Located in the heart of Federal Hill Baltimore, Bookmaker’s Cocktail Club hosted The Whiskey Bond for our first-ever event. From their delicious food, to their classy, speakeasy-type vibe, Bookmaker’s was the perfect venue to kick off our event series.
The Whiskey Bond was honored to have an amazing group of brands sponsor our first event. These sponsors included: Joseph Magnus, Sagamore Spirit, NOVA Cigars and Oak & Bond Coffee. Each brand provided a variety of products for our attendees to try. On top of that, each brand was gracious enough to provide additional products to be raffled off to attendees throughout the event.
Joseph Magnus Brand Ambassador, Jake Kenny, started things off with a bang. For the tasting portion, attendees got to try: Joseph Magnus Bourbon, Murray Hill Bourbon, Cigar Blend Batch #14 and Cigar Blend Batch #17. Of all the whiskeys that Joseph Magnus provided, my personal favorite was the Cigar Blend Batch #17. Talk about a stunner! This whiskey was perfectly balanced from start to finish, and packed with flavor.
As we worked our way through the tasting, attendees were treated to specialty appetizers and gourmet sliders provided by Bookmaker’s. The private upstairs bar provided a warm and refined atmosphere that really set the tone for the event. Both top influencers and whiskey novice attendees found something they liked.
After the Joseph Magnus tasting, we moved right into the Sagamore Spirit presentation. Being that Sagamore is a hometown hero right here in Baltimore, it was a no-brainer to have them be a part of this event. Brand Ambassador Nick Barbagli gave a stellar presentation. He provided attendees with some background information about Sagamore and the farm that provides the water to make such a delicious rye whiskey. For the tasting portion, Sagamore provide attendees with the following rye whiskeys: Sagamore Signature 83 Proof, Double Oak, Cask Strength and Cognac Finish. My favorite of the bunch was the Double Oak Rye. The Double Oak is Sagamore Signature 83 proof rye aged four years with an additional four months spent in new, toasted oak barrels. The palate is rich and syrupy with abundant baking spice, toasted oak, mixed perfectly with some caramelized sugar. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready for another glass!
As the evening progressed, we carried into the cigar and coffee portion of the event. NOVA Cigars provided all attendees with a complimentary premium cigar. One lucky attendee got to take home a NOVA Cigar sampler box. If you haven’t checked out NOVA Cigars yet, they’re producing a quality product, you’re sure to enjoy!
Although our last sponsor wasn’t able to attend the event, Oak & Bond provided a generous raffle prize. The craft coffee company uses a unique process that barrel ages their coffee beans in whisk(e)y barrels. My personal favorite is an espresso blend that the brand recently released. Not much compares to an after dinner Oak & Bond latte with a cigar to match.
I’d be remiss if I didn’t call attention to the venue who hosted this event, Bookmaker’s Cocktail Club. Bookmaker’s provided our attendees with a complimentary pour of their personal barrel pick Elijah Craig. Not to mention the killer Old Fashioned Cocktail that all attendees received upon arrival. Overall, the service Bookmaker’s provided was impeccable and I can only hope that our future events can uphold this level of hosting.
All Pictures are courtesy of Wally Dyer – Also known as @scotchnsniff (Thank you Wally!)
Cheers everyone – Until next time!
