YVR - Pacific Club Summer Party - 08.12.16

This past Friday night brought a lively and fun filled crowd to the Waterfall Building, just a block down from Granville Island on West 2nd Ave. in Vancouver for the Pacific Club's Summer Party event. DJ Eric Carver was throwing down classic hip-hop and rap, making for a nostalgic feel at the event. A photo booth was active most of the night as well for all of the attendees.

The crowd ranged from established property developers, software developers, marketing professionals, engineers and entrepreneurs from all industries. The Pacific Club asked us to attended and pour our favorite whisky for all of the guests on a by donation basis with all of the money raised going to a well deserving charity partner in Zajac Ranch. One fine philanthropist figured a glass wasn't enough and took an entire bottle off our hands for $150 !! He agreed far too quickly on that price LOL Next time we'll ask for more! Over the night we were able to raise more than $750 !!

BIG thank you to the Pacific Club for putting on such a great summer party and inviting us to join them to raise funds for our charity sponsor. It was great to see many of our Club Wise members in attendance, especially the fellas behind Sons of Vancouver Distillery, who were also onsite and selling their spectacular spirits to everyone. The whiskey sours we saw circling the party in patrons hands were making everyone's mouth water!

We hope to see everyone and then some at the next Pacific Club event which is coming soon! Keep your eye on our Facebook page for when those are happening.

Cheers,

- Carey, YVR Committee Member

Photo Credit: Erin Sandhu of Ek Art Photography

Whisky Wisemen ChaptersWhisky WisemenAugust 19, 2016Comment

NYC - Taste & Shop for a Cause Sales Event w/ FCUK - 06.11.16

In preparation for the Father’s Day festivities this month, UK-based clothing brand, French Connection (FCUK), partnered with Whisky Wisemen NYC for an unforgettable -- and charitable -- Pre-Father’s Day sale event “Taste and Shop for a Cause” on Saturday, June 11 from 2 to 6pm EST at FCUK’s flagship shop in NYC’s chic SoHo district. As a result of FCUK and WWNYC’s collaboration, FCUK donated 10% of all sales during the event to WWNYC’s charity-partner, Transfernation, on top of offering 30% off the entire shop! We’re proud to announce that together, FCUK and WWNYC raised almost $700 to Transfernation, who redistributes high-volume leftover foods to hungry New Yorkers by leveraging desktop and mobile applications to easily track and allocate food. Shoppers that day gave back to the NYC community through their sharp fashion sense, indeed.

Customers perused FCUK’s sleek and smart summer collection while sipping on a range of complimentary whiskies from classics to world whiskies. If shopping wasn’t already a pick-me-up for one, than the whiskies certainly made it more worthwhile and hopefully encouraged some good purchasing decisions!

We at Whisky Wisemen NYC want to thank FCUK for its generousity in including us in its Pre-Father’s Day sale event and for supporting our Chapter and charity-partner. It was a pleasure educating shoppers about Whisky Wisemen’s mission and organization, and how contributing to social causes is not such a difficult thing to do. We want to encourage people to be more socially responsible and understand the importance of being better everyday, and we do so by not only producing informative and fun whisky events, but also establishing unique collaborative efforts with lifestyle brands, like FCUK, that share the same values and goals for improving the community and making people feel good about doing good. We look forward to what the next special opportunity will be, and we’ll be keeping you posted!

Be sure to follow FCUK, too!

Instagram: @frenchconnection_us

Facebook: Facebook.com/frenchconnectionus

Twitter: @fc_us

And need to add to your wardrobe collection? Check out FCUK’s site usa.frenchconnection.com.

Sláinte,

Annie, Whisky Wisemen NYC Chapter President

Whisky Wisemen ChaptersWhisky WisemenJune 20, 2016Comment

Club Wise: Women's Glenlivet Spring/Summer Formal

This Spring/Summer event Club Wise decided to change up the format to bring more value to our formal event. Unlike any other event, we brought a panel of speakers to provide a broad and deep perspective, with sports and mental performance at the center of our conversation. Hosting us was RYU Apparel, a Vancouver sports apparel brand and award nominating venue space.

Leading our panel discussion was Treya Klassen, Senior Vice President at RYU and international seminar lead and communications speaker. As well as many others!

The whiskies we sampled were: The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, The Glenlivet 15, 18, and Nadurra First Fill.

