Craft Whiskey Collective

Our Events

Producer tastings and barrel releases across Chicagoland. Every event so far, in one place.

  1. 2025
  2. The Craft Whiskey Collective inaugural event at SubourbonLive Zoom tasting with Seth Dettling at SubourbonDettling single barrel lineup at Subourbon
    February 18, 2025

    Dettling

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    CWC's first event. A sold-out Dettling tasting built around three rare single barrels, with Seth Dettling joining by video to talk through the whiskey and answer questions.

    Seth walked us through each barrel live from the distillery and took questions straight from the room. It turned into a bit of a reunion too, with friends from Lost and Found Bourbon Bar visiting all the way from South Korea and the Brown Water Basement crew coming out to celebrate with us.

    We liked Dettling enough that we went on to pick a barrel of our own. Follow it on Our Picks.

  3. Group photo from the Nobletons Distilling event at Slightly ToastedDemetrius of Nobletons Distilling leading a tasting at Slightly Toasted in Chicago
    March 19, 2025

    Nobleton's Distilling House

    Slightly Toasted, Chicago, Illinois

    An in-person producer tasting with Demetrius from Nobleton's. Guests tasted through the distillery's portfolio, learned how it's made, and stayed for a bottle share after the guided portion.

    Our first city event brought plenty of new faces, with a solid crew making the trip in from the suburbs. Demetrius poured through the lineup, took questions all night, and stuck around for the bottle share.

    One more thing came out of the night: we teamed up with Slightly Toasted to select a Nobleton's barrel of our own.

  4. Virtual tasting with the Frey Ranch team joining from NevadaTrivia winners with Frey Ranch mug and hatThe Craft Whiskey Collective shirt at a tasting event
    April 9, 2025

    Frey Ranch Distillery

    Slightly Toasted, Chicago, Illinois

    A sold-out virtual tasting of six Frey Ranch expressions, including three distillery-only releases not normally available in Illinois. Frey Ranch also sent merchandise, coffee, and honey produced on the ranch.

    We ran a round of Frey Ranch trivia with the giveaways they sent along, and winners went home with hats, mugs, coffee, and honey straight from the farm. An incredible evening that showed how special the craft whiskey community can be when great people and great pours come together.

    Want to taste what the room tasted? Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon and the 100 Proof Rye are both in the shop.

  5. With Nick Taylor of Found NorthThe Found North lineup
    May 15, 2025

    Found North

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    Our first Found North event. Nick Taylor led a guided tasting focused on blending, finishing, and how Found North builds its Canadian whisky. The lineup: Batch 011, Peregrine 2024, Hover Hawk First Flight, and three Found North single barrels.

  6. June 2025

    Cedar Ridge QuintEssential Blending Experience

    Slightly Toasted, Chicago, Illinois

    An interactive blending session led by Cedar Ridge master blender Murphy Quint. Guests tasted more than eight cask-finished American single malts and built their own custom blends, which were judged on the spot with prizes for the winners.

  7. The Craft Whiskey Collective crew at Brewzle Whiskey FestivalWith the Frey Ranch team at Brewzle Whiskey Festival
    September 20, 2025

    Brewzle Whiskey Festival

    Downtown Opelika, Alabama

    We ran the VIP experience at Brewzle Whiskey Festival, pouring whiskey from the Midwest distilleries we work with for an Alabama crowd. Couch panels with Gary from Wood Hat, Colby from Frey Ranch, and Seth from Dettling, plus a blind tasting tournament to crown the whiskey of the festival. We'll be back at Brewzle this year.

  8. Billy Walker leading a GlenAllachie tastingBilly Walker presenting to a full roomBilly Walker signing bottlesA signed GlenAllachie 17 Masters of Wood
    November 15, 2025

    Billy Walker

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    We hosted scotch legend Billy Walker during his time in the US and filled the room with whisky enthusiasts. Billy poured through the GlenAllachie range, then stayed for a bottle signing with bottles available for sale on site.

  9. 2026
  10. March 21, 2026

    Thornton Distilling

    Gold Eagle Wine & Spirits, Libertyville, Illinois

    A producer tasting featuring Thornton Distilling and its American whiskey portfolio.

  11. Brother Justus Monks Not Mobsters shirt at the tasting
    April 15, 2026

    Brother Justus Whiskey Company

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    A private guided tasting of Brother Justus and its Minnesota-made American single malt, covering the distillery's production methods, regional identity, and approach to the style.

  12. April 30, 2026

    Thornton Distilling

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    Our second Thornton event. A deeper tasting through the distillery's portfolio plus a CWC-selected Thornton single barrel.

  13. t8ke talking barrel picks on the couch at Slightly ToastedA full room at the t8ke tastingRaising a glass at the t8ke eventThe crowd tasting through The Reveries lineup
    May 6, 2026

    t8ke

    Slightly Toasted, Chicago, Illinois

    A tasting with t8ke covering his work in barrel selection, blending, reviewing, and independent whiskey projects. We poured through The Reveries lineup, including the 8 and 16 year single barrels and The Deep.

  14. Members at the Kingsbarns and Wemyss Malts nightKingsbarns and Wemyss Malts bottles at a Collective Member NightKingsbarns 10 year limited release
    May 14, 2026

    Kingsbarns & Wemyss Malts

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    A Collective Member Night. We invite a rep to talk through a brand and stick around for the bottle share after, and this one belonged to Kingsbarns and Wemyss Malts. We tasted through the range and got to try some exclusives.

  15. June 8, 2026

    Compass Box

    Subourbon, Wheaton, Illinois

    Angela D'Orazio, master blender at Compass Box, flew out to walk us through the Extinct Blends collection. A truly special night of magnificent scotch.

  16. July 15, 2026

    Pursuit Spirits

    Slightly Toasted, Chicago, Illinois

    A private producer tasting and barrel release with Kenny Coleman of Pursuit Spirits. Every ticket included a bottle of Pursuit Series Episode 86, an eight-year Bardstown Bourbon Company bourbon at 128.8 proof and the first Pursuit Series release available in Illinois.

  17. The room at the Found North Peregrine verticalTalking through the Peregrine releasesA Found North barrel sample
    2026

    Found North Peregrine Vertical

    Slightly Toasted, Chicago, Illinois

    Our second Found North event. A full vertical of the Peregrine series, tasted side by side to compare the component whiskies, blending decisions, maturation, and how each edition changed.

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