The Great Whisk(e)y Debate hosted by Beam Inc.
Beam Inc.’s Great Whisk(ey) Debate set out to determine which type of whisk(e)y — bourbon, Scotch, Canadian or Irish — the Chicago spirits industry prefers. Brand representatives supporting Beam brands Knob Creek, Laphroaig, Canadian Club and Tyrconnell participated in a friendly debate, touting the merits of each type of whisk(e)y and rallying audience support for their styles. (Photos by Jennifer Haderspeck) Related: Up Close with Knob Creek.
The Great Whisk(e)y Debate
Beam Inc. hosted The Great Whisk(e)y Debate on April 23 at The Wit Hotel in Chicago.
Four Beam contenders
The debate pitted Beam whisk(e)y brands Canadian Club, Tyrconnell, Laphroaig and Knob Creek against each other.
Knob Creek
Knob Creek promoted its straight bourbon whiskey, which is aged for nine years in four-char barrels, delivering a sweet, full-bodied flavor, according to the brand.
Canadian Club
Canadian Club offered a taste of its Classic 12 small-batch blended Canadian whisky, which is aged in used white American oak barrels to impart soft spices, according to Master Ambassador of Canadian Whisky Dan Tullio.
Tyrconnell
Tyrconnell shared its single-malt Irish whiskey, which imparts a fruity aroma and tastes smooth, according to Irish Whiskey Ambassador Michael Egan.
Laphroaig
Laphroaig touted its 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the island of Islay. In making Laphroaig, malted barley is dried over a peat fire, which imparts a rich, smoky flavor, according to Master Ambassador of Scotch Whisky Simon Brooking.
Final toast
Moderator Jim Kokoris along with Knob Creek Master Distiller Fred Noe, Canadian Club’s Tullio, Tyrconnell’s Egan and Laphroaig’s Brooking offered a final toast in honor of the whisk(e)y segment: “There are good ships, and there are wood ships, the ships that sail the sea. But the best ships, are friendships, and may they always be."