Yet another whiskey/food tryst
Just a few doors down from the High West Distillery in Park City sits the Nelson Cottage. Built in the early 20th century and formerly the home of Bad Ass Coffee and a candy shop, the cottage has found a new life as an annex of High West Distillery.
“We were kind of tight in our current place next door and we just don’t have enough room there. We needed more kitchen space. And we didn’t have a room there for roughly 50 people,” explained High West owner David Perkins. “So we really think of it as just an addition to our space.”
The renovation of the space was long and, Perkins says, more expensive than anticipated. But the construction modernized the space without compromising its history. The contractors vaulted the ceilings but left the original wood trusses exposed and kept the lopsided fireplace in the center of the room. The back of the house was extended to house the kitchen, making the intimate cottage a more functional space.
But Perkins says that, in addition to being able to host private events, the new space makes possible a vision the company has had for a while: pre fixe whiskey pairing dinners. “It was kind of a pipe dream but now to see it happening is a lot of fun,” says Perkins.
Twice weekly, High West holds communal-seated meals, led by the newly titled Whiskey Sommelier Terry Ginsburg, who guides diners through the basics of whiskey and the subtleties and reasons for the differences in taste, smell and creation and how they are complemented by Head Chef Ashley Chapman’s menu.
“There’s no better way to learn about whiskey than to pair it with food,” Perkins told guests during a recent meal at the cottage. “In this setting, people will learn to understand what I think is the ultimate slow food.”
Multi-course dinner is $125 per person; optional whiskey pairings cost an additional $50-$75.
Nelson Cottage, 651 Park Ave., 801-592-1174
