Keep the Connection with Virtual Events
If You’re a Manager
who wants to energize your team with a distraction from the daily frustrations of working remotely, we’re happy to announce the launch of our Virtual Tasting Class for Teams. These events are professional, team-oriented, fun, and engaging.
If You’re a Leader or Sales Professional…
looking for ways to celebrate with your customers in a comfortable environment, we’re happy to announce the launch of our Virtual Customer Appreciation Tasting Class. We deliver an event that’s professional, engaging and entertaining, with a tone aligned to your brand.
Renegade Reputation
Bourbon always courted a renegade reputation. Hell, in the old days, bourbon was literally made in the dark of night. Familiar names like the Jim Beams and Jack Daniels of this country survived and thrived thanks to a pioneering, never-give-up spirit. They gathered among friends who were part moonshiner and part backwoods entrepreneur, as savvy as today’s modern-day chemists and CEOs combined.
Distilled Leadership’s Virtual Bourbon Tasting programs keep that spirit of adventure and friendship alive. We’ve taken a simple whiskey tasting and distilled it into something just a little more… social. We bring bourbon’s history and sometimes-controversial past to life. It’s the industry that never should have been, yet today it is in the middle of its biggest boom. At the same time, there is still something exclusive about bourbon. When you meet another bourbon drinker, it’s like a secret handshake. You and your guests will learn how the whole bourbon industry is a case study in resilience, innovation and the American spirit.
And along the way, you’ll also learn the
proper techniques for tasting bourbon.
Our Virtual Bourbon Tasting gives you and your group an experience like no other. For one, your event-goers get to do their tastings from the safety of their own kitchens (or home bars or front porches...). Our Virtual Bourbon Tasting gives you and your group an experience like no other. For one, your event-goers get to do their tastings from the safety of their own kitchens (or home bars or front porches...). Distilled Leadership also gives you something that in-person bourbon tastings cannot: we bring together participants no matter where they live from across the region, across the country, or even around the world.
Custom Whiskey Packages for every audience
Tailored tasting kits delivered to your door — featuring premium whiskey samples, curated snacks, and guided tasting tools to create an unforgettable experience for any group.
Your Whiskey Tasting Detailed
-
3 whiskey 50ml bottles (brands depend on Gold or Platinum level)
Whiskey drinking glass
Water bottle w/dropper and water
Whiskey Tasting Notes card
Bourbon Flavor Wheel card
Small vial w/vanilla oil
Small vial w/ cherry oil
Tasting placemat
"Cheers" napkin
Food pairing: dark chocolate, soft caramels, or similar item
Wooden Distilled Leadership souvenir coin
Shipping individual kits within the Continental U.S.
-
We feature a Gold and Platinum Virtual Bourbon Tasting Package. Prices are below.
-
Invite up to 40 people for this online Zoom event. Minimum charge is 5 attendees.
-
Call Michael Kutner at (267) 230-4115 or fill out our request form.
-
Premium, polished, professional storytelling that entertains and delights. Beyond that, we keep a loose agenda.
One-hour virtual tasting for up to 40 people
Behind-the-scenes stories about America’s famous names and brands spun by a Bourbon Historian
A quick history of the bourbon industry from its Kentucky backcountry roots to today’s modern industry – an industry that never should have been
A video tutorial on how to make the drinks you choose to serve during the Virtual Bourbon Tasting that your guests can view ahead of time
Special non-alcoholic concoctions for those who want to come along for the stories and the fun
Any elements and themes you’d like to weave into your Virtual Bourbon Tasting: special themes, specific toasts, or just about anything you can imagine to personalize the event and make it your own.
Packages and Pricing
Brands: Four Roses Small Batch bourbon, Elijah Craig Small Batch bourbon, and Maker’s Mark (substitutions possible upon request, subject to availability) + Acopa 4oz whiskey glass
Pricing varies based on number of attendees.
5-10 $189/person
11-25 $169/person
26-40 $151/person
Brands: Michael will recommend bourbons based on your event or you may request your own selections (subject to availability) + Glencairn 6oz authentic whiskey tasting glass. Image above is an example. Fine scotches and other high-end whiskey selections are possible as well.
Pricing varies based on number of attendees.
5-10 $211/person
11-25 $191/person
26-40 $173/person
“The perfect way to team-build on a Friday afternoon!”
