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Whisky Tasting - Private or Corporate - Off Site

Posted on December 12, 2025

Thank you for your inquiry regarding Private Scotch and Whisky Tastings. Below is some general information regarding event costs for you to look at.

Please keep in mind there is a tasting fee of $350 that is paid directly to the staff person that hosts the event. This is separate from the costs shown below. Depending on the size and scope of the tasting you are looking for, two or more staff may be needed to accommodate.

The typical pour is a 1/2 oz per bottle for each person, so we can typically get between 40 and 50 pours out of each standard-sized bottle purchased.

- Affordable Scotch, Canadian Whisky, or Bourbon Tasting - This would focus on Canadian Whisky or Bourbon Whiskey, which is made in the USA. It would usually involve a lineup of 5 to 7 bottles and focus on Bourbon Whiskey, with a potential Rye Whiskey thrown in for variety's sake. The typical budget for this would run around $600-1000 for ~15-40 people.

- Mid-Range Scotch Whisky Tasting - This tasting would focus on Scotch and Single Malt Whisky made in the Scottish style. It would consist of a lineup of 5 -7 bottles that range between $100 - $200 price-wise. The typical budget for bottles would be around $900 to $1400 for ~15-40 people.

- Higher End Scotch Whisky Tasting - This increases the budget used to select the Scotch Whisky poured for the tasting, offering you a wider range of Whisky to choose between $150 - $350+ per bottle. The range of 5 to 7 bottles usually includes multiple bottles that are 20+ years of age and would cost around $1500 to $2500+ for ~15-40 people.

Those are just three potential options. There is a lot of flexibility within this framework, and you could even blend the budget from two or all three options to come up with the tasting experience you are looking for.

The hosted event itself typically runs between 1 - 1.5 hours in length - sometimes longer if it is an enthusiastic group that wants to take their time and ask questions along the way.

If you also need to rent glassware for the event, we can provide that as well. The charge is $1 per glass with a replacement fee for damaged or lost glasses of $5 per glass. You would want one glass per bottle times the number of people attending. So, if it is a 6-bottle tasting for 15 people plus the host it would be 16 x 6 = 96 glasses for the rental fee. With the rental, we collect the glassware at the finish of the tasting and take care of the washing as well.

If you have any questions on this or would like more information, please contact us at atyourservice@kensingtonwinemarket.com
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Wine Tasting - Private or Corporate - Off Site

Posted on December 12, 2025

Thank you for your inquiry regarding off-site Private Wine Tastings. Below is some general information regarding event costs for you to look at.

Please keep in mind there is a tasting fee of $350 that is paid directly to the staff person that hosts the event. This is separate from the costs shown below. Depending on the size and scope of the tasting you are looking for, two or more staff may be needed to accommodate.

For a sit-down, classroom-type tasting the typical pour is a 1 oz per bottle for each person, so we typically get between 20 to 25 pours out of each standard-sized wine bottle purchased. The upside to having us run this type of tasting is that the bottles purchased for the tasting itself are often half the price (or even one-third of the price!) of the same bottle if you purchased it at a restaurant.

Here are a few options for this type of wine tasting:

Basic Wine Tasting – Approximately $250-420 for the wine itself.

This tasting includes wine bottles that are typically between $20-30 per bottle. For a sit-down, formal tasting at least one bottle would be needed for approximately every 20 people. Assuming you are having an event with 25 people and a 5-7 bottle wine tasting, you would be looking at a budget of approximately $250-420 for the wine itself.

Mid-Range Wine Tasting – Approximately $450-700 for the wine itself.

A mid-range tasting gets you into some higher-end and sometimes cellar-worthy wines and would include bottles priced at around $35-50 per bottle.

Higher End Wine Tasting - Approximately $800-1400 for the wine itself.

Featuring a range of impressive wines ranging from $60-100 or more each that would be at least twice the price at a restaurant.

Those are just three potential options. There is a lot of flexibility within this framework, and you could even blend the budget from two or all three options to come up with the tasting experience you are looking for.

The hosted event itself typically runs between 1 - 1.5 hours in length - sometimes longer if it is an enthusiastic group that wants to take their time and ask questions along the way.

If you also need to rent glassware for the event, we can provide that as well. The charge is $1 per glass with a replacement fee for damaged or lost glasses of $5 per glass. You would want one glass per bottle times the number of people attending. So, if it is a 6-bottle tasting for 15 people plus the host it would be 16 x 6 = 96 glasses for the rental fee. With the rental, we collect the glassware at the finish of the tasting and take care of the washing as well.

If you have any questions on this or would like more information, please contact us at atyourservice@kensingtonwinemarket.com
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Going Natural Wine Club - April 2022

Posted on April 12, 2022

by Eli

Milan Nestarec Nach

Milan Nestarec, whom the company is named after, was born into a wine making family in a small Czeck winemaking village. His father during this time worked at a German vine nursery, and with the skills learned over this time period which include not only agricultural techniques, but also how to fix secondhand machinery, his family began to purchase some vineyards.

When speaking about his wine Milan prefers to use the word “normal” over anything else. He believes that labels such as “natural” and “low intervention” tend to be a bit gimmicky when it comes to the sales of said wines. The whole process of winemaking in his eyes is to show off the grapes and terroir to the best of his abilities without any help from pesticides, herbicides, and industrial fertilizer.

