Ghost River Theatre, is teaming up with Kensington Wine Market and renowned scotch expert Andrew Ferguson to create Calgary’s first multi-sensory blindfolded scotch tasting.
Audience members will be blindfolded, and led into Bourbon Room where they will experience an intimate scotch tasting that will mingle live performance, immersive sound design and a specially designed scotch tasting mat that will engage the audience sense of touch. And of course, there will be some incredible scotches, each chosen for their unique taste and geographic profile.
Ghost River Artistic Director, Eric Rose, playwright, Jason Patrick Rothery and scotch expert and owner of Kensington Wine Market, Andrew Ferguson creatively drive the experience.
“I’ve been putting on specialized whisky tastings for nearly 15 years, and this is a first, not just for me but possibly in the world of whisky,” says Ferguson. “We are taking 5 whiskies, breaking down their stories, their sense of place and creating a narrative around them. Participants will be led blindfolded on a journey of touch, taste, sound and scent. By removing our participants’ sense of sight we want not just to enhance the other senses but allow their imaginations to take control of the experience. I’m really excited to see how the experience is received!”
TASTING SCOTCH is part of the Six Senses Series, a bold new series of sensory performance experiences that Ghost River will produce in upcoming seasons. Each installment will focus on the theatrical potential of our senses. Tasting Scotch, re-imagines the traditional scotch tasting as a multisensory performance, designed to expand the audiences sensory perception of some of the world’s most exceptional scotches.
“The goal is to offer Calgary audiences and scotch lovers an exceptional one-of-a-kind multisensory performance, the first in Calgary, if not Canada,” says Rose. “We are experimenting with how story and the interaction from the different senses changes or enhances the taste profile of scotch.”
One Performance only
November 20th, 5:30pm
The National (Bourbon Room)
341 10th Ave SW #210
Tickets: $150 each including a $50 tax receipt
About Andrew Ferguson and Kensington Wine Market
Ghost River Theatre's collaborator behind this tasting adventure is none other than Calgary's "The Scotch Guy" Andrew Ferguson. After 13 years working for Kensington Wine Market, first as a delivery driver and then as the store's resident Scotch and whisky expert he purchased the business April 1 2015. In his time here he helped put KWM on the international map as one of the World's top whisky shops. In March of 2015 Whisky Magazine awarded KWM "Highly Commended" or 2nd place for "Whisky Retailer of the Year Single Outlet". He also built a reputation as one of Canada's most trusted whisky experts. On April 11th 2011 he was inducted into the Keepers of the Quaich, the first Canadian retail expert to be so honored. He has his own whisky tour company, www.fergusonwhiskytours.com. He is also the President of a Calgary whisky club, The Companions of the Quaich, Calgary Chapter. A native of Calgary, he studied Military History at the University of Calgary.