scotsman Ian Gray. Ian has gained fame in the UK for his spectacular paintings of the Scottish landscape in and around its Distilleries, and he will be in attendence at this his first show ever in Chicago. Representatives of the distillery will also be in attendance.
- Friday, March 27th, 4pm
It is Michael “Beer Hunter” Jackson’s Birthday, therefore, we are launching the new book about Michael.
8:00pm – We are featuring a seminar and tasting hosted by the Maker’s Mark distillery. Maker’s has become closely associated with Delilah’s over the years – we put the first ever Maker’s Mark neon in our window 15 years ago, and this now iconic brand represents the best selling Wheated Bourbon in America. Representatives of the distillery will be in attendance.
- Saturday, March 28th, 8pm
Though it is the most well known American Whiskey brand in the world, Jack Daniels has a long and storied history many people are not acquainted with, plus this will be a great chance to taste the Single Barrel & Gentleman Jack whiskies. Representatives of the distillery will be in attendance.
- Sunday, March 29th, 8pm
We are featuring a complete portfolio tasting from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, easily the most recognised American distillery in terms of innovation awards in recent years. Ancient Age, Buffalo Trace, W.L. Weller, George T. Stagg, Sazerac Rye, just to name a few of the whiskies we will examine. Representatives of the distillery will be in attendance.
- Monday, March 30, 6:00pm
We are hosting an ideal introduction to Kentucky Whiskey. All current styles of Whiskey made in this great state will be tasted We will be discussing all aspects of Kentucky Whiskey – perfect for the novice and expert alike.
6:00pm – Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. This is the only Whiskey commercially produced in America with more than 50% wheat.
8:00pm – Maker’s Mark Wheated Bourbon. This is one of the greatest examples of the rarer Wheated style currently produced.
10:00pm – Old Forester Birthday Bourbon 2008 Vintage Release. This Louisville Bourbon is made with Rye and is one of the few vintage dated American Whiskies – we will look at several vintages.
Midnight – Templeton Rye Whiskey. Before Prohibition, Rye was the dominant style of Whiskey in America – this is old time Rye.
- Tuesday, March 31, 7:00pm
We are hosting a wonderful Scotch Whisky opener with a Single Malt tasting, a Vatted Malt tasting and a Premium Blended Malt tasting. We will be discussing all aspects of Scotch Whisky – perfect for the novice and expert alike.
7:00pm – Glenlivet Single Malts. One of the most well known and award winning distilleries in Scotland, we will be tasting several expressions including the much heralded 21yr and the absolutely fabulous 1969 Vintage.
10:00pm – Compass Box Vatted Malt Whisky. American-in-London John Glasser bucks all trends and produces small batch vats of a few barrels of Whisky, we will be trying several of his Vattings.
Midnight – Chivas 18yr Tasting. One of the most well blended and regarded Premium Blends ever, a perfect finale to an evening of Scotchucation.
- Wednesday, April 1, 10pm
In conjunction with our own Bloodshot Records’ Hard Country Wednesdays, Delilah’s is very pleased to be hosting the official Malt Advocate Whiskeyfest After Party. With guest bartenders Preston & Julian Van Winkle!!!
- Thursday, April 2, 6-9pm
Meet The Makers. This is an informal gathering of some of the most prominant Master Distillers and Whiskey Makers in the world, have a dram and a chat with the people who make the Whiskey World happen.
WhiskyFest Chicago 2007
WhiskeyFest Chicago 2007 photos
Mike Miller, owner of Delilah’s and another high priest in Chicago’s whiskey cult, says his free monthly tastings and 400 whiskey choices draw a motley lot.More »
“The tastings are an extremely valuable tool for us. Customers get to meet the people who are making it happen. We call it booze school.”
A recent celebrity guest at Delilah’s for St. Pat’s was Colum Egan, 37, master distiller at the 399-year-old Bushmills distillery in Northern Ireland. Bearing Irish charm of at least 80 proof, Egan proved to be a hit at numerous appearances throughout the area.
But he obviously takes his charge of “maintaining the bloodlines” of Bushmills as seriously as the occasional public-relations foray, and he too fits neatly into the demographic the Irish distillery is trying to reach. That’s what would make him say something like this:
“Whiskey, especially Bushmills, is there to enjoy. So if you drink it with Coke or Sprite, drink it like that. You’ll actually get the whiskey characters coming through. I’m not saying you want to mix the 16-year-old or the 21-year-old, but definitely Bushmills Original and Black Bush.”
As for the sought-after Bushmills demographic of 25- to 40-year-olds, he says: “The palate is beginning to develop a little bit. They’re not eating a burger and chips from McDonald’s every day. They’ve got a job, and they’ve gotten a couple of quid together.”
Nevertheless, for many of those drinkers, reverence rules at the highest end. And so it was at an impromptu Bushmills tasting, where the 16-year-old and 21-year-old single malts at first rated a hush, then low, soft moans. A neophyte would have melted.
There’s a reason for that, according to Miller, who says tequila and especially vodka are as much marketing vehicles as anything – pretty bottles, glitzy names. But with whiskey, quality can’t be faked.
“It’s different than all the other spirit worlds,” he says. “Rum is defined by the fact that’s it’s made from sugarcane. Whiskey has different rules based on where it comes from. There are about 200 whiskey distilleries internationally. They’re all turning out differing products that don’t necessarily overlap. People who are putting out custom whiskey aren’t doing it so they can make a lot of money. It’s because they’re into it.”
