Mitchel Sawhney is a whiskey hobbyist who just turned pro.
For decades he devoted spare time to collecting treasured malts, a pastime for a select few. Valued bottles trade in the five or six figures – or more. In 2019, a 1926 Macallan sold at auction for a gavel price of $1.9 million.
The Whisky Club, which he opened earlier this month with his wife LisAnne, stocks bottles in Macallan’s Fine and Rare selection. But the downtown Monterey shop also houses more approachable bottles – at least 200 labels from the world of whiskey. And the accompanying tasting room, which is in its soft opening phase, will offer pours, flights and cocktails.
But the most impressive feature of The Whisky Club is its owner and his mental library of information – which he shares so readily it’s hard to keep up. Sawhney can describe the flavors, discuss the history, drop the names of distillers for every bottle of whiskey on the shelves. More importantly for those on a budget tempted by the call of jug brands, he is able to guide customers to quality, crafted spirits at friendly – or reasonably so – price tags.
“Drink less, but drink better,” he says. “The level of satisfaction is higher.”
Because of his status as a collector, Sawhney is well acquainted with dozens of distillers and others in the industry. The bar will host regular tasting events with representatives from different labels.