We are kicking off our first event in 2026 with a new partnership with Gold Eagle, where we’ll be presenting the most exciting distillery in Illinois. The Craft Whiskey Collective is proud to release a 10+ year, 95/5 MGP Rye single barrel, bottled at hazmat proof. It’s bold, mature, and demands respect with the amount of flavor it delivers. Attendees will be the first to taste and the first with the opportunity to purchase.
That said, this barrel is not the headline of the night. It is the invitation.
The real focus is Thornton Distilling Co. and what they have quietly aging in their own warehouses. During the masterclass, you will taste through 6 to 8 spirits guided by their Founder and Head Distiller, including a pre-made cocktail, bourbon, unique specialty expressions, and a preview of unreleased spirits that show where the distillery is headed. What you taste from their house-made whiskey will be a genuine look at what is coming next.
Your ticket includes:
A full guided tasting and presentation
First access to taste and purchase our 10 Year hazmat MGP Rye single barrel
Shared cheese boards and pizza to close out the evening
Discounted pricing on available bottles from the tasting
This is an intimate, seated masterclass with only 44 spots available and selling quickly. Guests will be seated at tables of three to four. All attendees must be 21 or older. Get your tickets here!
About Thornton Distilling Co.
Thornton Distilling Co. operates inside a piece of Illinois history.
The brick and limestone brewery and grain tower that houses the distillery was built in 1857 by the John S. Bielfeldt Brewing Company along Thorn Creek in Thornton, Illinois. The property survived Prohibition, changed hands over generations, and ultimately reopened for distilling on Repeal Day, December 5, 2019, nearly a century after Al Capone seized control of the site.
Their Dead Drop Spirits line references a Prohibition-era term for hidden exchanges of whiskey. For Thornton, it represents continuing the work of those who came before them. They draw limestone-filtered water from the building’s original artesian well and rely on traditional methods, careful fermentation, and patient maturation.
This masterclass begins with that history and moves into a guided tasting that reflects both where Thornton has been and where they are going. The hazmat rye gets you in the door. The future of the distillery is what makes the night worth your time.