Whisky Shows - Are they worth it?

by **Rudolph Hucker** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 4:09 pm

If any of you folks have been to any of the Whisky Shows - I have in mind events like the Whisky Fest in New York and Whisky Live in Tokyo - I'd sure appreciate your views on whether it's worth the cost/effort to attend.

Cheers

Rudolph

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 4:25 pm

Hi Rudolph,

Just from hear say, that these events should be quite good. As a matter of fact I'm looking forward to go one these days to a Whisky Festival, either in Tokyo or NY. Just for a one time experience.......

Erik

by **lexkraai** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 4:26 pm

Hi Rudolph

I've been to both the "WM Live" events in London and one "Whiskies of the World" Expo in San Francisco. At the end of the month I'll attend the "Malt Whisky Festival" in The Hague for the first time.

As to whether they're worth it, for me they obviously are! These kind of events give you the opportunity to taste whiskies you might otherwise never get a taste of, meet distillers, whisky writers and, of course, likeminded enthusiasts.

I've tremendously enjoyed the events I've been to so far and to me they've been worth every cent/penny of the entrance fee many times over!

Cheers, Lex

[This message has been edited by lexkraai (edited 11 November 2002).]

by **Gate** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 7:13 pm

I can only vouch for the Whisky Live event in London, which I have been to twice now and really enjoyed. Apart from tasting some very interesting whiskies, the chance to speak to the guys who make and market them is worth the trouble and money several times over for me. It's not many places where you can talk to Julian van Winkle, John Glaser and Frank McHardy one after the other (I probably bored the t**s off them all, but they were gentlemen enough not to show it

) I haven't done a masterclass yet, though.

by **BruceCrichton** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 8:57 pm

I was at the Edinburgh Whisky fringe in August and I'm going to go to the next one in August 2003.

The Speyside whisky festival is also excellent.

by **Deactivated Member** » Mon Nov 11, 2002 10:15 pm

Oh my God,yes they are worth it.I have been to two this year.WhiskyLive in London and Whisky Fringe in Edinburgh.WhiskyLive was a fantastic event.£40 for two days in whisky heaven can't be bad in anybodies money.So many people to see and sooo many whiskies to try.Masterclasses are a must,especially if you have a favourite(Balvenie for me!).The goody bags,well let's just say,next year I'm bringing my Grannies shopping trolley

.That was London ,now Edinburgh and Royal Mile Whiskies Whisky Fringe.Even my knicker elastic couldn't stretch as far as my tenner did that day

.Loads of great malts and people again.The goody bag alone was worth more than the entrance fee.Miniatures,t shirt,pens,WhiskyMag they were all there,Hell I'm even using my free Fiddich mousemat.And what's this I read in the latest WhiskyMag ,WhiskyLive is coming to Scotland in 2003.See you there boys and girls.That's if you think it's worth it of course

.
cheers

by **Deactivated Member** » Tue Nov 12, 2002 5:58 pm

Hi Rudolph,

Lex has a point there, in what he said.

It probably doesn't matter if you go to very exotic places to attend a whisky festival, each festival is unique of its own
(but still have a dream to go to Tokyo and NY and others).

Erik

by **John Clotworthy** » Thu Nov 14, 2002 7:08 pm

Hi y'all
just to say that this year was the first that time we have exhibited and wow ! The first was whisky live, we visited San Francisco but felt there were too many people and had to queue even for a nibble, Chicago & New York were also brill and now looking forward to exhibiting in the Hague (hope to meet you Lex ) Apart from being a business malts are also my hobby and to get so many malt lovers in the one place at the one time is a fantastic buzz.

by **Jeroen Kloppenburg** » Thu Nov 14, 2002 9:45 pm

Speaking of the Hague, who's going on saturday 13.00 till 17.00 session?

by **lexkraai** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 8:51 am

Hi Jeroen, John, and all

I'll be in The Hague (my city of birth!) for the Friday and both of the Saturday sessions.

See you there!
Lex

by **Deactivated Member** » Fri Nov 15, 2002 10:48 am

Hi Lex, Jeroen, John and all,

I'll be there the whole weekend. I'm looking forward to this one once again for the third time. Be quick on the masterclasses, they are, most of it, completely sold out, but maybe somebody doesn't show up, and you can pop in one of these classes.

See ya,

Erik

by **Jeroen Kloppenburg** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 3:46 pm

I understood you can only write in on 1 class? So personally I picked out the Ardbeg tasting, since I just love that SM.

I'm sure the exhibition is worth my time and attention too.. Last year I first found out about the Whisky festival in The Hague.. Heard about it in the weekend it was talkig place, so it was to late to attend...
Lucky coincidence was I heard it at the Glenkinchie distillery in our "Fall Scotland brake" we take each year, so it did not hurt too much to miss on the occasion!

by **Deactivated Member** » Sat Nov 16, 2002 4:28 pm

There's not enough time to attend all the master classes. You just have to make a choice, and sometime it happes you can pick two or three masterclasses, but that gives you to little time browsing around....
Choices to make!!!!

by **John Clotworthy** » Sun Nov 17, 2002 2:36 pm

Hi
If anyone misses a masterclass come over to our stall ( Drumchork Lodge Hotel ) where we do tastings and describe the malts and tell you about the distilleries and anything else you care to know. I will be glad to meet everyone and join you in a dram.
John.