How to Have a Bourbon Tasting Party

There is a big demand for rare whiskeys and Bourbon enthusiasts are popping up all over. Here is how you can have a sophisticated bourbon tasting party.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bourbon
• Appetizers
• Steaks
• Cigars
• Music

1. 
    

   First decide if you will be offering appetizers or if you will be having a sit down dinner, so you can plan your menu.

2. 
    

   Prepare your guest list and invitations. Use announcement cards with your initials on it and hand write the invitations and seal with wax for a classy look. Designate one guest to bring a bottle of bourbon and you should also have one or two bottles of bourbon, such as Maker's Mark, Bookers, Van Winkle or Eagle's Rare Bourbon, for your guests to sample.

3. 
    

   Purchase a good book that lists different varieties of bourbons and go to the internet and asks for catalogs of their bourbons to be mailed to you to have on hand at the party for the guests to look at. Do research and brush up on the different kinds of bourbons and what makes them more expensive.

4. 
    

   If you decide on dinner then have a rib eye steak or prime rib with horseradish or grilled smoked sausages. If you decide on appetizers, serve country ham that is very smoky and salty, sliced thin a la prosciutto or jamon serrano and served on buttered buttermilk biscuits. Also offer lots of mixed nuts and some cheese with green apples, and Mozzarella topped with tomatoes.

5. 
    

   If you decide to allow cigars at your party, make sure their are plenty of ash trays and cigar cutters and long wooden matches. Designate an area outside with low lightening by a fountain.

6. 
    

   Bring out your nice set of glasses and shot glasses. You will need a shot glass for each guest that is coming. Some guests may want to have their bourbon on the rocks and some guests will want to taste the other guests bourbon with the shot glasses.

7. 
    

   Music should be either jazz, piano music or 1940's music. Satellite radio has a wonderful station called Sirrius Sinatra or there is a radio station on the internet called Martini in the Morning that would suit the party perfectly.

8. 
    

   Decorate with white linen tablecloths and a tablelabra. See my article on how to make a tablelabra. Provide an ice bucket with silver tongs. Add beautiful white flowers on your coffee table and low lightening with the music. Have plenty of seating everywhere. You can even hire a piano player to play music in the background at your party.

9. 
    

   When your guests arrive, have them put their bottles on your buffet or table and then have the guests that you designated to bring a bottle, get their bottle and introduce the bottle of bourbon they brought and talk about the price and proof and history of it. Then tell your guests about the bourbon that you have that they will be tasting. Afterward, tell you guests to gather around to taste the bourbon.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure everyone has a designator driver and if not call them a cab and take away their keys.

Resources

• Bourbon Enthusiast

[AndrewB]

on 10/18/2008 Cheers!