Photos by: Two Peas Photography

Whisky WisemenMay 27, 2016Comment

NYC - Lending a Hand to Transfernation: Solving Hunger in New York City

All too often I find myself walking past a homeless person on the street wishing I knew some way to help them. Or I will pass a half-eaten pizza in a box in the trash and think of the pounds of food we waste in NYC every day. These thoughts pass in and out of my mind quickly as I go about my normal routine and little, if any, action is ever taken. I imagine that this is true for most of us and not because we don’t truly want to help out those less fortunate and improve the streets of NYC. Perhaps we don’t know a way to help or maybe we find excuses for not going down to that homeless shelter (“Well the A train was running with significant delays…”).

One Sunday a few weeks ago, I challenged myself to change that. I had signed up to volunteer with Transfernation and had previously received emails about pick-up opportunities. On this particular day, there was a pick-up still outstanding for midday and no one had volunteered. Was I near the location? Definitely not. Would I have preferred to go to Sunday brunch? Yes (guilty). Instead, I headed down to NYU and, with the assistance of a helpful kitchen worker, loaded up 210 lbs of food from an event into a cab and headed to the Bowery Mission on the LES. I must admit- I’ve never seen so many boxes of bagels in my life. The Mission was serving lunch at the time and it was such a great feeling knowing that even my small effort was going towards feeding the hungry. A couple hours are all it takes - the same amount of time we spend watching Netflix, waiting on Seamless - but the impact lasts far longer.

Transfernation aims to create a tech-based, self-sufficient infrastructure to connect organizations to ensure easy and safe transport of food to where it is needed. To find out more information about the NYC Chapter Charity Partner Transfernation, visit their website here

--Megan, Whisky Wisemen NYC Finance and Charity Officer

Whisky WisemenMay 11, 2016Comment

GCM - St. Patrick's Day Celebrations & More on Grand Cayman Island

On Thursday March 17th, 2016, Stogies Cigar Lounge, Cayman Islands was filled with family and friends celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and the birthdays of two Whisky Wisemen GCM members, all while donating 10% to our charity Feed Our Future, Cayman Islands.

The night began with a meet and greet and whisky infused cupcakes. Guests enjoyed chocolate whisky infused cupcakes with vanilla icing and a sprinkle of goodness. Each person was then entered into a raffle with a chance to win awesome prizes throughout the course of the night. Ten lucky winners took home Johnny Walker Black and cigars to enjoy.

It was an epic night filled with great people enjoying extraordinary whisky, music and the togetherness of making a positive impact in our community by donating and giving back.

A big THANK YOU to everyone who came out to help us celebrate!

Here are more pictures from the event!

Whisky Wisemen GCM

Whisky WisemenApril 10, 2016Comment

NYC - Happy 1st Birthday Party!

Happy (belated) birthday, Whisky Wisemen NYC! Whisky Wisemen’s NYC Chapter celebrated its one year anniversary on Friday, March 18th, and we did it in style with a grand ol’ tasting affair. Hosted at Back Label Wine Merchant (www.backlabelwine.com) in Chelsea, Whisky Wisemen NYC (WWNYC) had its first “Birthday Boozeday,” a two-hour fête featuring 12 whisky brands; 2 original whisky cocktails -- “Salty Nuts” and “Kilt de Provence” -- crafted by Danny Neff and Jeremy Hawn, two of NYC’s esteemed mixologists; and cupcake-versions of said concoctions provided by the Cocktail Parlor (www.thecocktailparlor.com/), a boozy dessert company founded and owned by Courtney McKamey. Hannah Dehradunwala, co-founder our charity-partner, Transfernation, joined us for yet another WWNYC event and partied along.

*Courtney of The Cocktail Parlor, provider of “cocktail cupcakes.*

*Danny and Jeremy whipping up specialty whiskey cocktails for the night.*

As one would think, we packed the house with a program like that: 70 #WiseFriends mingled, jibber-jabbered, ate light bites, and tasted the night away. There was no shortage of whisky and no shortage of cheer. The evening went by a little too fast, though.

WWNYC have come a long way since its launch last year in March. In addition to the monthly #ThirdThursday gatherings, we have produced several one-off special events, including a Whiskey + Burlesque Pre-Halloween Party, Industry Nite with Denver & Liely Whisky Glasses, and an exclusive Whiskey + Cigar #ThirdThursday -- “Smoke + Spice” -- back in Summer 2015.

