Whiskey Del Bac is giving Tucson foodies a full slate of dining and whiskey experiences to close out summer and usher in fall. The local distillery, known for its mesquite-smoked American single malts, will host five distinctive events ranging from pairing dinners to an educational lecture and a highly anticipated bottle release. Each gathering highlights the distillery’s commitment to community, storytelling, and Southwest flavor.
Whiskey Dinner at Westward Look – Aug. 29
Whiskey Del Bac teams with The Lookout Bar & Grill at Westward Look Resort to launch Labor Day weekend with a four-course dinner in the Gold Room. The event takes place at 6 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 29.
Guests will start with a Sonoran Sunset cocktail and lobster mac and cheese cups before moving to whiskey-brined chicken skewers paired with Whiskey Del Bac Classic. The second course features lamb meatballs with roasted tomato tzatziki alongside Dorado.
The main course, Volcano Pork Osso Bucco with Peruvian purple potato purée, pairs with Fontera. Dessert finishes the night with a Black Manhattan crafted with Sentinel Rye.
Tickets are $89 per person, prepaid via OpenTable. Seating is limited, making this a coveted kickoff to Tucson’s whiskey season. Get your seats here.
Normandie 2025 Release Party – Sept. 6
From 3–6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, Whiskey Del Bac welcomes back its most decorated special release with the Normandie 2025 Release Party at the Tucson tasting room. Batch 4 introduces a light touch of mesquite smoke layered over the Calvados barrel finish.
Live jazz, a food pop-up by Parkie Sandwich, and bottle signings with Master Distiller Mark A. Vierthaler highlight the afternoon. Admission is free with RSVP. Online bottle sales open at 8 a.m. that morning.
Armchair Anthropology Talk – Sept. 17
The Armchair Anthropology series returns on at 6 p.m. at Wednesday, Sept. 17 with “Whiskey Is for Drinking, Water Is for Fighting Over.” Dr. Michael Brescia of the UA’s Arizona State Museum will examine water rights history and its modern impact.
The free lecture welcomes all ages, with RSVPs requested. The event blends whiskey culture with regional history, showcasing the distillery’s community engagement.
Bites & Barrels Dinner at Tohono Chul – Sept. 18
At 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 18, the gardens of Tohono Chul host Bites & Barrels, a five-course dinner paired with Whiskey Del Bac’s single malts. Menu highlights include whiskey-brined duck and a mesquite-smoked dessert. Click for the menu and vegetarian menu.
With tax, tickets cost $135 per person and require advance reservation. Vierthaler will share insights into distilling in the desert during the meal.
Whiskey Dinner at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch – Sept. 19
The week concludes Friday, Sept. 19 with a Whiskey Del Bac Dinner at Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. The event promises a four-course dinner paired with the distillery’s award-winning whiskeys, all staged in the ranch’s rustic barn dining hall beneath desert skies.
Tanque Verde Ranch chefs created a menu designed to mirror Whiskey Del Bac’s bold, mesquite-forward style. The evening begins with Mesquite-Smoked Shrimp and Grits, featuring rock shrimp cooked over wood and plated atop creamy Old Bay grits. The flavors set the tone, matching the smokiness of Del Bac Dorado.
The centerpiece is a Whiskey-Glazed Wild Boar Tenderloin, balanced with ancho honey carrots, parsnip purée, and a lingonberry Del Bac compote. The dish reflects both the rugged spirit of the ranch and the refined complexity of Whiskey Del Bac Classic. Each plate is paired with a different expression of the distillery’s lineup, allowing diners to explore how smoke, fruit, and oak interplay with the meal.
The menu closes with a whiskey-infused course that ties sweet and savory notes together, offering a final toast to local craftsmanship.
The dinner also provides an opportunity for guests to meet the people behind the whiskey. Stephen Paul, co-founder of Whiskey Del Bac, will share the story of how a Tucson furniture maker and mesquite woodworker transformed into one of the country’s most respected craft whiskey producers. Guests will learn how Del Bac pioneered mesquite-smoked single malts as a Southwestern alternative to traditional peated Scotch.
This personal connection underscores the theme of the evening: community, heritage, and the desert landscape that shapes both the whiskey and the food.
The dinner takes place from 7–9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 19, with doors opening at 6 p.m. for a cocktail reception. Tickets are $125 per person, which includes of four courses with whiskey pairings.
For out-of-town guests or locals seeking a staycation, Tanque Verde is offering a special 20% room discount the night of the dinner. Reservations are required and can be made through the ranch’s booking platform.
The barn dining hall will serve mesquite-smoked shrimp and whiskey-glazed wild boar tenderloin paired with the distillery’s single malts.
Co-founder Stephen Paul will be present. Tickets are $125 per person, with a 20% room discount for overnight guests. Reservations are required.
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