Jeremy Jordan loves two things: woodworking and whiskey.  A couple of years ago he started the Southern Drinking Club to celebrate fun times shared over drinks with friends.  The first thing the Houston resident handcrafted was a wooden bottle opener.  They proved a hit, so he expanded big time.  Jordan told me everything on his site, southerndrinkingclub.com, is made or designed in Houston.  Over an email exchange, one thing became clear: Jordan was passionate about what he did.  Quality wasn’t just a word.  It was a mindset.

That was evident in the whiskey tasting kit he sent over.  His inspiration for the kit came from a night out.

“While at a very nice steakhouse I noticed a flight of Pappy Van Winkle going out on a flat, boring piece of cheap stained wood.  If you are going to taste one of the best whiskeys in the world, shouldn’t the whole experience be top notch to get the most out of it?”

The Southern Drinking Club’s whiskey tasting kit includes three Glencairn glasses, a flight board made using a reclaimed whiskey barrel, a set of nine whiskey stones, a water eye dropper, and a whiskey journal.  It all comes packed neatly in a pine gift box.

The presentation is top notch.  The Southern Drinking Club engraved plastic sheet slides out, revealing compartments for each piece.  That reclaimed flight board features the charred layer from the barrel stave, as well as the whiskey line (how far the whiskey penetrated the barrel).  Another nice touch is the provenance of the barrel.  In this case, it’s a Woodford Reserve barrel filled on March 17, 2011.

Food plating is an important part of the dining experience, and it translates here.  Having your whiskey flight presented on this beautifully crafted flight tray adds a touch of elegance to the whiskey tasting experience.

Arguably the most important thing here are the glasses.  They are actual Glencairn whisky glasses and not knock-offs.  The whiskey stones are for those who prefer slightly chilled but undiluted whiskey.  We know water can help open a whiskey’s bouquet.  Sometimes a splash of water will do, but those looking for precise control over the addition of water will appreciate the water dropper.  And the included whiskey journal lets you keep a record of what you’re drinking.  In my case, referring to old tasting notes can come in very handy.

This whiskey tasting kit is a great gift idea for the whiskey lover in your life.  I look forward to using this in some upcoming Youtube videos for this blog.

Just in time for Father’s Day, you can order yours at a temporarily discounted price of $100 (price good through the end of June 2018) at southerndrinkingclub.com.

A very special thanks to Jeremy for the kit.  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.