Established 2011 Toronto, Ontario
Selecting the right entertainment for your event can be challenging, but Vanek Whiskey Events is here to help.
We offer exceptional entertainment for corporate events, fundraising galas, and private social gatherings. Designed for both connoisseurs and those who are curious about whiskey, our premium tastings enhance guest satisfaction and help event planners create an atmosphere of elegance and intrigue.
Experience firsthand why our whiskey events leave a lasting impression long after the last sip is enjoyed, and discover why so many of our guests become clients themselves.
“I had the opportunity and the pleasure to work with Tom Vanek on a few occasions and his knowledge, ability to interact with clients and energy carried the evening. I would love to work with Tom again.”
Is it “Whisky”, or “Whiskey”?
Many people are unaware that their favorite spirit can be spelled with, or without the letter “e”, as in “whisky” or “whiskey”.
Prior to the late 1800’s, “whisky” was the only spelling used around the world. By the 1870’s, Irish distilleries sought to better differentiate their more popular whisky from Blended Scotch Whisky, and they did so by changing the spelling of their spirit from “whisky” to “whiskey”. American distilleries followed suit.
Our logo is designed with a stylized letter “e” to symbolize this variable inclusion and we use the same spelling throughout this website as a nod to our fondness of all whiskey.
Scotch Tasting vs. Whiskey Nosing
Scotch is but one example of many different “whiskey” styles being produced around the world. It is a geographically protected name and can only be used to describe whiskies coming from Scotland.
As for “tasting” vs “nosing”, both are used interchangeably to refer to an event where whiskey is being sampled and discussed. However, with humans able to perceive only five “tastes” (sweet, sour, bitter, salty and umami, or savory), compared to our ability to distinguish between an estimated one trillion scents, it’s the nosing or smelling of a whiskey that clearly contributes most to one’s flavour experience when sampling a glass.
What's in a Name?
The word "whisky" comes from “uisge beatha”, which is the Gaelic equivalent of Latin’s “aqua vitae, “the water of life”. Evolving from the original “uisge” (pronounced ooshky), the word was anglicized over time to “uiskie” in 1618, “usky” in 1736, “whisky” in 1746 and “whiskey” - for Irish and American spirits - in the late 1800’s.