CORNWALL, Ontario – Whisky lovers showed up in droves for the Wonderful World of Whisky’s inaugural event this Saturday, March 25.
Ian Bentley, Director of Conference Services and Food and Beverage for the NAV Centre has been imagining the event for roughly 10 years, and says it’s incredible to see his vision finally bearing fruit.
“There’s a lot of opportunity for growth with an event like this,” said Bentley. “I’m just excited to be a part of it and give people more opportunities to discover what Cornwall has to offer.”
Featuring over 100 whiskies from across the world, guests had the opportunity to sample a diverse selection of spirits throughout the evening. Offering up a feast of godly proportions was nonother than the darling of NAV Centre, Chef Luc McCabe.
With a sprawling assortment of whiskies, it’s easy to imagine how one could become overwhelmed. However, certified Malt Maniac, and trained sommelier, Davin de Kergommeaux says that whisky shouldn’t be intimidating.
“Tonight people are going to be exposed to a lot of different whiskies,” said de Kergommeaux. What’s interesting about an event like this is that guests will have knowledgeable people telling them all about what they’re tasting.”
Having taught a full master class entitled ‘The Audacity of Rye,’ de Kergommeaux has also been hard at work promoting the second edition of his book, ‘Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert,’ which is set to be published through Penguin Random House.
“I think that people are looking for something new, and they’re only now discovering how much high-quality Canadian whisky is available,” said de Kergommeaux. “We’ve always had great whisky in Canada, but now people are now starting to taste the more expensive stuff and realizing that for five dollars more, they can get a really nice whisky.”
Hailing from Prince Edward County, cooper, Pete Bradford taught a class about barrels – specifically those made from Canadian Oak.
“When it comes to bourbons, whiskies and that sort of thing, Canadian oak is definitely the new kid on the block,” said Bradford, noting that most people seldom consider the barrel when drinking whisky.
“The barrel is an ingredient, and the Average Joe wouldn’t tend to think much past the date on the bottle,” said Bradford.
Offering guests the opportunity to learn through their palates, the Wonderful World of Whisky may have come and gone, but Bentley says there are some exciting things on the horizon for next year. “As it stands, we’re all set for March 23-24 next year,” said Bentley.
As Scottish writer, Compton MacKenzie once said, “Love makes the world go round? Not at all. Whiskey makes it go round twice as fast.”
