Whiskey may just be the city’s new It drink. Not only have whiskey libations been usurping mojitos and other trendy cocktails at hot spots such as Coco 500, The Alembic and Bourbon and Branch, but this month alone San Francisco is hosting not one but two all-malt fests.
First up, tonight, oysters and whiskey will be the strange yet supposedly “age-old Islay pairing” at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, at what is being billed as the First Annual ‘Little Feis lle’ Islay Malt & Oyster Festival. The swill 'n' swallow fest will showcase 20 different Islay drams along with endless oysters in the restaurant’s private dining room (October 11, 6 PM; $50 per person; for tickets, contact Vanessa Harris at 415-551-1453 or e-mail vharris@absinthe.com).
And later in the month, on October 23rd, Malt Advocate magazine is hosting its first annual San Francisco Whiskey Fest at the Hyatt Regency. Following in the footsteps of its two other sold-out whiskey-palooza events held in Chicago and New York, the event will feature more than 200 of the world's finest, rarest and most expensive single malt and blended whiskeys from around the world to sample in one Grand Ballroom. Attendees will also enjoy a gourmet buffet all evening and will receive a commemorative Glencairn whiskey glass (October 23, 6:30–10 PM; 5 Embarcadero Center; general admission tickets cost $105; VIP tickets are $145 and include 5:30 PM entry; tickets are available online at www.maltadvocate.com).
Bottoms up!
-Meesha Halm