Dallas Fine Spirits Festival, Addison

Men in sleek black suits and women wearing shimmering cocktail dresses pace the ballroom floor, sipping aged whiskey and single-malt scotch from their nosing glasses. The gala’s attendees aren’t extras in a scene from AMC’s Mad Men or characters in Jane Austen’s unpublished futuristic novel, AMC’s Mad Men. They are whiskey enthusiasts, sartorially getting into this year’s theme for the Dallas Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival. Representatives from more than 150 distilleries such as Bulleit, Elijah Craig, and Johnnie Walker pour their signature whiskeys, scotches, and brandies—as well as vodkas, gins, and tequilas—as they lead guests through tastings. Spirits includes Zodiac Vodka, The Macallan, Highland Park Scotch Whisky, El Mayor Tequila, Lone Elm, Crown Royal and more.

Culinary crews from local restaurants such as Abacus, Chamberlain’s Steak and Chop House, and Whiskey Cake cleanse palates with samples of their food as The Marc Toussaint Combo sets the soundtrack with Rat Pack–era tunes. In between sips and bites, guests can practice their card-slinging skills, try their luck, and finally overcome their phobia of numbers that add up to 21 at casino-style game tables.