Rain deprives Whiskey & Fire guests of the flames, but doesn’t spoil the event.

Dave Faries here, noting that we had hoped to present photos—and perhaps video—of crackling logs, sparks showering from grills, glowing flames against the evening sky, that sort of thing. Cool stuff.

Of course, that was our plan before Friday night’s storm. As a result, the highly anticipated Heritage Fire and Whiskies of the World event moved to decidedly less scenic conference spaces inside the Inn at Spanish Bay. Instead of being a visual culinary sensation, to the eye the first-of-its-kind gathering resembled a standard food and beverage event. Although a few sizzling braziers gave a trace of smokiness to the affair, the impromptu setting could not match the promise of outdoor fire pits at Pebble Beach.

But the 600 or 700 guests didn’t seem to mind at all. How can one quibble with great food and an impressive list of pours?

“Impressive” fails to capture the entirety of the event. By my count, there were tables offering samples of around 40 beers, wines, brandies, vodkas and rums. And distilleries from around the world brought almost 110 different whiskies—single malts, rye, bourbon and blends from Scotland and Kentucky, of course, but also places like Haryana, India, Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan, Tel Aviv, Israel and the suburbs of Chicago.

Now, I must emphasize that my count is based on a pour list provided by the organizers and not a thorough table to table sampling. Granted, the latter would be more certain, but I would still be splayed out face down on a floor at Spanish Bay, testing the customer service patience of its usually impeccable staff.

The event is styled to introduce even aficionados to unfamiliar brands. I tried American single malts from California and Colorado, an Irish whiskey aged in seaweed casks, rye distilled in trendy Brooklyn, a Kentucky bourbon that might have been typical, other than it was finished in Brazilian amburana, staves that lent distinct tropical flourishes to the whiskey. I came away a fan of Kentucky’s Stonestreet label. I also learned, with some disappointment, that Mike Fischetti, chef at The Pocket in Carmel, prepares a truly satisfying poutine…that’s not on the restaurant menu.

It probably should come as no surprise that any outdoor event planned for Monterey County between November and March needs a plan B. The weather deprived us of fiery photos this year. Hopefully Heritage Fire returns again with Whiskies of the World. The conference rooms at the Inn at Spanish Bay are nice, certainly. But there’s something about sitting by a fire pit sipping whiskey on a cool fall evening.