A spirited meeting
Photos by TANNA YEOUMANS Danielle Reasoner, of Mugsy’s Tavern & Grill, and Kevin Callos pose for a photo after Callos won the drawing for the golf bag.
The Whiskeys of the World presentation brought knowledge and new flavor to the evening.
Photo by TANNA YEOUMANS The room increasingly filled with laughter and discussion as the night progressed.
BONNERS FERRY — Laughter and lively conversation filled the banquet room at Mugsy’s Tavern & Grill as couples and friends came together to learn about whiskey.
Whiskeys of the World was presented by Dean Opsal, who is a sales representative with Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits of Idaho. Opsal is a Certified Specialist of Spirits, which he obtained over four years of college. This tasting was the first at Mugsy’s, but Opsal does presentations all over his territory.
“Mugsy’s is one of my best accounts up here,” said Opsal. “I come up here twice a month and visit the local liquor store, Mugsy’s, the Eagles, and Jack’s Club.”
“It was a very informational meeting, he really talked a lot about the different whiskeys and rinsing the palate,” said Shelly Foust Kramer, who won the free admission to the event on Facebook. “I had no idea how to clean them before, so overall thumbs up to Dean, Mike, and Danielle.”
There were slips of paper handed out to people who interacted with the stories by answering some historical facts from not only all over the world, but through the years, touching on the effect prohibition had on the whiskey industry. At the end, attendees turned their slips in to see who won a prize, whether it be a hat, T-shirt, or the golf bag.
Kevin Callos won the golf bag, and several other attendees won hats and T-shirts.
“We really wanted to show the different spectrum of flavors from around the world,” said Opsal. “People really enjoy the history, especially the bourbon history.”
Opsal went into detail about each spirit’s origin, history, production, and variety of flavors, captivating the room, and bringing not merely an interest in the product, but background knowledge, such as why it tastes the way it does.
By the end of the evening, the room was filled with lively conversation, laughter, and jokes. Attendees left with high spirits, and a new knowledge about fine liquor.