The outside of 473 Broadway in San Francisco, California, is unassuming to anyone who has never been there before. Once inside, the art deco venue known as The Monroe was the perfect setting for Diageo’s Harper House event last month, celebrating the launch of its newest whiskey, I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve.
Aged for four years in new charred American oak before being finished in cabernet sauvignon caskets, the Cabernet Cask Reserve brings out the whiskey and wine-finished flavors for exceptionally complex flavor. Characteristics of this Kentucky Straight bourbon whiskey that is 90 proof and 45% alcohol by volume include vanilla on the front and dark fruit on the back end with a clean, smooth finish.
Harper House, a multi-city pop-up experience that toasts to the rich culture and creatives in local communities while giving back, introduced invited Bay Area creatives to I.W. Harper’s latest addition with crafted cocktails by the Atlanta-based duo Whiskey and Rosemary that were paired with small bites and beats by the Golden State Warriors official DJ, D. Sharp.
Capture some of the ambiance in our TikTok video here.
If you’re not a whiskey or even bourbon whiskey fan, mixologists Raquel Ravenell and Erika Moore may just change your mind after one cocktail. Ravenell and Moore first started working with Diageo as brand partners to teach others about premium bourbon whiskey and all it has to offer. The partnership is now extended to include the introduction of the new offering, I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve.
Creatives at heart, Moore says, “Through our use of texture and unique non-traditional ingredients such as kale, seaweed, ranch and rice water, we open others up to a new world of discovery, inspiring others to live in exquisite harmony.”
That is exactly what was experienced at “Harper House” in San Francisco as the crowd sipped on Whiskey and Rosemary cocktails that included Hella Bay to celebrate the Bay Area’s diversity.
“We consider the Bay to be somewhat of a melting pot and we wanted to create a drink that celebrated not only the Bay Area itself but also the different cultures it encompasses. The cocktail ingredients made with ancho chile peppers, lemongrass, brown sugar, sea salt and Champagne are flavors influenced by Mexican, Asian, African American, and Italian cultures, which all work in exquisite harmony when mixed with I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve,” says Moore.
You can check out the Hella Bay recipe here.
Before heading off to Atlanta and New York, the Harper House San Francisco ended with an energizing performance from local Bay Area artist Rexx Life Raj.
To purchase I.W. Harper Cabernet Cask Reserve, check out your local Total Wine or other retailers.
