Whisky connoisseur Daniel Warren and his wife, Liz Sanchez, started the Albuquerque Whiskey Society (AWS) in September 2018. Daniel, originally from Tennessee, has always been intrigued by "the complexity and deliciousness of the water of life, aka whiskey." His love for whiskey and Liz's love for entertaining inspired them to curate unique informative gatherings. Daniel would review different whisky profiles as the group shared great food.
The meetings were a hit, so Daniel, an IT fanatic, immediately created a website. He and Liz then set up a Facebook group and Instagram page to communicate when they would host their events and to share intel about bottles available around town.
For a while, their Facebook group primarily consisted of friends and friends of friends. Then, six months into the pandemic, they experienced rapid growth in requests to join the group. In August 2020, there were 160 members. Today, they are approaching 1000 members and over 500 Instagram followers.
The AWS Facebook page is very active, and their monthly tastings are growing in attendance. AWS partners with local distilleries and bars to host their monthly gatherings, which also helps to drive business to these local businesses. Events provide pours and education on 5-6 different whiskies. In addition, members get a chance to discuss their experiences while mingling with other members.
AWS members love partaking in barrel picks! The group will taste 2-3 different barrels from a distillery and select a favorite. Then, the distillery will bottle their barrel pick and include the AWS name on the label. So far, the AWS has done barrel picks with George Dickel, Woodford Double Oaked, Whistle Pig 10-yr, and Jack Daniels.
Daniel strives for each tasting to be a unique experience. At blind tastings, attendees rate pours from favorite to least, allowing members to discover their own taste preferences without being influenced by the price and type of whiskey.
Top whisky brands have taken notice of AWS and are becoming significant sponsors for events. Jack Daniels, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester and Maker's Mark are a few brands showing love for these curated experiences. Recently, AWS hosted a Scotch tasting paired with Chocolate and Cheese. Their sponsor, Brown-Forman, provided Glendronach, Benriach and Glenglassaugh.
The Albuquerque Whiskey Society has come a long way. Their first event consisted of 12 friends, in September, they celebrated their third anniversary with 100 members in attendance. However, one thing has not changed. Daniel's enthusiasm for helping members grow their knowledge and appreciation for whiskies remains strong and continues to draw more engagement in Albuquerque.