- Katie, Fortune 50 Online Retailer
What to Expect
The Distilled Leadership’s Virtual Bourbon Tasting takes you on a virtual tour through the history of bourbon making. Your host, Bourbon Historian Michael Kutner, will spin stories from Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail from its beginning over 150 years ago through to today. Mike will explore some of the good life and business lessons we can learn from bourbon’s history. He’ll also educate you on what makes the best bourbons so great – and how you can properly taste bourbon to find your favorite. By the end, you and your guests will be able to identify a whole range of bourbons from the most popular brands to small hand-crafted batches and exclusive single-barrel bourbons.
Booking Your Event
We’ll take care of everything from sending out your Whiskey Tasting Kits and online invites to hosting the event. That makes a worry-free experience for you, so you can sit back and enjoy the event as well.
That being said, we can also work with you to incorporate any of your programming as well from short remarks to a full training/information session. We provide you with a 30-minute pre-event consultation to discuss your themes, drink selections, and anything else we can do to make our Virtual Bourbon Tasting uniquely your own.
“We used Michael and Distilled Leadership for virtual client entertaining and to accelerate business deals. This event helped (the sales team) close the deal.”
Call Michael Kutner at (267) 230-4115 to book a date or for more information
Michael will ask you questions about what the occasion is, how many people you’ll be expecting (up to 40 people), and what expectations you have for the event. Note that at this point, you do not need to know exactly how many people will be attending. However, you will have to send a confirmed guest list to Michael two weeks ahead of your event to ensure there is enough time for everyone to receive their Whiskey Tasting Kits.
At this or a separate meeting, you and Michael will go over any additional details . Michael has developed a fun and engaging bourbon tasting program similar to the in-person bourbon tasting program, so no need on your part to do any planning whatsoever other than date and time. However, if you wish to personalize the day/night in any way such as making some opening and/or closing remarks, inserting an information or training session, or something as simple as wishing someone Happy Birthday, these can all be incorporated into the program.
Once the guest list is confirmed, Michael will invoice you for the event. Payment can be made in two installments, with 50% due at time of reserving the date, and 50% is due five days prior to the event (by this date all participants will have received their Whiskey Tasting Kits).
Michael will create a Zoom event and email an invite to all participants ahead of the event.
Michael will be available for questions from you or a contact person leading up to the event.
Michael will launch the event 15 minutes before the start time so you and he can cover any last-minute notes.
“Whiskey & Bourbon tasting was great! The team learned a lot and Michael was engaging and fun!”
Day/Night of the Event
As mentioned above, Michael has already developed an engaging bourbon tasting program that thousands of people have already enjoyed. Generally, the program covers three big ideas:
How to enjoy bourbon and whiskey like a pro
Milestones and fun facts behind the famous names and brands
Q&A, a lot of it, because people have a great time
Specifically, this is how your event will unfold:
Welcome to all attendees
Michael, a master storyteller, will start off the evening with some engaging questions for the group, and then tales and brief history of bourbon’s renegade past.
Once your participants have some context, we get into the actual tasting. Michael will cover some of the finer points of what to look for in a bourbon/whiskey. He’ll also explain how to use the Flavor Wheel and Tasting Notes cards.
Michael will interweave more stories and history, while allowing for questions from the group (depending on the size of the group).
Participants will get to know the different tastes, ingredients, and “feel” of different bourbons and whiskeys. Not only will they learn how to taste bourbons properly, they will get a better sense of the types of bourbons they prefer (and there are many!).
Michael will wrap up the evening and thank the attendees.
If you have any personalized programming such as an opening statement or training session, these segments will be interwoven as appropriate.
For more information or to book your Distilled Leadership Virtual Bourbon Tasting event, please call Michael at: (267) 230-4115.
“Michael was such an awesome host! We learned a ton and had a blast while doing it. It was the perfect way to team-build on a Friday afternoon!”
“It was a pleasure working with Michael Kutner and Distilled Leadership for our Virtual Event. As soon as we started advertising, registrations poured in from excited prospects looking forward to learning about our product and about the finer points of whiskey history and proper consumption. The event was well attended, is already showing great ROI, and the team at Distilled Leadership made planning and executing the event simple. Highly recommended!”