7 Whisky Events to Look Forward to in 2018

Whilst New Years is the perfect time to indulge in all those bottles of Scotch you’ve probably been collecting for god knows how long, 2018 looks to be shaping up to be a fantastic year for Whisky right from the get-go. Here are just a few samples of upcoming whisky events in the first few months of 2018 within the UK and beyond.

The National Whisky Festival 2018
Glasgow
20^th January 2018
12pm, 4:15pm

Following on from its inaugural start, Glasgow’s National Whisky Festival is set to return to the SWG3 Warehouse events space, in association with Celtic Connections. Last year, organisers split the festival into four different elements, split into two sessions, each lasting around 3.5 hours: music, masterclasses, food and, of course, whisky.

As with Last year, the festival plans to show off a healthy representation of international producers, from New Scotch microdistilleries with products too young to be called ‘whisky,’ to older and more prominent fare. As before, there’ll be plenty of whiskies for the many patrons of this exciting new festival to try, in addition to designers and photographers who specialise in whisky themes, as well as other Glasgow-based restaurants and food-chains, all backed by a disparate array of music owing to NWF’s linkage to Celtic Connections.

The Whisky Show – Old & Rare 2018
Glasgow
24th-25^th February 2018
11:30am-6:30pm

Ways in which whisky has been produced over time has changed dramatically, with the resulting flavour of Scotch whisky reflecting the ebb and flow of methods of production. Old & rare is subsequently an event based around discovering and celebrating these older styles and forgotten characteristics, ranging from dedicated tastings to 1-on-1s with collectors, specialists and independent bottlers.

The event itself functions as a gigantic whisky bar, offering attendees a mountain of whiskies to try by the 1cl taster. Drams vary from a few pounds up to more than £100 for truly stellar, one-of-a-kind antique malts, allowing patrons a chance to try unique, inimitable drams and experience memories to truly last a lifetime.

Victoria Whisky Festival 2018
Victoria, BC
18th-21st January 2018

One for our Canadian friends, the Victoria Whisky Festival drew crowds of over 1,000 Whisky lovers last year. Guests can enjoy masterclasses presented by distilleries such as Bowmore, Glenfarclas, Bruichladdich, Laphraoig, Springbank, Highland Park and Ardbeg.

Also, for all west coasters, our Whisky Ambassador course takes place in Victoria BC on January 13th in the midst of the festival. Why not indulge and attend both?

 

Cinderella Whisky Fair
Stockholm, SE
12^th January 2018

Is there a better way to experience some of the finest Scotch whisky then on board a Viking Cinderella Cruise Ship? Okay, probably, but it’s still pretty cool. Guests will be able to choose from close to 700 different whiskies in addition to chocolates, cigars and champagne.

 

Newcastle Whisky Festival 2018
Newcastle, England
10^th March 2018

Scotch whisky heads to tha toon! At the Newcastle Whisky Festival, you’ll have a chance to taste the best of homegrown whiskies from across nearby Scotland. In addition, you’ll have access to workshops, experiences and ‘under the counter’ drams in the surroundings of Newcastle Civic Centre. You’ll have a choice of sessions and whisky tasting works as simply as asking the exhibitors politely for a dram.

 

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival
Various venues, Speyside, Highland
3^rd-7^th May

The Speyside region is home to some of the biggest names in Scotch whisky, and the Speyside Whisky Festival is a five-day celebration comprising more than 500 different events. Thousands from around the globe celebrate Scotland’s national drink annually here at Speyside.

The programme has a wide range of different activities, including distillery tours, tastings of rare and vintage whiskies, and a chance to meet the people behind the production of some of the world’s leading brands.

With Speyside being Scotland’s biggest whisky producing region, there’ll be plenty of Uisge-related activities to take part in, but there’s plenty of music, food, comedy, heritage and outdoor activities to enjoy too.

The Whisky Social 2018
Dundee, Larbert
24^th March 18^th August

After two successful years in Falkirk, The Whisky Social is expanding into Dundee and Larbert. At the city of discovery event you can meet brand ambassadors, take part in masterclasses and, naturally, sample drams from some of the best distilleries in Scotland and around the world.

 

And, of course, we have many Whisky Ambassador events going on worldwide throughout the year. Check out our list of accredited training courses, book yourself a place and earn your place within our Whisky Ambassador alumni.

Seen any exciting upcoming whisky events we may have missed? Comment on this article and we’ll add them to the list!