What goes together better than whiskey and wings? Why, even more whiskey and wings, of course!
Tennessee is known around the world as a place where great whiskey is not only made but also honored. As such, the Tennessee Whiskey Festival was created with a passion to showcase our state’s craft spirits and the people who produce them.
This Saturday, starting at 6 p.m., come on down to the First Tennessee Pavilion on the Southside to experience the perfect opportunity to sample the best whiskey offered in Tennessee as well as other craft distilled products available in the area.
The list of distilleries showcasing their best is a whiskey-lovers dream: from the hometown Chattanooga Whiskey to George Dickel, Prichards Distillery, Dalton Distillery, Larceny Bourbon, Ole Smokey Moonshine, Elijah Craig, Jim Beam Small Batch, Sugarlands Moonshine, Four Roses Bourbon, Jefferson’s, Luxco, Sazerac, Rabbit Hole Distilling, Pennington Rye, Virgil Kaine, Western and more still be announced.
And when it comes to a spirit as fine and grand as whiskey, it is meant to be sipped and savored, not just shot back. To get the most out of your whiskey tasting experience, we have a few tips.
Appearance: You can learn a lot about whiskey just by its color. Typically speaking, the darker the color, the older the whiskey.
Aroma: It is important to understand that you will pick up more information about the taste of whiskey from the aroma, opposed to actually tasting it.
The Taste: When tasting whiskey, make sure you coat your entire tongue and let it linger on the palette for a couple of moments before swallowing.
The Finish: The finish is a culmination of the entire experience. Was the finish pleasant? Are there any finishing notes? Does it make you want to drink the spirit again?
And it’s not just whiskey being celebrated; eight local restaurants and competitors will be competing in the ESPN Wing Zone for braggin’ rights—and you get to the judge! Everyone who attends the festival gets ten free wings to sample and vote for their favorite.
Among the competitors are 1885, Beast & Barrel, Diamond Billiards, Feed Table & Tavern, Jefferson’s, Mike’s Smokehouse, Clyde’s, Universal Joint, and Jim Brewer’s Wing Experience.
But wait, there’s more! Music and food, that is. It wouldn’t be a Tennessee festival without great live music. Gino Fanelli, Monday Night Social, and Nick Lutsko will take the festival stage for your musical (and dancing) entertainment. And along with those delicious wings, our friends at Lupi’s Pizza Pies will bring their mobile ovens for some very tasty, authentic hand-tossed pies sold by the slice.
And the best thing is that a portion of all the proceeds from the festival go to support the H*Art Gallery, which works tirelessly in supplying art materials and volunteers to offer art classes and art therapy to local homeless and non-traditional artists.
Tickets for the festival are $20 for general admission, $60 for a “Whiskey Pass” that allows you to sample each product being offered (plus a souvenir glass), and $115 for the “VIP Whiskey Lover” that includes parking and access to the VIP area with a free bar and lots of tasty snacks.
Tennessee Whiskey Festival
Saturday, 5 p.m.
First Tennessee Pavilion
1826 Carter St.
(423) 400-4496
www.tnwhiskeyfestival.com