WHISKEY TASTING

Whoever said whiskey is just for the boys never met a Southern girl. I gathered my girlfriends for a handsome girls’ night featuring a Southern whiskey tasting dapper enough for the gentlemen but perfectly planned for the ladies.

Start the evening off with the whiskey tasting. Provide three to six whiskeys, and conduct the tasting before serving dinner, as the food can distort the taste. Start with lighter, milder whiskeys while your taste buds are still unaffected and can better detect the subtle aromas. Then proceed to stronger whiskeys, as their aroma often still lingers in the mouth long after the tasting and affects everything you try afterward.

Encourage guests to make notes during the tasting to remember their favorites, and always think ahead about providing your guests with a safe ride home (i.e., a rideshare service or designated driver).

ENJOY THE PARTY!

Forget an Evite and invite guests with formal invitations. Enlist the help of a designer to capture the feel of the party. Nashville-based design duo Tenn Hens Design created this invitation suite, presenting antlers and woodgrain with a feminine flair. The watercolor details and calligraphed personal touches were irresistible.

GET THE LOOK

Not everyone has a home fit to host a party—or they don’t want the mess! You can still personalize an event at a restaurant by setting the table yourself. For this intimate dinner, I wanted the table to highlight the elegant rustic sensibility of the venue, feeling both chic and relaxed. Spode Woodland Hunting Dog dishes combined feminine florals with masculine hunting dog motifs, and wooden chargers and coasters added texture and paired perfectly with the gold-detailed flatware. I brought the outdoors in with a moss table runner flecked with river rocks and deer antlers. Barley twist and brass candlesticks holding long gray tapers made for an elegant, eclectic mix.

THE MENU

If you are hosting the party in a restaurant, have the bartender lead the way by helping to choose whiskeys for your tasting. If you are hosting at home, seek advice from your local liquor store owner.

Menus at each place setting highlighted a preselected dinner—a simple and elegant way to cut costs when hosting a restaurant event. Guests noshed on a pomegranate apple salad and short ribs—a hearty pairing to follow a whiskey tasting. A salted caramel pecan chocolate pecan pie left everyone with a sweet memory of a special evening together.