We are grateful for everyone who have supported thus far, from the brand sponsors to all the bars who have hosted the 2015 events, and last but not least, our Whisky Wisemen community, both on and offline. It is because of you that Whisky Wisemen and all its chapters, NYC as well as the others, are able to grow and thrive in their respective cities. We’re certainly looking forward to another amazing year of good whisky, good company, and good-will.

Ready for year two, WWNYC?! You bet!

Sláinte,

Annie - NYC Chapter President

Whisky WisemenApril 10, 2016Comment

From Whisky Casks to Sunglasses - A Glenmorangie x Finlay & Co. Collaboration

Scotch whisky distiller Glenmorangie is going #BeyondTheCask for their latest craftsmanship efforts and our Creative Director - Nick Harborne was there to see, taste, and experience the perfection every step of the way.

Having been invited by Glenmorangie personally, the Whisky 'Wiseman' was on his way to New York to try on the first pair of sunglasses made from Glenmorangie's finest American oak cask barrels. For this to happen, the distiller teamed with handmade sunglass brand Finlay & Co. to create the shades. Since the wood used to shape the frames were once exposed to aging Scotch, the oak has maintained traces of the spirit. While the scent will not be overwhelming, if kept in the case for an extended period of time, a slight whiff of scotch will remind the wearer of the frame’s origin upon opening.

For the project, Glenmorangie found that each cask can yield between 40 and 50 pairs of sunglasses. To create the shades, Finlay & Co. follows a 16-step process to ensure each pair exudes max strength, lightness and inimitable style. Numbered pairs of the shades are available exclusively on the brand’s Web Site.

Aside from making the perfect scotch whisky and collaborating with amazing brands, Glenmorangie has also launched a new digital communication platform dubbed ‘Unseen’. It's the ultimate experience for whisky lovers - giving them a detailed look at the creation of their whisky, how artists go to great lengths to perfect their craft, and the lifestyle of whisky connoisseurs all over the world.

For more info on the Finlay & Co. x Glenmorangie Sunglasses - Click Here.

Whisky WisemenMarch 27, 2016Comment

Club Wise YVR - First Formal Event of 2016 @ Stewart Stephenson Art Gallery

We started Club Wise last year as a way to further engage our growing community in Vancouver. We realized the passion of a number of our followers and thought that we need to create something more exclusive and more engaging for these individuals so we launched a Club with that exactly in mind.

Club Wise hosts quarterly events for its members only that involve a whisky tasting from top brand, an influential guest speaker from our local community and they are held in a unique and trendy venue. Last year, we tired whisky from Glenmorangie, Bruichladdich, and Dalmore while listening to guest speakers like Brian Scudamore, Founder of 1800GOTJUNK and Tasi Gottschlag, CFO of Voxter in unique spaces like Cavalier Jewelry Store and Frontier Flooring Showroom - what an amazing time!

After great success last year overwhelming positive feedback, we doubled our membership base for 2016 and kicked off the 2nd year in January with our first event at the Stewart Stephenson Art Gallery in Yaletown with a whisky tasting from Ardbeg Brand Ambassadors Kellan and JS while listening to our guest speakers, Scott Hawthorn, CEO of Native Shoes and Lorne MacInnes of Ferguson Moving & Storage.

Special thanks to Stewart Stephanson for letting us use his space for the two nights events as well as Food.ee for catering! Our members had an amazing time and we're already looking forward to the next one. Check out some of the pictures below!

Whisky WisemenMarch 22, 2016Comment

1st Annual Vancouver Whisky Festival @ Terminal City Club

Vancouver finally got its first legitimate whisky festival! Usually it is Victoria that gets all of the attention since it is one of the best in North America as it has been running longer but also because of its premium reputation, however this year, the Fountana Beverage Group decided to launch a complimentary festival in Vancouver which followed the Victoria one and would highlight some of the less recognizable and more rare offerings in the marketplace like Amrut, Kavalan and Springbank to name a few.

The Festival reached out to us and provided media access so we could attend and cover the event for them and we kindly obliged!

Tickets were $190 each and included access and unlimited tastings from 6-930pm in the grand tasting hall of over 120 whiskies with food and chocolate pairings. The event also offered a guided tour and whisky specific tasting sessions as well as a classic cocktail presentation.

We saw some familiar faces but also got to meet some new members of the whisky community and others where we have only been in touch online so it was a great experience all around and can't wait for next year! For more information on the event, visit their official website here, and check out some of the pictures below!

