Oaks are an essential part of whiskey making, and an essential part of Illinois nature, too. Enjoy a whiskey tasting, hosted by local distillers Whiskey Acres, from DeKalb, Illinois. Participants will receive three one-ounce pours and snacks. As you sip, owner Nick Nagele will share the history, lore, and distilling process of this popular American spirit.
After your introduction to the relationship between oaks and whiskey, Arboretum experts will fill you in on all things oak during a guided hike through The Morton Arboretum’s Oak Collection. Learn how to identify types of oaks, why they’re an important part of the local woodlands, and why they’re so good for making the barrels used to produce whiskey. You’ll never think of whiskey the same way again.
This program meets in person at the Arboretum.
Instructor: Nick Nagele, owner, Whiskey Acres.
Additional instructors: Katrina Lewin, plant records coordinator, The Morton Arboretum; Nathan Maren, Nathan Maren, woody plant breeder and genomics specialist; Kim Rutowski, horticulturalist, The Morton Arboretum
Age: 21 and older
Course number: N023A
Instructor
Nick Nagele, owner, Whiskey Acres
Nick Nagele is the owner of Whiskey Acres in DeKalb, Illinois. His family has been farming and making whiskey since the late 1800s, and Whiskey Acres continues that heritage today, growing every ingredient used in their products.
Additional Instructors
Katrina Lewin, plant records coordinator, The Morton Arboretum
Katrina Lewin has a bachelor’s degree in ornamental horticulture from the University of Illinois and has been a horticulturist at The Morton Arboretum since 2004. She enjoys teaching pruning and plant identification classes and is a frequent speaker at local garden clubs.
Nathan Maren, woody plant breeder and genomics specialist
Nathan Maren focuses on breeding and researching woody landscape plants for the Daniel P. Haerther Charitable Trust New Plant Development Program (NPDP). The NPDP develops hardy trees and shrubs that tolerate difficult urban growing conditions through plant resilience to pests and diseases and adaptability to a changing climate. To address these objectives, the program must focus on grand challenges predicated on identifying adaptable plant performance for the urban landscape. Maren’s foundations in commercial and research production created a launchpad for experiences delving into crop improvement, biotechnology, molecular genetics, genomics, and bioinformatics—endeavors necessary to lead a modern nursery and landscape crop research and breeding program. His research interests and projects include advanced plant propagation, traditional hybridization, transformation biotechnology, bioengineering pipeline development, and functional genomics studies.
Kim Rutowski, horticulturalist, The Morton Arboretum
Kim Rutkowski is a horticulturist at The Morton Arboretum, where she has been working since 2024. Kim holds a degree in horticulture from Iowa State University, and has expertise in trees and landscape maintenance built on years of experience working in various parks, arboreta, and gardens. Outside of work, Kim is passionate about nature and loves traveling worldwide to explore different natural environments.
What to Know
This program meets outdoors. Check the forecast and dress for the weather.
Wear comfortable, sturdy shoes and plan to walk more than a mile on uneven terrain.
Bring water.
See Education Program Policies for information about cancellations, refunds, and scholarships.
Program Schedule
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.
Thornhill Picnic Shelter (parking lot P-21), West Side
