For the last 13 years, the Rotary Club has hosted a fall wine-tasting gala; this year’s lucky 14 event will see a Scotch tasting added to the October 13 event at the Lakeland Agricom.
Listening to past attendees, the Rotary Club wanted to add something for those who enjoy unique tastes and to also encourage those who would otherwise not attend if they weren’t fans of just wine.
“We wanted to add something exclusive to our loyal [attendees], but hopefully also attract and encourage new visitors,” said Aaron Hodgins, the current president of Lac La Biche’s Rotary Club.
Hodgins, being a Scotch lover himself, wanted to ensure that participants were greeted with an ample selection of Scotch that they may not typically try. In a concerted effort, the Rotary Club paired with Beam Suntory, a Scotch distributor who supplies the Lac La Biche Liquor Stop — a major sponsor of the wine tasting event since it began.
The Name Game
Beam Suntory will have a representative on-hand at the Scotch-tasting event. They are known for carrying top-brand Scotch, said Hodgins, rolling his R’s and hard K-ing the ‘ch’ endings as he listed off several favourites that will be at the Rotarty event, including Ardmore, Auchentoshan, Bowmore, Connermara, Glen Garioch, Laphroaig, and McClelland’s.
“That’s how you know you are a real Scotch drinker, if you know how you pronounce the names,” he laughed after reciting the brands.
The representative for Beam Suntory will guide Scotch-tasters through a flight of seven different Scotches of varying age and cask. They will also lead participants through each Scotch’s features, history, and tasting notes.
At the end of each sitting, the heels of the Scotch bottles that were used for the tasting will be auctioned off. There will also be a limited supply of bottles on-hand for purchase at the event.
In true Scottish fashion, the Rotary club has also hired a professional bag-piper to the tasting atmosphere.
Hodgins is excited for the new event, and has received much positive interest from those whom he has discussed the event with.
In total, there are 28 Scotch tasting seats being sold, 14 per sitting, but each seat also includes tickets to the wine tasting. Tickets for the October 13 wine tasting are $60. Tickets for the wine tasting plus the scotch tasting are $100.
To purchase tickets to the Scotch & Wine tasting event, contact Brydon Ward at (780) 689-6325.
As a reminder, a drive-home service will also be provided to ensure that attendees get home safe.
(Photo: The Lac La Biche's Liquor Stop Fozey Fyith, with Marietije Birkill in 2012, is again sponsporing the Rotary Wine Tasting, and this year, his supplier of unique scotch will also be offering tastings)
