Media Releases

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Jack, Jim or Johnny – Gin, Vodka or Bourbon; pick your poison at Cornucopia

Suggested tweet: Jack, Jim or Johnny – Gin, Vodka or Bourbon, pick your poison at #Cornucopia2015 @CornucopiaWine #OnlyInWhistler

Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore Financial is shaking things up this November with an array of thirst-quenching tasting events. From mixology sessions, to the Single Malt Seduction seminar – Cornucopia is placing liquor in the lime-light, revealing the ever-evolving beast that is: the spirits industry.

Poured: The Full Spectrum of Taste is Cornucopia’s most all-encompassing drink event. Experience the full spectrum of flavour as you sip a 50 year old whisky from Europe, an expertly crafted B.C. beer, a Canadian cider or a fine wine from the world’s topmost regions. Anchoring the second Saturday of Cornucopia, Poured is a spirited night of music and revelry, with accompanying delicious bites from a variety of vendors. Tickets include a souvenir glass and five tasting tokens, with additional tokens available. Shop Poured HERE.

Cornucopia pays tribute to gin, not only as an instrumental piece of the ever-evolving mixology puzzle, but as a quality, standalone spirit. Being such a versatile liquor, gin has found its place at the well of every bar. Be it Hendricks or Tanqueray, gin and juice or gin and tonic, the old-world spirit has established itself as a globally-recognized staple drink order. Join Shaun Layton and Chris Funnell at the Gin Unplugged seminar, where their pure and simple mission is to break the stigma around gin; leading a guided tasting and discussion on a wide-range of gins with various flavour profiles.

Pemberton – Whistler’s neighboring community to the north – is home to some of British Columbia’s most committed producers and growers, including the Pemberton Distillery. The Pemberton Distillery is a boutique family owned and operated craft distillery producing the only certified-organic spirits in British Columbia, as well as being one of very few throughout North America. Lorien Schramm, Director of Product Development at Pemberton Distillery proudly states, "we can drive about 15km down the road to pick up 95 per cent of our ingredients! We also love to be able to offer our customers a distinctive product with truly local terroir, one that is absolutely unique to our region". Sip on the Pemberton Distillery’s organic spirits at House Party, With a Twist, Pembytopia and more.

Bourbon or whisky? At Cornucopia, we say BOTH! Chris Funnell, a familiar face on the whisky (or whiskey) circuit, leads the Bourbon Country and Whisky Evolution seminars.

In the battle to bourbon supremacy there are two majority contenders: Kentucky and New Orleans. Explore the controversial history of bourbon, and why so many are eager to lay claim to the spirit’s origins, while sampling six to eight exceptional bourbons.

The evolution of whisky is one dependent on its area of origin – differing from country to country. However, what remains consistent is the often sizzling mix of rebellion, taxes, perseverance, and entrepreneurial spirit. Explore the flavours and characters that define whisky in places such as Ireland, Scotland, the USA, Japan, India, and Canada, tasting six to eight high-quality, small-batch whiskies from around the globe.

Prefer your drink neat, on the rocks or with a twist? Have a soft spot for gin, vodka or whisky? Cornucopia, November 5 – 15, pays homage to the liquor industry, and celebrates the immense talent and growth blossoming within British Columbia.

Package your accommodation with event tickets to receive rates exclusive to Whistler.com. Enjoy an incredible CRUSH + Cellar Door + Accommodation Package From $129 per person, per night. Check out these exclusive deals HERE.

www.whistlercornucopia.com

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Cornucopia presented by BlueShore Financial is Whistler’s food + drink celebration celebrating its 19thyear.   The festival is newly expanded to eleven days of gourmet food, wines, spirits and craft beer complete with an exciting line up of talent, including mixologists, sommeliers, and renowned chefs in the food and drink industry. Attracting more than 10,000 people to the resort – and catering to everyone from amateur enthusiasts to aficionados - the diverse program offers educational seminars, wine tasting, elaborate dinners, late-night events and a new health and wellness series Nourish. Held on the cusp of the ski season opening in beautiful Whistler, British Columbia; Cornucopia was designed to showcase and support the local food and drink industry. Cornucopia has become recognized as a preeminent representation of the culinary tourism industry in Canada.

Whistler is Canada's premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.

Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.944.7853 and whistler.com - Whistler's official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.

Media can visit whistler.com/media for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality profiles and access to images and B-roll.

Broadcasters: Whistler now has the capability to take you live with our enhanced fibre network. The significantly expanded network of more than 200 kilometres of fibre optic cabling throughout the resort allows instant transmission of HD signals to any location at any time. Details on how to access, and book the fibre are available on our media site.

Media Contacts

Mary Zinck
Manager, Travel Media
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com

Katie Brockett
Coordinator, Communications
T: 604.938.2726
E: kbrockett@tourismwhistler.com

W: www.whistlercornucopia.com
T: www.twitter.com/CornucopiaWine
F: www.facebook.com/CornucopiaWine