Whisky WisemenMarch 21, 2016Comment

The 11th Annual Victoria Whisky Festival @ Grand Pacific Hotel

The 11th Victoria Whisky Festival welcomed over 1,000 guests to whisky events on Thursday the 14th, Friday the 15th, Saturday the 16th and Sunday the 17th of January 2016 at the 5 star Hotel Grand Pacific located on Victoria’s beautiful Inner Harbour.

This was our first time attending the festivities and we can say with confidence that this will not be our last! To start the 4 days off, participants enjoyed sold out evening events including Whisky wander: a Spirited Journey Through the Past Century with Alwynne Gwilt, The Canadian Whisky Awards Dinner, The Canadian Club Women and Whisky Grand Tasting, The Amrut Grand Tasting, The Highland Park Valhalla Collection Grand Tasting, the Festival Grand Tasting, The Distillers Dinner and a number of other attractions. Daytime Masterclasses were presented by Tomintoul, NIKKA, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Springbank, Woodford Reserve, Tullibardine, Bruichladdich, Macallan, Kilchoman, Wiser’s, Glenmorangie, Balvenie, Highland Park, Benromach, Glenlivet, Ardbeg, Benriach and Glenfarclas to name a few...

Needless to say, we can't wait until 2017 to kick-start the year off right!

Photo & Video Credit: Jen Steele Photography

Whisky WisemenMarch 21, 2016Comment

Benromach 35 Year Old Review

Back in February, our friends at the Benromach distillery sent us a few samples of their latest release 'The Rare Benromach 35 Year Old'. Handcrafted using the finest natural ingredients at the Forres distillery, Benromach 35 Years Old is an exceptional whisky with real heritage and an original tale or two, having been laid down to mature in the 1980’s. Golden amber in colour, Benromach 35 Years Old (ABV 43%) is a most satisfying Speysider with cinnamon hints and beeswax polish, stewed pear and a delicate charred Oak edge.

The bespoke decanter style bottle protecting the precious whisky is encased within a wooden presentation box, reflecting the various elements which have gone into making the whisky; the copper stills, the dark, grained wood of the original washbacks, and the white of the limewashed distillery walls.

This rare whisky, dating back to a time before Benromach was restored in the ‘90s, exudes the heritage of the Speyside distillery. Created under the watchful eye of Donald MacDonald, former Distillery Manager, the casks this whisky was matured in have long been a part of the Benromach history. Willie McArthur, former malt man and warehouseman, was one of the workers responsible for protecting the precious casks remaining in the bonded warehouses.

Nose: Creamy vanilla, ethereal oak, kiwi, orange juice, peach and honeycomb.

Palate: Red apples and figs in pastry, a little cocoa and macadamia. Syrupy, fragrant and fruity.

Finish: Oak, cinnamon, anise and vanilla.

Overall: A delicious piece of whisky history.

Whisky WisemenMarch 21, 2016Comment

Clyde Mays Alabama Whiskey Review

Whiskey from Alabama??? Fine and dandy, darlin'!

When we started this Society more than 3 years ago, we were united by our common, budding interest for the dark spirit but had no idea that it would grow into a intense, consuming passion. It's pretty safe to say that our timing was impeccable as the global market has since exploded with whisky offerings from every corner of the earth and in turn has pushed the whisky community to its limits in order to satisfy the demands and more elaborate pallets of the savvy and connected consumers.

So why should we even be surprised of a new brand and whiskey from Alabama? At this point it is almost expected. What isn't expected is our own reach and influence into the whisky community which continues to grow each day from all of the support and love sent our way.

Clyde Mays reached out to us, showing praise for our humble beginnings and asked if we would want to test drive a bottle of their Alabama whiskey. We'll be honest, we had never heard of the brand before but regardless of what it is, it's hard to turn down a free bottle of the good stuff so before we knew it, we were sipping on some of Clyde's once illegal amber nectar. Before we tell you what we think, let's first tell the story because it's a good one...

Its been over 70 years since Clyde made his first batch of craft whiskey hidden away in Alabama somewhere. He was considered a moonshiner by trade but the difference was he decided to experiment more than others. Using copper stills, Alabama spring water and by aging his in small batches in charred oak barrels until he landed on a taste that was distinctly his and one representative of Alabama. The secret? He also added oven-dried apples to his barrels!

