Reader Nancy recently went to the Indy’s 6th Annual Whisky & Fine Spirits Expo, presented by Vine & Table (a wine and spirits store in Indiana), and I asked her if she could share her experience at the event… and she happily obliged!
It sounds like a fantastic event, I’ll let her share what it was like.
Hosted by my favorite liquor (read “scotch”) and gourmet food store in Carmel, IN, it was held at a beautiful reception facility on the north side of Indy called the Montage from 5pm to 9 pm.
Tickets came in 3 varieties, VIP, Regular and Designated Driver. Doors opened to VIP’s and DD’s at 5, and an excellent buffet was available to them until 7. Doors opened to regular attendees at 7. Everyone was given an appropriate armband.
VIP’s and DD’s were given a “goodie bag” containing a booklet with maps, lists, and locations of spirits and a tasting glass etched with “Vine and Table”, a copy of “Whisky Advocate”, a voucher for a gift set of Glenmorangie, and a voucher for $30 off a ride home (if needed) from “Uber”. (DD’s did not get the glass, but had a wide free selection of soft drinks and water available to them.
There were 55 (54 spirits, one with cigars) tables in two rooms and the VIP wristband allowed for the tasting of most of the higher end offerings, and any of the lesser spirits. The emphasis and majority was whisky (of ALL types), but there was Cognac and Armagnac, a few vodkas, tequilas and mescals, grappa (and a couple of grappa/wine blends that I didn’t taste), and maybe some stuff I missed. All 389 selections available could be purchased at a discounted price for later pick-up at the store.
There were also two classes offered (neither of which we attended, as we had Gladys Knight tickets at 8 pm).
One was “Bourbon Straight Up: An Inside Look at America’s Spirit”, with Chuck Cowdery, author and whisky expert.
And “The Art and Science of Whisky Blending: Deconstructing Johnnie Walker Black”, with Kyle McHugh, Master of Whisky for Diageo.
It was a fabulous evening and we noticed car tags in the parking lot from 5 or 6 surrounding states.
I am now on the email list for Vine and Table, so will be happy to post a notice here when I get it information for the 7th annual.
[Here] is a photo of 2 sides of the 3 sided whisky room at Vine and Table.
