Chris Blatner
Executive Bourbon Steward / Creator of @urbanbourbonist
For Individuals and Small Groups
Let’s taste and learn about whiskey over Zoom! I’ll take you through a comprehensive tasting of a selection of whiskeys based on your preferences or choose from one of the options below. You will be provided with a shopping list, a downloadable tasting sheet, and Zoom link prior to the event. Contact me for more details and pricing.
Select Tasting Options (can also be tailored to you)
- Whiskey 101 – How to Taste Whiskey (flight of 3 whiskeys)
- Essential Whiskeys to Build Your Bar at Home
- Basic Whiskey Cocktails that Everyone Should Know (2 cocktails)
- Bottled-in-Bond Bourbons/Whiskeys
- Exploration of non-Bourbon whiskeys
- Rye Whiskeys for Bourbon Drinkers
- Cask Strength Whiskey
- Unique Finished Whiskeys
- Craft Whiskeys You Should be Drinking
- Whiskey + Vinyl (let’s pair some whiskey with your favorite album)
- Whiskeys for wine lovers
For Corporate Clients
Treat your employees or customers to a unique whiskey tasting event at your office, corporate retreat location, or virtually over Zoom. We will taste a selection of whiskeys tailored to your preferences or requests, or you can choose from one of my tasting options above. You will be provided with a shopping list, a downloadable tasting sheet, and Zoom link prior to the event. For an additional fee, we can arrange for sample kits to be sent. I’m also available to travel for in-person events. Contact me for more details and pricing.
For Whiskey Brands / Distilleries
Get exposure for your brand through virtual interaction with local Chicagoland or national whiskey enthusiasts. I will invite a curated list of enthusiasts and influencers to attend a custom virtual tasting experience. Included in the experience:
- Online registration for attendees to reserve a spot at the event.
- Coordinate with brand/distributor to create sample kits for attendees.
- Deliver samples to 1-2 retail stores that will facilitate the distribution of the samples to attendees. Coordinate shipment of samples to attendees if needed.
- Email campaign leading up to the event: Confirmation email after registration with sample pick-up instructions, 1-week reminder email, 1-day reminder reminder, day of event reminder email, 1-hour until event reminder email, post-event email with link to feedback survey (additional service). Emails can include brand messaging and attachments or links to marketing materials.
- Virtual tasting through UrbanBourbonist Zoom account.
- Pre-tasting meeting to review “best practices” that I have learned work best in these tastings and to get any feedback from brand on the order of events they would like during the tasting.
- I will act as host of the tasting with introductions of brand representatives and any messaging that brand would like communicated. I will assist with conversation, solicit questions and comments from attendees, and do my best to make the event a success for the brand and the attendees.
- Copy of a recording of the Zoom meeting.
Available Additional Services
- Social media promotion on @urbanbourbonist Instagram page
- Social media monitoring w/ report detailing number of posts/stories mentions by attendees with a limited selection of screen captures (Instagram only)
- Post-event survey to collect attendee feedback and basic demographic information. Survey results delivered 72 hours after the event to allow for responses from attendees.
Chris Blatner 