Come along with AGL as Beverly Hills-born, Kentucky-crafted whiskey brand The Hilhaven Lodge hosts cocktails and dinner on Jimmy Kimmel Live’s back lot.
This is the second year A Global Lifestyle has attended Jimmy Kimmel Live’s back lot party featuring famed chef Adam Perry Lang and entertainer Jimmy Kimmel (who will be hosting the 2017 Academy Awards). This year, The Hilhaven Lodge’s founder and film director Brett Ratner joined us for the night. Ratner’s high-end whiskey brand delighted our senses and palates with hand-blended cocktails as well as Chef Lang’s perfect pairings, such as barbecue-inspired pizzas and warm macaroni-and-cheese balls.
Entertainer Jimmy Kimmel hosts Hollywood director and The Hilhaven Lodge founder Brett Ratner on the Jimmy Kimmel Live back lot.
So, what is The Hilhaven Lodge? Well, it really is a place. The “Lodge” is Ratner’s personal estate, which is nestled deep in the hills of Beverly. It was built in 1927 as a “posh playground” for an American real estate mogul and was then bought and sold over the years to Hollywood’s most elite. Ratner says he views the real Hilhaven Lodge has “a living, breathing representation of Hollywood’s heyday.”
But what does Hollywood have to do with whiskey? Ratner decided to take the idea of creating a “new world whiskey” that was so elegant even classic Hollywood types would love it.
Developed in collaboration with Ratner and the Diageo spirits company, The Hilhaven Lodge is a superior sipping whiskey because this 80-proof spirit is a totally distinct blend of three traditional whiskeys: Bourbon, Tennessee and rye.
When combined, these three flavors blend perfectly to create what is one of the best whiskeys on the market today, whether you drink it neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail. After sipping it neat, of course, we discovered The Hilhaven Lodge’s incredibly smooth and flavorful whiskey is certainly deserving of its double gold medal at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirit Competition.
A Hilhaven rep describes it thusly: “It has the aroma of a younger bourbon, the slight floral scents of rye and the mid-palate spice of a Tennessee finish.” Not surprisingly, this amber-colored whiskey numbs your lips ever so slightly while imparting a satisfying barrel-aged smoky flavor.
The Hilhaven Lodge’s easily consumable style (remember, it’s only 80 proof) also makes it perfect for concocting cocktails. We were smitten by the slightly sweet, orange-flavored Old Fashioned and are excited to try the brand’s High Ball recipe for holiday entertaining. (See recipes below.)
After the show, Jimmy Kimmel joined Ratner at the party for some of Lang’s tasty treats and The Hilhaven Lodge’s specialty cocktails.
The Hilhaven Lodge is available in California and Florida. The 750ml bottle is priced at $49. For more information, visit www.thehilhavenlodge.com.
The Hilhaven Lodge’s sweet-and-sour Old Fashioned cocktail delights.
The Hilhaven Lodge Old Fashioned
1.5 oz. of The Hilhaven Lodge whiskey
1 sugar cube
3 dashes of aromatic bitters
1 orange peel
Place ice in a glass. Put sugar cube on top of ice. Add three dashes of aromatic bitters. Pour whiskey on top of ice and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves and whiskey is cold. Peel orange and add to drink.
The Hilhaven Lodge High Ball cocktail sparkles and refreshes.
The Hilhaven Lodge High Ball
1.5 oz. of The Hilhaven Lodge whiskey
Soda water
Lime wedge
Pour whiskey over ice and top with sparking water and lime garnish.
Want to know more? Check #TheHilhavenLodge hashtag or become a fan of @thehilhavenlodge on Instagram and Twitter.
Featured image photo credit: Sheryll Alexander
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