For many bartenders, creating new drinks is a favorite pastime. But when you get to create your own whiskey blend coached by world-renowned Master Distiller Brian Nation, it is truly a memorable experience. Chilled 100 bartenders got this opportunity during the Keeper’s Heart Blending Seminar, held during Chilled 100 Elevate in Louisville, KY in early November.
As the second fastest growing whiskey brand in the last 30 years, Keeper’s Heart has attracted a lot of attention, winning platinum medals from the International Wine & Spirits Competition and the Beverage Tasting Institute and a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The most awarded new whiskey in 2022, Keeper’s Heart is made from Triple Distilled Irish Grain Whiskey and Triple Distilled Pot Still Whiskey, both of which come from Ireland and are aged more than four years in Refill American bourbon barrels, combined with American Rye aged more than four years in Virgin American Oak barrels.
To try their hand at creating a new whiskey, participants were given these same three components and a measuring cylinder and let loose to see if they could make something as unique as Keeper’s Heart, which is made by the O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co. Founded by cousins and lifelong friends Patrick and Michael O’Shaughnessy, the cousins’ goal was to make a world-class whiskey worthy of their Irish American heritage in their hometown of Minneapolis, MN.
Using the Irish Grain Whiskey for smoothness, the Irish Pot Still Whiskey for richness and the American Rye for boldness, bartenders worked hard on their own concoctions, some of which got the thumbs up from Nation, and some of which assured him future job security. He shared the fact that during the creation of Keeper’s Heart, the entire staff did component tasting of the last two prototypes, resulting in the award-winning creation.
He also discussed the name Keeper’s Heart, noting that ‘keeper’ was a nod to the bartender, as well as referencing the brand’s role as the keeper of quality, and how we are all our brother’s/sister’s keeper. The ‘heart’ in the name comes from the heart of the distillate, as well as the heart and passion of all who are involved in its creation.
The seminar ended with Nation offering an Irish toast, topping off a fun and informative hour.
“May the roofs around you never fall in, and the friends around you never fall out.” Sláinte!
