It feels like we say this every few months, but major congratulations are again in order for Little Rock’s Rock Town Distillery. The distillery features prominently in the upcoming 2020 release of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible with five whiskeys rated as “Liquid Gold” in the annual guide. All five were rated between 94.5 and 96 out of 100 (no whiskey has ever received a score higher than 98 in the book). Rock Town’s Single Barrel Rye Whiskey got the 96 rating, with Murray saying “It’s just wow … no whiskey has a right to have a finish of this length … just put them in the Premier class.” The other four honorees are:
- Single Barrel Four Grain Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey (95.5)
- Barley Bourbon Whiskey (95.5)
- Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey (95.5)
- Arkansas Rye Whiskey (94.5)
All five whiskeys cost $60 or less and can be found at the tasting room and around town. Arkansas is extremely fortunate to have a distillery of Rock Town’s quality. Make plans to stop by soon for a tour or a cocktail at the distillery’s SoMa location.
We also want to congratulate East Village dining spot The Rail Yard, which celebrates its first birthday on Saturday. The Rail Yard is the permanent home of Count Porkula and has served as a launching point and home base for many food trucks during its first year of operation. To celebrate, The Rail Yard is throwing a birthday party Saturday with food trucks, drink specials and live music throughout the day. Nachyo’s Nachos and Jackie’s Mobile Café food trucks will be joining Count Porkula providing food, while the bar will be slinging $5 Black Apple Crossing cider or Hanger Hill punch. Live music will be provided by the Arkansas Blues Society. Admission is free, so make sure to stop by The Rail Yard Saturday during regular business hours.
There are a couple of dinner events coming up in the next seven days, starting Friday night at South on Main. The restaurant is hosting EIEIO & Company Wines and its winemaster Jay McDonald for a four-course dinner. EIEIO is based in Carlton, Oregon, and is known for its Chardonnay and pinot noir wines. All its wines are organic and naturally fermented. South on Main chef Matt Bell is preparing a four-course dinner to pair with the wines; the menu has not yet been announced. Tickets to the event are $65 each and can be reserved by calling 501-244-9660.
And next week, Flyway Brewing is hosting its first beer dinner with Audubon Arkansas. On Wednesday, Nov. 13, the brewery is holding the Flyway for the Birds Beer Dinner, featuring five courses paired with Flyway beers. Bird features in every course of the dinner, including a pheasant terrine, deep-fried duck and wild turkey meatloaf. During the dinner, you’ll learn more about Audubon Arkansas and its program that is bringing more native plants to Arkansas that serve as a natural habitat for the state’s wildlife. Tickets to the dinner are $50 and are available on the Facebook event page.
Hillcrest Little Bakery has finally opened its doors to the public. We stopped in for a First Look at the breakfast-themed restaurant and found plenty of biscuits and more to enjoy.
And there’s a new Central Arkansas brewery that is far from the beaten path. We took a trip to StudDuck Beers in Lonsdale to check out some brews that you can’t find anywhere else.
