A Night with Happenstance: Women, Whiskey & Good Vibes at Total Wine Nashville
- Mar 28
- 3 min read
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
🥃 A Night with Happenstance: Women, Whiskey & Good Vibes at Total Wine Nashville
There are whiskey classes you attend for the education… and then there are whiskey classes you attend because the story behind the bottle pulls you in. Our Happenstance class at Total Wine Nashville was definitely the latter — a night filled with cocktails, conversation, and a whole lot of women‑owned pride.
🍋 Starting Strong: Whiskey Sours for the Win
Before the class even officially began, Tori Jackson, Happenstance’s Tennessee sales rep, set the tone by handing each of us a whiskey sour made with their Founder’s Edition bourbon.
It was bright, balanced, and honestly the perfect way to loosen up the room. Nothing breaks the ice like a well‑made cocktail, and this one did its job beautifully.
🎓 Meet Tori: SEC Loyalist, Whiskey Enthusiast
Once we settled in, Tori introduced herself. She’s been with Happenstance for a year and is a proud graduate of the University of Tennessee. Her SEC pride was loud and clear — she even joked that she hoped there weren’t any Alabama fans in the room.
Her energy was warm, funny, and deeply passionate. You could tell she loves this brand and the story behind it.
👑 Why We Signed Up: 100% Women‑Owned
This was the real reason we were there.
I’d tasted Happenstance months earlier at Total Wine and was instantly intrigued when I learned the company was 100% women‑owned. So when I saw they were hosting a class, we signed up without hesitation.
Happenstance was founded in Nashville by Paige Parker, an Anheuser‑Busch alum who noticed a huge gap in the industry:
• 40% of whiskey drinkers are women
• But less than ~2% of whiskey companies are fully women‑owned
Paige decided to build a brand that put that whiskey drinker — the overlooked woman at the bar — at the center of everything.
Happenstance is still young, still scrappy, and still small (only four employees!), but they’re growing. And you can feel the momentum.
🥃 Tasting #1: Founder’s Edition Straight Bourbon
We kicked off the tasting with their flagship expression: the 4‑year Founder’s Edition.
According to Happenstance:
Vanilla, hazelnut, toasted oak, honey, and toffee.
45% ABV | 90 proof
Our take?
Smooth. Approachable. Sweet on the nose and palate. A clean finish that made it incredibly easy to sip. It’s the kind of bourbon that feels welcoming — especially for newer whiskey drinkers.
🥃 Tasting #2: The Single Barrel Release
Next up was their newest release: a 9‑year, high‑rye single barrel bottled at 110 proof.
According to Happenstance:
• Distilled & aged in Kentucky
• Bottled in Nashville
• Only 144 bottles per barrel
• Barrels inspired by Nashville’s area codes (615 & 629)
Tori selected the barrel we tasted, though we couldn’t spot the barrel number on the label.
Our take?
Shockingly drinkable for 110 proof.
The nose was full of caramel and brown sugar, and those notes carried beautifully into the palate. It finished with heat — but the kind of heat that hugs, not hurts.
Jeff and I both loved this pour. It was bold, sweet, spicy, and memorable.
🥃 Cocktail Break #2: The Kentucky Mule
To keep the vibes high, Tori brought out a second cocktail: a Kentucky Mule made with the Founder’s Edition.
Since we’re not big ginger beer people, this one wasn’t our favorite — but it was still drinkable and fun to try.
🎁 Swag, Sips & “Kick Ass & Drink Whiskey”
Before wrapping up, Tori handed out some fun swag: a tote bag and stickers featuring Happenstance’s unapologetic motto:
“Kick Ass & Drink Whiskey.”
Honestly? That’s a lifestyle I can get behind.
💭 Final Thoughts
This class was such a joy — especially for someone like me who deeply appreciates the significance of a 100% women‑owned whiskey brand thriving in a male‑dominated space.
If we had one wish, it would’ve been to taste more expressions. But realistically, Happenstance is still small, and they only have two releases right now. What they did offer was thoughtful, delicious, and full of heart.
We left happy, inspired, and even more excited to support this brand as it grows.
And yes — we’re absolutely keeping an eye out for future releases.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO DRINK RESPONSIBLY
Disclaimer: Cigar smoking and drinking alcohol are for adults of legal smoking and drinking age. Life’s Rants promotes the responsible and legal enjoyment of premium cigars and alcohol by individuals of legal age. We do not endorse or encourage smoking or drinking among minors.
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