The wine itself, Nach, named after the Czech word for Purple, is Milan's attempt to show that the winemaking region where he’s located can produce high quality reds. In the past locals in Morovia have said that the area doesn’t receive enough sun to produce anything of quality (Referencing medium to full bodied reds from warmer regions). Milan has flipped this idea on its head by focusing on what the region does well instead of focusing on what it can’t do, this wine is the end result. Being a blend of Pinot Noir, Blaufrankish, and St.Laurent, all grown in a cooler climate, and aged in 3000L neutral oak barrels. The end result is a bright, refreshing, high acid red that is very very drinkable. The idea behind the bottle was an ode to Milan’s childhood where he remembers buying juice in the same containers under a crown cap. I personally feel as though Milan has accomplished his goal, producing a red that almost all people will like, especially with a light chill on a hot day.

Eli's Tasting Notes:

In the glass, it has a cloudy ruby colour to it.

On the nose, an energetic bouquet of cherry blossom, rhubarb, slate, and fresh strawberries hit first. As you delve into the glass more, Nightshade, Blanched beets, and Cranberries reveal themselves as well. Reminds me of making a summer salad on a lazy afternoon.

On the palate, medium acidity and light tannins keep the Strawberry and rhubarb notes at the forefront of the palate. Slate, cranberries, and raspberries develop on the palate as you sip. On the finish an earthy beet note keeps the finish going on and on. Like picking fruits and veggies on a cool August morning small farm in rural BC.

Zsirai Dry Tokaji Furmint

Starting in 2005, Csaba Zsirai, who was a successful entrepreneur at the time, decided to fulfil his dreams of becoming a winemaker by over time buying 18 hectares of vi...

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Going Natural Wine Club - February 2022

Posted on March 14, 2022

by Abi

Joao Pato Duckamn Romy Espumate

Bairrada DO, Portugal

100% Baga

Organic, Biodynamic,

Coming from the famed Pato family, Maria sought to make her own distinctive and creative wines that highlight the beautiful indigenous varietals of Bairrada, Portugal. Here, she focuses on low-intervention production, tending to the vineyards in a way that goes against modern societal norms in Bairrada. There are no indications of the region on the labels, done intentionally to demonstrate an acute sense of place and varietal typicity through minimal intervention in the cellar.

This spumante is made from 100% Baga, one of the notable grapes of the region. From 30-year-old vines planted to several plots of chalky-clay soils in the São Lourenço and Óis do Bairro vineyards. The grapes are hand-harvested at the beginning of August, spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel with ambient yeasts for three weeks without temperature control, no dosage. The wine is vinified in the traditional method and aged in bottle Rose in colour, vibrant notes of cherry, red apple, raspberries and ocean breeze. A fun wine to sip and enjoy with cheese, crackers, olives or even shellfish.

Save Our Souls Sagrantino

Yarra Valley, Australia

100% Sagrantino

Organic, Biodynamic, Vegan,

Save Our Souls is a collaboration with William Downie, one of the top natural wine producers within Australia, and his close friend, Jason Searle. The premise of this production was to create wines that are adventurous, equal parts serious and playful, with the goal of always evolving and always having a good time doing it.

This is the first time we are seeing the Dave Our Souls Sagrantino on our shelves. It’s a flavour bomb, with unique texture. The grape itself typically creates extremely high tannins in wine (the drying sensation typically felt along the gum line), yet the tannins show through in texture in this wine; When sipping this Sagrantino, you may feel like you just licked plum skin. You’ll feel the juicy tannins all over and it plays well with the wines vibrant, fruity character. We recommend slightly chilling this wine and serving it along with a greasy hamburger.

Pip pip, cheerio,
Abi
abigail@kensingtonwinemarket.com
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Going Natural Wine Club - January 2022

Posted on January 19, 2022

by Abi

LFKS Piquette

Little Farm Winery & Kitten Swish Collaboration

Cawston, British Columbia

Tier 3 – Volatile Acid Trip*

2022 is getting off to a good start with this month’s selection!

This Piquette is probably one of, if not the best Piquette I’ve had the chance to try!

Hang on, what is Piquette? Piquette is a cider/kombucha-like wine beverage made from fermenting the left-over pressed grape skins, stems, seeds and whatever else is in the tank with water. It’s simple and delicious!

Located in the small, unadulterated wine town of Cawston, Little Farm Winery is a small and dynamic farm that produces some of Canada’s best low-intervention wines. Owned and operated by Alishan Driediger and Rhys Pender MW, this dynamite duo has continuously immersed themselves within the minimal intervention approach to agriculture:

“Our dream has always been to make wines with minimal manipulation and intervention to really capture the vineyard site and growing season. Little Farm Winery will never be big. We will always focus on making small batches of single-vineyard wine that reflect each site’s unique characteristics. The goal is to make interesting, characterful, natural-ish wines and look after our little farm.” - Little Farm Winery

For this special release, Calgary-based Sommelier Brad Royale teamed up with Alishan and Rhys to produce a one-of-a-kind Piquette. Made from leftover pressed Chardonnay grapes, water and some fresh BC plums, this LFKS Piquette is described as being ‘somewhere between apple cider, raw kombucha and southern US-style iced tea' (Kitten Swish). I can agree with this statement. It is a fantastic Piquette that is juicy and fresh, whilst having just enough fermentation funk.

I thoroughly enjoyed this Piquette on its own. Yet, I have a gut feeling that this is the wine to par with Scallion Pancakes, and all the accoutrements

*I did have a hard time deciding if this should be Tier 2 or Tier 3. If we were to have a Tier 2.5, it would be perfect. But alas, we do not. I personally believe the style of Piquette is naturally a Tier 2, just for its unknown characteristics. That, as well as the funky notes in the Piquette, gave me a reason to knock it up to Tier 3.



Weingut Koppitsch Ret 2020

Neustel am See, Burgenland, Austria

Zweigelt, Sankt Laurent

Tier 2 – Goldilock’s Natty Sips

Another fantastic wine that just so happens to be semi-exclusive to KWM! Weingut Koppitsch is a small winery located in Neusidel am See, Au...

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