The Seven Grand Whiskey Society: Free Membership, A Little Booze Esoterica, Maybe Even A Secret Handshake

Sociologist Gerhard Lenski classified societies as hunters and gatherers, agricultural, and industrial. The Seven Grand Whiskey Society is comprised of all three as it is a gathering of enthusiasts in a place filled with taxidermy, tasting things created with malt, barley and rye, in a city where industry thrives.

Deborah Stoll

Get Your Angel's Share

Meeting once a month, The Society's goal is to offer members the same kind of training Seven Grand gives their bartenders. As David Fleischer, Seven Grand's GM explains, "There are a lot of bars who have similar whiskey collections to ours, but their staff doesn't know about it. Our staff has tasted everything and can speak knowledgeably to any customer about what they may want."

With two meetings behind them--the first with Highland Park and the second hosted by
Buffalo Trace--get-togethers offer the opportunity to not only taste different whiskies, but to learn things like what a single barrel is (bourbon from a single barrel) or the definition of Angel's Share. (When a whiskey cask is filled to the brim and corked, as it ages, the liquor evaporates. The Angel's Share is the quantity of whiskey lost to the evaporation. And drunk by angels.)

On October 6th, The Society welcomes Heaven Hill Distilleries, responsible for such whiskies as Elijah Craig, Bernheim and Rittenhouse Rye. Did I mention becoming a member was free? Crazy.

For more information about Seven Grand's Whiskey Society, email Johnthebarman@gmail.com.