With the crisp bite of fall in the air, October is the time for festivals, enjoying the cooler weather and, of course, delicious cocktails and food. The Whiskey Wobble in Little Elm brings all these autumn elements together by combining unique whiskey tastings with culinary creations.
While North Texas is known for its wineries and breweries, finding a quality whiskey distillery or locale are fewer and farther in between. The Whiskey Wobble aims to mainstream whiskey tastings by pairing a local whiskey distillery with bites from well-known Little Elm restaurants.
Five distilleries are matched up with one restaurant for a carefully selected pairing. Guests are provided with transportation to each distillery, ensuring a safe and enjoyable experience.
Tim Huels and his wife, Sunny, are thrilled to be part of the Whiskey Wobble for the first time this year. They started The Whiskey Blendery concept while the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. The idea of blending custom whiskeys came to Tim after he mixed two ryes he didn’t like, creating a blend he found to be delightful.
He started hosting tastings at his house, asking his friends to bring bottles that have been collecting dust on their shelves. Tim did informal blendings, which got his mind turning on how to make this concept a sustainable business. He decided that The Whiskey Blendery would be a boutique concept where guests can make one-of-a-kind blends specifically catered to their tastes.
“There was nothing on the market that allowed you to do this level of customization and use high-quality whiskey to create a world-class bottle on a small scale,” he said.
The Whiskey Wobble allows participants to see what each concept is about and to have a small sample of the experiences each distillery offers. At The Whiskey Blendery, The Huelses have several batch-produced bottles that guests can sample and purchase. The Whiskey Wobble allows them to welcome participants who aren’t Whiskey Blendery members in their doors to see how a blending event works.
“Because we're so small and we don't distribute anywhere, this allows us creative control and focus on the quality of the blends,” Tim explained. “We only make so many bottles for the people in the club. So we've got a lot of different projects going on, and we pick our best ones to release.”
While The Whiskey Wobble is meant to bring together North Texas residents who want to try new whiskeys and food, it also serves as a way to support local businesses. Huels, for example, has set up The Whiskey Blendery right outside Oak Point city limits.
The location allows him to connect with his clientele and offer a members-only club who comfortably fits in his space.
“We have some exclusive bottles that are only for our members,” Tim said. “Most of the people who come in have been here before, and we know what kind of whiskey they like and we can have their stuff ready for them.”
Through word of mouth via various whiskey club members and events like the Whiskey Wobble, The Whiskey Blendery is packed on Fridays and Saturdays for private whiskey blending events. Heuls already is looking into expanding the blendery’s space and exploring more whiskey-based projects due to increased interest.
“Right now, somebody would have to leave for there to be a spot open,” Heuls said of the blendery’s membership capacity.
The Whiskey Wobble will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 19, Check-ins will start at 3:45 p.m. at The Lawn at 125 Main Street in Little Elm. Guests must be 21 or older to participate and must show identification. Tickets can be purchased at business.littleelmchamber.com/events.
"We pick our best [whiskeys] to release." – Tim Huels
The Whiskey Wobble has five participating distilleries, which are matched with five restaurants based on curated menus.
The distilleries and restaurants are:
- The Whiskey Blendery and The Lawn at the Lakefront
- 1845 Distilling and Barracruda
- Ironroot Republic Distilling and Tender Smokehouse
- Bendt Distilling Co. and The Elm Hotel
- Woodford Reserve and Towers Tap House