Great Food + Outstanding Friends + I.W. Harper Bourbon Whiskey = A Night For The Ages!
(This is a sponsored recap for I.W. Harper Bourbon Whiskey)
Earlier this month, I partnered with the historic bourbon whiskey brand I.W. Harper to host a dinner at one of my favorite restaurants here in Philly, Twenty Manning Grill. There was a simple task for that night’s festivities: gather your friends, enjoy a well curated four-course meal (all with I.W. Harper cocktail pairings) and have a great evening.
When crafting a list of individuals I wanted to bring together for this dining experience, I wanted to have a mix friends that have some level of industry experience (fashion, PR, market, branding, photography & digital media) and may or may not know one another. This well orchestrated mix of friends made for a rousing evening of laughs, potential project collaborations and a new admiration of bourbon whiskey.
As the MC of the night and gracious host, I made a short and poignant speech and pushed forth the message tonight’s dinner was about enjoying the experience, learning about whiskey and food pairings & that the spirit of I.W. Harper was to not be concerned about being so formal but to be authentic (wise-words if I do say so myself).
Moving into the dinner, we started off with a whiskey tasting of both the I.W. Harper 15 Year (pictured above) & the I.W. Harper (no age statement) whiskey bourbon. In the spirit of not picking favorites, I still have the say the no age statement Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is perfect for anyone interested taking up an interest in the spirit because of its smooth finish and caramel and vanilla notes.
After a round of tastings, the courses began service. As mentioned earlier, each course was paired with an I.W. Harper cocktail masterfully curated by Resa (pictured above) to complement each meal. Here’s a quick synopsis of what was on the menu (all available at Twenty Manning Grill in the Rittenhouse section of Philly):
- Heirloom tomato gazpacho
- Crab Cake
- Farmers Market Beets
- Dayboat Scallop Ceviche
- Bison Burger
- Steak Frites
- Dessert Sampler (with the most decadent cake(s) & parfait
Mind you that this wasn’t the complete menu, but, you’ll definitely get the gist.
The Specialty I.W. Harper Cocktails
Here the recipe for each cocktail we had with dinner all of which are made with I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (no age statement bottle):
De Rigueur – I.W. Harper Bourbon Whiskey, Honey, Grape Fruit, Angostura Bitters
Seelbach – I.W. Harper Bourbon Whiskey, Curacao, Sparkling Wine, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud’s Bitters
Sazerac – I.W. Harper Bourbon Whiskey, Cognac, Peychaud’s Bitters, Sugar, Absinthe
Dessert – Either the 15 year or The No Age Statement Bottle
Photo Credit: Austin Horton