The result is a really smooth, light and tasty whiskey that resembles a bourbon but because of its lower ABV (42.5) and only aged for 5 years, it doesn't have as much bite and ultimately makes it much more approachable. The affects from the apples are faintly present with hints of cinnamon and the nice flavour from the charred oak. It’s a bit of a departure from the recent overproof escapades (like Bookers), but before you jump to any conclusions, trust us when we way it’s worth checking out.

When we say you can taste the green apple, it’s not overwhelming but surprisingly well done. Do not confuse this with a Crown Royal Apple style whisky – this is in a class of it's own. Heavily charred oak barrels and 30 percent rye in the mash bill balances out the apple and spice notes perfectly. We’ve sampled many bourbons that have far more sweet to them than this one. This whisky is simple and fun. It’s a great spring or summer sipper and would also work great in cocktails. Please enjoy responsibly.

Thanks Clyde Mays!

Slainte

Whisky WisemenFebruary 13, 2016Comment

YVR - Donation of Funds Raised in 2015 to Charity Partner, Power To Be @ Third Thursday - 01.21.16

January is always a special month for the YVR Chapter of the Whisky Wisemen Society. For starter's, it is the anniversary of the foundation of the Society. 3 years ago this January we held the very first third Thursday event in Vancouver and now look have far we've come!

The first month of the year is also when we finally get to recognize all of the efforts made over the past 12 months and make an official lump sum donation of all of the funds raised to our charity partners.

Our Vancouver Chapter's charity partner for 2015 was the Power To Be Adventure Therapy Society. They were an amazing partner all year, inviting us to participate in their annual Power To Play fundraiser in September and always having representatives attend our monthly third Thursday events. Power To Be was everything you would hope for in a partner so it made us very happy that after the year was over we were able to double our funds raised from last year and donate $6000 to their cause!!

Power To Be founder Tim Comrode was on hand to accept a giant cheque from us and he said a few words of thanks and how this money would go to help put about 3 or 4 deserving kids over the coming summer through their adventure programs. What a great result!

It is after moments like these that we truly realize the impact that we are making on our community and for people that really need and deserve the assistance. We gather monthly with friends and to meet new people, spending our money on a few drinks to be social and through that sets the wheels in motion for something greater when compounded by a growing community and over a period of time. Imagine if this really catches on...

Like the old sayings go, 'noone has ever become poor by giving, for it is in giving that we receive.'

Thank You Tim, Kevin and the whole Power To Be team! All the best!

Whisky WisemenFebruary 13, 2016Comment

YVR - Balvenie 50 Year Old Release @ BCL - 01.13.16

In January, we got to partake in a unique experience with The Balvenie and their incredibly rare bottle of 50 year old whisky.. The event was held at the 39th & Cambie liquor store in Vancouver and included a sit-down educational tasting of six Balvenie whiskies paired with high-end restaurant bites.

“In the case of The Balvenie ‘Fifty’, Malt Master David Stewart has created a unique combination of natural alchemy and centuries old craftsmanship, and we are delighted to know that this expression will find a loving home here in Canada,” Elizabeth Havers, The Balvenie® Brand Ambassador in Canada, said in a media release.

‘Fifty’ is “characterized by its reddish hues, dark fruits and spice with a deep and lingering fruity sweetness on the tongue.” Tasting notes include “sweet raisins and a subtle ginger spiciness.”

The bottle is hand-blown glass, which is hand-filled with the ‘Fifty.’ And that ‘Fifty,’ by the way, has only ever lived in one other place since May 28, 1963: European oak cask number 4567. One of two casks retrieved in 2014 by the distillery, number 4567 is considered the darker, richer, spicier of the pair. Both the bottle and case are refined works of art - Each case consists of forty-nine wooden rings and a closing layer in brass (which echoes the fittings of the distillery's stills and spirit safes).

As of today - The 50 year-old single malt is regarded as one of the most prestigious luxury spirits in the world, and The Fairmont Pacific Rim has the only bottle made available in Canada. A perfect one ounce pour, offered at $2,600 CAD will be available exclusively in the hotel's Lobby Lounge beginning Feb. 12.

Guests will be able to sip on an exceptional Scotch whiskey in their own handcrafted and specially numbered “collector's edition’’ Baccarat crystal glass. The wee dram will allow those to experience a unique taste of history - literally.

