Meet author Megan Giller on this local leg of her 50-state journey to celebrate America’s craft chocolate movement. And experience an expert-curated and guided pairing of artisan chocolates and spirits. This will be an evening to savor, remember and repeat!

• Enjoy a Mini-Tours of the chocolate factory and the distillery
• Hear Megan tell about her amazing chocolate journey
• Experience an expert-curated pairing of Spirits + Chocolates
• Buy a copy of Megan’s book and have her autograph it (some ticket prices include book)

Whisky and chocolate is a natural combination. Both are produced from minimal ingredients and yet through an almost magical process give rise to a complex array of heady aromas and flavors. On their own, each is amazing. But properly paired, the synergy creates something sensual and unattainable in either element alone.

Whiskey has a lot of hype right now and it’s not for nothing. Many people aren’t aware of how complex different types of whiskeys are and how delicious they are when paired with something as universally loved as chocolate. Craft chocolate is gaining popularity, as people come to realize the variety of flavors that artisan makers can coax from the different varieties of the cacao fruit.

Pairing spirits and chocolate is not easy, but tonight you have expert guidance. Sometimes the best pairings come from inherent contrasts that result in a surprisingly balanced union, whereas others are the result of complimentary profiles drawing the best from each other. Match flavors that can complement, but not overpower. Something bitter can become more mellow with a smooth spirit. Something very sweet can find an interesting pairing with a smoky or spicy flavor. Something very rich and creamy can get cut down with something oaky. Pairings are not easy to get right, but when they happen, they just sing!

This synergy is made possible by two local small-batch, craft makers of artisan goods. Broad Branch Distillery’s mission is deeply rooted in the Old World craft heritage and artisanal Blue Ridge Mountain distilling traditions passed down through generations of immigrants, outlaws and other relatives. Just as the distillers before us, and in keeping with our food backgrounds, Broad Branch is committed to using the very best ingredients in each and every one of our exceptional spirits. We work with a small group of carefully selected farmers and growers who share our focus on high-quality, responsibly grown goods. We mash and ferment our grains and sugar to ensure authentic spirits that reflect our Blue Ridge Mountain heritage. Each batch is tempered and aged to preserve and enhance the delicate, defining aromas and flavors. Our time on this rock is too short to devote to things that are easily forgotten. That's why Broad Branch exists. By doing what we love, we hope to create something that you will also love. As we transition from mash to barrel to bottle, our focus remains absolute—meticulously crafted, superlative spirits worthy of both your time, attention and taste. Simple as that. At Black Mountain Chocolate, we we actually make our own chocolate, from heirloom, fair trade cocoa beans. Then we craft it into award-winning artisan bars, drinking chocolate and other delicious and unique treats. We work in small batches by hand, slow-roasting our beans to the peak of flavor. Then we mill the beans in small batches to craft exquisitely smooth and bright-flavored chocolate. We use just four ingredients in our dark chocolate. Each bar is molded and wrapped by hand. And it all happens in our Visible Factory where guests can watch the process. BMC is a family-run business on a mission to share the amazing complexity and satisfying flavors of fine chocolate.

Megan Giller is a writer of prose and poetry, and sometimes whimsical vignettes. Characters are what she loves best, and she follows quirk, kitsch, longing, love, lifestyle, and, most importantly, food. "Some say my affinity for leafy greens is tempered only by my obsession with peanut butter. But mostly you’ll find me writing about the everyday, the extraordinary, and good food for places like Slate, Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and more, as well as judging chocolate competitions like the International Chocolate Awards." Chocolate Noise, Megan’s chocolate blog, is about the burgeoning craft chocolate movement. American makers are revolutionizing chocolate. These new-school bean-to-bar chocolates resemble a vintage Cabernet Sauvignon more than a good old Hershey’s (with prices to match!), which means chocolate is transforming from a kid’s sweet into an artisan luxury food. But we’re still at the beginning. It’s nowhere near the frenzy of craft beer or even specialty coffee, and no one has been documenting it. Chocolate Noise fills that void. Meagan’s new book, Bean-to-Bar Chocolate: America’s Craft Chocolate Revolution: The Origins, the Makers, and the Mind-Blowing Flavors, invites fellow chocoholics on a fascinating journey through America’s craft chocolate revolution. Learn what to look for in a chocolate bar and how to successfully pair chocolate with coffee, beer, spirits, cheese, and bread. This comprehensive celebration of chocolate busts some popular myths (like “white chocolate isn’t chocolate”) and introduces you to more than a dozen of the hottest artisanal chocolate makers in the US today. You’ll get a taste for the chocolate-making process and how chocolate’s flavor depends on where the cocoa beans were grown — then turn your artisanal bars into unexpected treats with 22 recipes from master chefs.

Reserve now to ensure your seat at the table.