Fort Lauderdale cocktail bar Stache is upping its game with the introduction of a monthly supper-club series.
Starting Wednesday, March 11, at 6:30 p.m. and monthly following, Stache is hosting a dinner series, pairing gourmet meals from South Florida's best chefs with fine and rare spirits.
The inaugural dinner will feature dishes by Capital Grille's executive chef, Marc Gruveman, paired with bourbons and ryes from the Rip Van Winkle line of spirits.
In case you were wondering, Rip Van Winkle is the parent of the unbelievably impossible to get and rather pricey Pappy Van Winkle bourbons, by Sazerec Co.
See also: The Hard Way: A Guide to the Breweries of Broward and Palm Beach Counties
In fact, during this evening, you'll have the opportunity to sample the entire line of Pappy's, starting with the Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year, then advancing through Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year; Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye; and the 15 Year, 20 Year, and 23 Year Pappy Van Winkle Bourbons. Each expression has its own unique character, from smooth and sweet to earthy with hints of tobacco.
Dishes at the March 11 pairing include roasted bone marrow with pickled onions, fennel, and fig marmalade; roasted butternut squash bisque with sage, maple-glazed pecans and duck confit; a duck fat drunken filet with roasted Brussels sprouts, maple butter, lardon, red currant spoon bread with a foie gras bourbon demi reduction; and a bourbon, banana, brioche, and croissant bread pudding with roasted caramelized apple sauce and Tahitian vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.
In addition, Stache is mixing up cocktails with Stache single-barrel Buffalo Trace and Blantons. Both bourbons, by the way, come from the same distillery as the Rip Van Winkles, in Frankfort, Kentucky.
Jeff John, head of 3J Hospitality, owner of Stache, chose this marriage of Pappy and Capital Grill for the first Stache Supper Club because of the obvious one-two punch.
"The Pappy Van Winkle line is the most exclusive and unique spirits found anywhere. We wanted our first dinner to really be something special, and we are presenting the whole line including the 23-year and the rye. We wanted to pair this line with one of the best restaurants and chefs in town, executive chef Marc Gruveman of the Capital Grille, for a rare and one-of-a-kind experience."
The Stache Supper Club dinner comes with a bit of ticket shock -- $500 per person. But when you consider that a shot of Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year can cost $150 at a bar, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for bourbonheads to compare and contrast the entire line in one evening -- without flying to Kentucky. By the way: Even when you go to the distillery, you do not get a tasting of the entire Van Winkle line.
You'll also have the opportunity to have Sazerac brand representative Pat Natale walk you through the line and answer all your questions. Maybe you can even find out a way to score a bottle of your own.
The Supper Club starts at 6:30 up in the Stache library for a welcome cocktail. Then you'll start with your first two bourbons, accompanied by appetizers, before moving downstairs for dinner -- where the rest of the Pappys are waiting.
If you (and your wallet) are up to the experience, email [email protected] or call 954-449-1044 for reservations, or visit stacheftl.com.
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