Whisky WisemenFebruary 13, 2016 Comment

YVR - Scotch Dinner @ The Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel - 11.27.15

On the evening of November 27th, a few of us were invited to an exclusive scotch dinner at the Globe@YVR restaurant in the exquisite Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel. The dinner featuring the six Classic Malts of Scotland, Glenkinchie, Cragganmore, Dalwhinnie, Oban, Talisker and Lagavulin. Each scotch was expertly paired by executive chef Karan Suri to a mouth watering dish from appetizer to desert and each pairing was presented by Wirtz Beverages reserve expert, Joel Virginillo. Check out the full menu below!

The evening was a very tasty and informative journey, exploring the role nature plays in creating the region’s world-renowned beverages and their impact on different tasting foods. Food pairings aren't just for wine anymore!

We want to extend a special thanks to the hotel, their staff, the Chef and Joel for a fun and exciting evening as we travelled through the various pairings. Also special shout out to the various other guests we met throughout the evening as it was an memorable experience.

Here are some more pictures from the event!

Slainte,

- Jordan, Co-Founder

Whisky WisemenFebruary 13, 2016Comment

The Laphroaig 15 Year Old & Old Malt Cask 14

Two extremely hard bottles to find.. The Laphroaig 15 and Old Malt Cask (Laphroaig 14). These "brothers from another mother" are so similar and yet so different! One is considerably un-modern in style (meaning less peat and more subtle fruits) while the other is a rich, peaty dram that packs an enormous punch.

First, lets take a look at the Old Malt Cask - Laphroaig 14 year old. It was distilled at the Laphroaig distillery in October 1998 before a 14 year maturation in a single refill hogshead. It was bottled for the Old Malt Cask range in December 2012 and there are just 311 bottles available. The Old Malt Cask range is a unique and limited offering from a family owned company, Hunter Laing. Bottled from a single cask, no chill filtration, with a preferred strength of 50% abv. Each single cask bottle has been carefully and personally selected, to ensure a dram of the highest quality. Truly an exquisite peated whisky.

The Nose: Green cut grass, freshly cut peat, dry ashes, iodine with seaweed, honey and burnt sugar. The Palate: Initially sweet butter shortbread and honey, developing to seaweed and peat smoke.. The Finish: Long, oaky and oily with plenty of peat smoke.

Last year (2015) Laphroaig celebrated it's 200th Anniversary. All kinds of bicentennial events were held throughout the year and several special editions were released - one being this Laphroaig 15 Year Old.

The 15 was first released back in the 1980s, and was eventually replaced by the 18 many years later. Living in Vancouver, it's much harder for us to obtain these special releases, but when they do arrive, we are the first to know! As for the whisky itself - fans of the modern, more intensely peated Laphroaig profile may find this underpowered and lacking in smokiness. I was expecting a lot more, but was very optimistic knowing that it's only 43% abv. Having never tried the original 15 for the lack of being 12 years old at the time, I really enjoyed it for its old-style fruitiness and complexity.

The Nose: Soft and close at first. Seemed way to simple.. Then, after a few minutes it really started to open. A sweet fruity peat, something I've never smelt before. An almost non-existing ash and sea salt with a lemon twist. The Palate: Peatier, cleaner and more bourbon-like, paint thinner, sweet honey with bitter grapefruits and rubbery candies. The Finish: Medium length. Sweet, modern, honey and dash of sweet lemonade with that beautiful lingering peat.

Whisky WisemenJanuary 9, 2016 Comment

YVR - Letter from Power To Be, Our 2015 Charity Partner

A new year means new beginnings and that is no different for our Society as January brings about a time for change. It's time to say goodbye to our previous year's charity partner and start a fresh 12 months with another deserving organization, so we can continue to spread the good across the community.

2015 was an extremely successful year for us as we launched 3 new Chapters across North America, and extended our fundraising model and growing community to 3 new cities and started raising funds for 3 new charities.

However, all good things must come to an end and therefore it is time to make an official donation of the funds raised over the year to Power To Be, our YVR Chapter 2015 charity partner, but before we do we must share this heart-felt letter that was penned to us by their organization for the contribution that we were able to make and what that meant for them.

It's things like this that keep us humbled and motivated for the future to come and to continue pushing for our vision of a better world, filled with better people. Thanks Power To Be, the pleasure has been all ours.

