WHISKY BUSINESS: New club serving neat tasting concept
Meet the local Bundy blokes behind the new social club which celebrates a popular drink of choice and is bringing members of the community together for regular social outings
Bundaberg
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Whether you drink it neat, on the rocks or mixed whisky lovers of Bundaberg now have a reason to toast with a new club in town.
Local pals Tai Burgess and Shane Chung are the faces behind the Bundaberg Whisky Club – a social experience that offers members a selection of world-class whiskys for their tasting pleasure.
The pair brought the unique concept to the region after they noticed outings with mates would often result in discussions and tastings of different whiskys.
“We would always talk about having a whiskey night and that prompted us to think about it further and we realised there’s definitely a market in Bundaberg for more formalised tastings,” Mr Burgess said.
“Our knowledge of whisky sales in Bundaberg sort of confirmed that there is a lot of people here who enjoy their whisky.”
Inviting the wider public to join the club, the founders of the ultimate whisky experience have partnered up with Bert’s bar where they will host a tasting event every three months.
Members will experience five different types of whiskies, a specially selected bespoke menu to pair with the tastings and information on the distilleries where each spirit is produced.
“Our aims are to make whisky more accessible, teach people about whisky and to make it easier for people to experience different styles whether it be scotch or American, Japanese and Australian whisky,” Mr Burgess said.
“It’s such a good networking opportunity and whisky is a very sociable drink so people can talk about what their tasting, smelling and experiencing because everyone’s tastes are so different.
“(Bert’s) is a fantastic venue that suits us and our style – the staff are super friendly and knowledgeable, the food is fantastic and the decor is beautiful so it’s just a really natural partnership.”
Catering to all tastes by showcasing a variety of flavours, Mr Burgess said he’s a fan of smoky styled whisky.
“What I love might not be up someone else’s alley and there will be whisky on that list that I know I’m not going to enjoy but others will love them which is the beauty of it – to expose people to as many different styles as we can,” he said.
“The whole premise of the club is that it’s not going to be snobby – whether you love your whisky neat or prefer it with a mixer, it’s all about enjoying whisky in whatever way you like to drink it.
“People are really intrigued to see what it’s going to involve and the reaction has been fantastic.”
The pair said once the club is more established they will be offering membership packages with extra beneficial inclusions and merchandise.
Kicking off its first whisky tasting on April 16, members are asked to arrive at Bert’s on Bourbong St at 5.30 for a 6pm start.
Tickets are $120 and includes the whisky tasting and curated food menu.
For more information or to secure your spot, visit the page on Facebook by clicking here.
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