Nashville Whiskey Festival: A toast to 10 years
Spirits enthusiasts sample their way through the Omni
By Pam Windsor
It has become an annual tradition for whiskey enthusiasts – whether beginners or connoisseurs – to try different whiskeys and bourbons, and learn what goes into making their favorite spirit at the Nashville Whiskey Festival.
“We’ve been doing this for 10 years,” explained Paul Patel, owner of Corkdorks Wine Spirits and Beer which sponsors the event. “We missed two years due to the pandemic, but even then, did the festival virtually. We sent people samples, then had a distiller available via Zoom, so they could interact and ask all the questions they wanted.”
The two-day festival, held Oct. 5 and 7 at the Omni Hotel Broadway Ballroom downtown, featured seminars and panels with industry leaders, then capped things off with a Grand Tasting Event Saturday night. This year’s tasting featured 60 different distilleries, each showcasing a select group of spirits at every table.
Those represented included well-known global brands like Jack Daniels, Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, Knob Creek, Buffalo Trace; Nashville-based companies like Nelson’s Green Brier and Corsair Distillery; and newer companies like Three Chord Bourbon, started by musician Neil Giraldo in 2018, and Four Branches which is owned by military veterans and just released its first product this year. There were also Japanese and Irish whiskeys on hand, all with representatives sharing information.
“The idea behind the festival is education,” said Patel. “We expect every table to have someone from the distillery here so they can speak about the product. We want to know the passion behind it.”
A representative from the Uncle Nearest Distillery in Shelbyville, Tennessee, shared the story of the whiskey named after the formerly enslaved Nathan “Nearest” Green. It was Green who taught Jack Daniels the art of distilling whiskey.
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery has a unique history, as well. The Tennessee distillery, started in the 1800s, was forced to close during prohibition and was all but forgotten. But the great, great, great grandsons of the original distiller came across an old sign and have brought it back to life.
The tasting event stretches over three hours so guests can take their time. There are buffet tables with hot food available, as well as water stands positioned throughout the room.
“People are pacing themselves,” Patel noted. “This is not a drunkfest by any means. They wait for a few minutes, then go try other things.”
The festival gets consistently bigger every year, drawing attendees far beyond Nashville.
“We actually had a couple of Canadians fly in for the event this weekend,” Patel said. “They’ve been planning the trip since April. They walked in and were blown away by the selection.”
Guests go from table to table, sampling different spirits, asking questions and getting detailed answers on everything from how each company got started, the grains, barrels, and aging process used, to what new products are in the works. It’s also an opportunity to learn what’s trending.
“One of the things that’s new in the industry is how they’re using different types of barrels in aging, and then with blending, how they’re creating new blends,” Patel said.
“They’re using different terms like Amburana wood (also called Brazilian Oak), or they’re using cabernet casks to age, or toasting barrels to create more flavor.
Eddy Gonzales with Wolves Whiskey out of California was happy to explain how his company is experimenting with different toast levels.
“This is one of my personal favorites,” he said, pouring a sample. “The Hungarian oak really brings out beautiful chocolate notes.”
Gonzales, who travels across the U.S. frequently, described Nashville as a great city for a whiskey festival and noted the large number of distilleries represented at this one, makes it special.
“The selection is fantastic. And having it here, there’s such an energy in Nashville, and the music is incredible.”
With the Omni situated just a couple of blocks away from the downtown honky tonk strip, there is plenty of live music nearby, but festival organizers bring in local singers and musicians to perform throughout the festival. It helps add to that Nashville touch.
Thursday evening also included a Women In Whiskey seminar, with a panel discussing the growing contributions women have made in the historically male-dominated whiskey industry of late.
Patel and his family not only organize the Nashville Whiskey Festival each fall, but they also do a food and wine festival in April. His two Nashville area retail stores maintain an expansive selection of both wine and spirits, so for Patel, it’s not only a business, but a passion that keeps him busy year-round.