To the amazing and generous people behind the Whisky Wisemen community,

Very simply, the Whisky Wisemen Society has helped make Power To Be’s impact in the community possible. Over the course of 2015 we have expanded our reach for a higher demand in services and heightened awareness for our mission in the Vancouver and surrounding area.

In 2015, the inspired philanthropy of the entire Whisky Wisemen community has ensured we met the need for accessible and inclusive adaptive recreation services from a growing base of more than 50 community partners and more than 1,000 participants living with physical, mental or social support needs. Our programs, 100 per cent of which are subsidized, offer a long-term connection to community and outdoor adventures.

The list of programs and participants is long, but with the support of the Whiskey Wisemen Society we are helping youth living with Autism enjoy a day of rock climbing in a safe and judgement free environment, a teenager living with Cerebral Palsy gain confidence through kayaking or a father living with an acquired brain injury reconnect with his family through a facilitated camping trip, among so many more Power To Be experiences.

As this year draws to a close, we want to thank every single member and friend of the Whisky Wisemen Society for holding up our mission and making a real difference this year. We could not do it without you.

From our community to yours, we raise a glass in sincere gratitude for a fantastic year.
Thank you.

Whisky WisemenJanuary 9, 2016Comment

YVR - Ugly Golf Sweater Xmas Party for #thirdThursday @ One Under Urban Golf Bar, Vancouver - 12.17.15

This past #thirdthursday was Vancouver's 36th monthly #socialwhisky event and for the first time in three years we hosted the event somewhere other than our beloved Shebeen in Gastown. That’s right, for December we switched things up a bit and trekked across town to another partner bar of ours to continue our monthly tradition…

The good folks at One Under Urban Golf Bar agreed to host our community for our official holiday event:

Glenmorangie presents: the Whisky Wisemen Society #thirdThursday “Ugly Golf Sweater Holiday Party” at One Under!

Our community broke out their best golf and Christmas attire and mashed it all together for a truly unique and festive event! Glenmorangie sponsored the evening and offered all attendees exclusive tastings as well providing a great chance to win some prizes!

There was free food, whisky and golf for all and we even held a “Closest to the Pin” contest held during the night and the winners got:
- One Under Golfing – 3 Hour Session in 1911 Room, Value $225
- Glenmorangie Prize Pack – various bottles of premium scotch, golf towels, balls & accessories

Thanks to our sponsors and everyone who came out to cap off a great year!

Merry Christmas to all of our community and here's to a happy & healthy 2016!

Slainte,

Whisky Wisemen Society

Whisky WisemenDecember 24, 2015Comment

YVR - BRUICHLADDICH TASTING @ Notch 8 Fairmont Hotel Vancouver

What a treat this was!

On the evening of December 13th, we held our AGM at Notch 8 restaurant inside the historic Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, and afterwards sat down for a 3 course dinner and whisky tasting from Bruichladdich.

This wasn't just any ordinary tasting but rather an intimate affair with the opportunity to taste some really rare bottles of whisky. We had the privilege to have the tasting led by Reid, the Canadian Ambassador for Bruichladdich, who was able to share private details and stories about the brand and history of the distillery. To top it all off we went through 4 different glasses which included the Laddie 22, the Laddie Cuvee 640, Black Art 4 and Octomore 7.1! WOW, what a night! There were 15 of us in total and everyone had a different favourite but the tasting proved what a unique and innovative brand Bruichladdich is and what a true mastermind like Jim McEwan can create.

Here are some shots of the dinner and tasting as we thought it was just too good not to share!

Special thanks to the staff at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver & Notch 8 Restaurant for the space and also to the Bruichladdich team for the tasting and sponsorship of the dinner!

Whisky WisemenDecember 23, 2015Comment

XMAS GIVEAWAY CONTEST w/ PARCHED PENGUIN

Tis the season for giving!

We've decided to partner with our good friends over at Parched Penguin, purveyors of the finest barware tools & accesories from around the globe, to give our followers the chance to win some truly unique gifts for their family and friends.

The contest is running exclusively on Instagram and our followers have 5 chances to win as there is a new prize each week day starting on December 14th running through to the 18th.

Here are the contest details:

You can only enter once per day and the winner will be announced the following day.

1) Follow @whiskywisemen & @parchedpenguin on Instagram.

2) Like both contest photos on each of the pages.

3) Comment on each photo by tagging three friends on Instagram who you know would want this gift for Christmas.

Here are some pictures of the prizes so far. Good luck to all of our followers who enter!
Merry Christmas!