Slàinte Mhath, the traditional Scottish Gaelic toast to another fabulous, and yes In-Person, Nth Ultimate Whisky and Spirits Experience which just concluded April 25, 2021 at Wynn Las Vegas, NV. “It’s a re-start after a tough 2020 without an event, and there will be more Nth experiences to come,” a sentiment from and very much like the tenacious stature of Mahesh Patel the world’s top whisky connoisseur and founder of Universal Whisky Experience. Mr. Patel has been hosting the main Nth event annually in Las Vegas for over a decade as well as ancillary events around the world.
Similar to the hardy nature of the liquid itself, Universal Whisky Experience showed the hospitality world it is as resilient as the luxury whisky expressions served at the Nth 2021. Master Blenders and Ambassadors from House of Hardy, Dalmore, House of Dewar’s, Royal Salute, Gordon & MacPhail, Chivas Bros, William Grant & Sons, and Glenturret presented rare whiskies from around the globe. Representation of these famous brands were both in-person and live-stream. Although its typical at the Nth for physical appearances from these international brand celebrities, they were there in spirit, no pun intended. Many shared their passion in the wee hours of the morning from private residences overseas, still in shut down, demonstrating true loyalty to the spirit industry!
It was a different setup this year as State and local government protocols restricted planning the standard full event attendance. This year celebrated a more intimate luxury Masterclass format educating whisky and spirits enthusiasts on ingredients and crafting of premium rare whiskies, rums, cognac, ports, and the like. With the help of the world class staff at Wynn Las Vegas, the Nth team designed Masterclasses and luxury dinners with appropriate social distancing to ensure the comfort and safety of attendees and still encouraged meaningful interaction. Even while social distanced the flow of the conversation and ease of camaraderie were unmistakable. Due to COVID protocols a room which typically housed exhibit stands with a tasting crowd five times the current attendance, was now set classroom style with one person per 6-foot table. Nevertheless, the guests had an enjoyable experience in this format discussing their enthusiasm for whisky, sharing tasting thoughts, nosing a glass or two, and asking valuable questions of the whisky experts and representatives of the brands.
Mark Guyton, Starkville, Mississippi commented, “There is simply no comparison to any event I’ve attended around the U.S. or in Scotland. At the Nth, you are interacting with master blenders from the distilleries – these are the very folks who decide which casks of whisky are going to be bottled, and which ones should remain in the warehouses for a few more years. You get to taste whiskies that you would never be able to taste anywhere else. Over the decade of attending the Nth I’ve made lasting friendships with other whisky enthusiasts and master distillers from around the world.”
Gavin Linde, San Diego, CA, “The Nth is hands down the best whisky event in the United States, the whisky you get access to and educated on, is nothing but the best. The Master Classes are next level, getting to meet the blenders and talk through each whisky is an experience like no other.”
New attendee Stephen Meyer, “We attended The Nth because it was the only established luxury whisky event being held in the first half of 2021 and were delighted to discover how much participation there was from world renown experts. The quality of the experience overall was more than worth the time and ticket price. This event is now a repeat for me every year!”
About Universal Whisky Experience:
Universal Whisky Experience is a promoter of luxury, super-premium whisky experiences and concierge service to assist in attaining some of the most sought-after whiskies around the globe. For more information please visit: www.universalwhiskyexperience.com
We would get a lesson, a tasting, and in a shift to the unexpected: craft a couple of cocktails ourselves. Cocktails that proved to have been around longer than most.
This account is of my time, well spent indeed, with the very entertaining and well educated Whisky Ambassador Ewan Morgan.
So that’s it. If you want to have some more fun Google Nick Offerman at Oban Distillery on You Tube. He tells the story of how only seven employees run the distillery – in quite a different way than what you might expect.
The class was listed in the program with this tantalizing title, “U.S. Launch! That Boutique-Y Whisky Company – Single Casks Done Our Way.”
Our 10 Year Anniversary, The Nth 2020, will be hosted at the Wynn Las Vegas on April 24-April 25, 2020. Save the date now!
