Michele Stueven
The Barker Hangar in Santa Monica was bulging with whisky lovers this weekend at the sold-out WhiskyX, for an evening that infused the sampling of more than 60 varieties of bourbon, scotch, single malt, rye, North American and Irish whiskeys with live music and food.
Four of L.A.’s up-and-coming craft distillers who make bourbon or malt whiskey, like Stark Spirits Distillery of Pasadena, carved out a locals corner. They’re among the 23 distillers in Los Angeles and the surrounding county area, and part of the much larger Southern California Distillers Association (SCDA).
Owen Lansburg, one of George Dickel Tennessee Whisky’s apprentices, shared tips and tricks of crafting a well-balanced drink, along with samples of his old-fashioned and Tabasco Manhattan.
Guests swayed to the sounds of St. Paul and the Broken Bones band while sipping from Heaven’s Door, Bob Dylan’s award-winning collection of American whiskeys, including a limited-release 10-year-old Tennessee straight bourbon.
The DTLA Bolt Barbers truck was on hand for straight-edge shaves and trims, and there was a long line of food trucks, including the Chinese Laundry, Kalamaki and the Taco Cartel.
Here’s a sampling of the evening.
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