
What do you get when you combine a bunch of food and beverage lovers, a beautiful venue and exquisite whiskey? One hell of a SOME KINDA GOODΒ Tuesday evening! The high was 96 degrees in the Lowcountry, without a cloud in the sky. We metΒ on the roof ofΒ Stars Rooftop and Grill Room in downtown CharlestonΒ onΒ historic King Street for one reason: to explore two new variants recently introducedΒ by Crown Royal Canadian Whisky. Here I would meetΒ Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye,Β the brandβs first-ever blended rye whisky, and Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel, a drink which pays homage to the brandβs signature smoothness.

During cocktail hour, waiters circulated the rooftop with trays of summer tomato-mozzarella skewers and shaved salmon crostini with capers and cream cheese. I met other marketing professionals and beverage connoisseurs, among them Susan Lucas of King Street Marketing Group, representatives from The Local Palate, Taneka Reaves and Johnny Caldwell of the Cocktail Bandits (super fun girls!) and Robin Rodriquez of locally owned Egan’s Spirits.

Meet Brandon Verkaik and Bud Huber, the twoΒ mixologists who created the four signature cocktails of the evening: Holy City Brunch Punch, Royal Shandy, The Light Dimmer and Wild Flower Whiskey Sour. I can’t wait to share one ofΒ theΒ recipes with y’all! Choosing a favorite of the four cocktails is a bit like being partial to your best friends or family members…you appreciate them each for what they bring to the table. If I had to choose one though, I’d pick the Wild Flower Whiskey Sour. This drink features Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, known for its oak flavor with spicy notes of vanilla and a hint of butterscotch.

For the guided whiskey tasting portion ofΒ the event, we made our way into the air-conditioned (thank you, Jesus!) Wilkinson Room on the second floor of the restaurant where we were enlightened by Master of Whiskey Stephen Wilson. At one point, this guy asks if anyone in the room is a fan of country music. Are you kidding!? Without hesitation I raised my glass and in my sweetest Southern accent, said with fervor, “You can’t be a whiskey fan and not love country music!” He later asked how we enjoyed whiskey best, and I told him “To the tune of George Jones.” Is there any other way? Maybe a Jack Daniels audience would understand this better. π

I was pleased to learn Wilson first discovered Crown Royal Deluxe in none other than the beautiful Savannah, Georgia. Here’s a guy who grew up on the Tennessee Virginia line, and says he “fell into” a career as a Master of Whiskey andΒ now works forΒ Diageo, the company who owns Crown Royal. He said, “There’s no right or wrong way to enjoy whiskey. Good conversation over a glass of good whiskey is what it’s all about.” Sounds like we share the same philosophy!Β He taught usΒ that Crown Royal was first created as a gift for the King and Queen of England to celebrate their visit to Canada in 1939. The iconicΒ purple bag which the whiskey is purchased in is a concept from the original packaging! It was developed to suit the royal occasionΒ andΒ outfitted with gold drawstrings, a tradition that continues to this day.

The attention to detail at this event was unmatched! Dessert was a moist, rich chocolate cake shaped like a bottle of Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye whiskey. Who knew eating whiskey could be fun too?Β HA!

I’ll leave y’all with this: A refreshing concoction suitable for any summertime happy hour, courtesy of the mixologists mentioned above. Thanks to Taylor Strategy for an evening really well done, and a valuable education on the top-selling Canadian Whiskey in the United States.

Wildflower Whisky Sour
2 oz. Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye
1 oz. St. Germaine
.5 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
.5 oz. Wildflower Honey Syrup
Stir together ingredients. Serve over ice and enjoy!
Thanks for a nice read! Well done.
LikeLike
Rebekah, great article, your daddy wants to try that drink! While we were on the cruise, we actually went to a wine tasting event and a mojito tasting ! My new favorite a spicy mojito! Loved it! Sounds like you met some interesting people at the event too. Glad you went and shared with us!
LikeLike