“Getting into the Spirits” Holiday Entertaining Workshop

Ready to kick-up your holiday game? Join us on Saturday, November 23rd for an interactive holiday workshop that focuses on making you the host with the most!

This is an exclusive evening where you’ll have the chance to taste rare spirits from Merridale’s library (some of which are over 11 years old), learn some easy-to-prepare holiday cocktails that are sure to impress and discover how to build the perfect locally-sourced charcuterie board.

It’s a delicious and engaging way to kick-off the holiday season and a great opportunity to find unique gifts for those people on your list whose sophisticated palates make them impossible to shop for.

Here’s what to expect:

As you enter the Merridale Courtyard, our orchard will be adorned with twinkling lights and holiday displays, which we encourage you to enjoy before gathering in the farmhouse. We begin the workshop by breaking into smaller groups for more intimate sessions in the distillery and cocktail tasting bar. Upon tasting and nibbling your way through the first two sessions, everyone will meet and be seated in the eatery for a long-table discussion about charcuterie. Your evening will conclude with sweets, of course, and the chance to purchase gifts for your holiday shopping basket. This is an evening of taste sensations - hard-to-find aged spirits and fortifieds, mini-cocktails, and perfectly paired bite-sized morsels at each session.

Session #1 – The Art of Distilling with our Distiller Rick
Come taste a spirit straight from our 200L hand hammered copper still, learn how to conduct a proper spirit tasting, and discover our library spirits. You’ll learn about what makes craft distilling so unique, hear the stories behind our iconic library spirits and have the opportunity to taste each one with a paired canape.

Session #2 – Holiday Cocktail Theory
Learn about holiday cocktails at this session led by our expert bartenders. They’ll take you through the glitz of shaken cocktail making, as well as how to impress with hassle-free punch style-cocktails. Both cocktail tasters will be served with perfectly paired canapes.

Session #3 – The secrets to a party-stopping charcuterie board
This long-table session will bring the group back together to learn about how to build your best charcuterie board without breaking the bank and how to display your items so they look irresistible.  This session will include nibbles of locally sourced meats, cheeses, pickles and preserves presented on the boards.

Session #4 – Sweet Endings
Our final session will finish off the evening with samples from our dessert board and fortified ciders. You’ll have the chance to mix and mingle in our lounge, tasting bite-sized treats that help cap off the perfect holiday gathering.