MATT DRISCOLL: SOLD HIS SOUL TO BUSHMILLS >>>

So, a couple weeks ago, in what surely must have been a mistake, I was invited to this fancy-smancy dinner at Spur in the Seattle neighborhood of Belltown sponsored by Bushmills Irish Whiskey and featuring a ridiculous array of free Bushmills booze. To top it all off, Bushmills Master Distiller Colum Egan would be there, or so the invitation said.

Well, last night was the night, and the Bushmills PR staff wasn’t joking. Not only did they send a freakin’ town car to Tacoma to pick my wife and me up, but the dinner was five courses, they handed out five variations of Bushmills to accompany each course (from Bushmills Original to Bushmills 21yr) â€" and none of it cost a dime.

Here's an extremely low quality camera phone picture my wife snapped of Master Distiller Egan and me drunk that proves this story is no hoax.

What does this mean? Why would they do such a thing?

The truth is, this sort of crap happens all the time and, basically, Bushmills now wants me to write nice stuff about them. Which I TOTALLY WILL! They had me at “free booze.” Hell, they could have just sent me a bottle of Bushmills Original, or a couple of those little travel shooters, and I would have written nice things. I’m easy.

Anyway, with St. Paddy’s Day right around the corner, remember to make every drink a Bushmills this holiday.

Bushimills 16yr â€" It’s a great drink for great times. You deserve a Bushmills!

When you’re out and about, it’s Bushmills Black Bush or nothing â€" because you’ve got class.

Cheers!