Now in its 15th year, this annual event offers festival-goers a range of whisky and other premium spirits like vodka and gin.
Co-owner of the event, John Cook said the main aim of this event is to educate consumers and offer platform to premium whisky brands and to enable visitors to sample whiskies that they perhaps otherwise wouldn’t have been able to taste before buying them.
“To be in the whisky industry, you have to have a passion for what you do. It’s a close-knit community of people who work tirelessly to educate consumers on how best to enjoy the golden spirit.
"We consider it our privilege and honor to provide a platform for all these brands to sample their premium offering to consumers who have a genuine thirst for knowledge and interest in the “water of life”, he said.
Asked what people should look-out for at the three-day event, Cook said there is a section completely dedicated to premium gins, as well as an activation by Diageo called World Class where Donald Colville, Diageo’s Global Ambassador for Malts and Reserves, will teach visitors how to elevate their cocktail skills at home.
Then there’s Bartique, run by Pernod-Ricard, which will be educating visitors about how best to enjoy their range of premium spirits with three classes per night which you can sign up for once you enter the event at their stand.
Three Ships has a proper micro distillery that enables you to blend your own whisky and Master Distiller, Andy Watts will be there too.
Then don’t miss the Whisky Academy stand as there will be many international whisky masters who will be there waiting to talk to visitors over a dram, including Distillery owner, David Roussier of Armorik Single Malt in France, Andrew Sweeney of Glendalough, Robin Bignal of Kilchoman and Harry Tayler, owner of Wolfburn Distillery.
Whisky may be an age-old drink filled with heritage and promising status to hopeful drinkers but Whisky and Spirits Live will be offering over 300 whiskies of which people can expect innovation in the products sampled, their packaging and the experiential platforms from which they are presented.
Whisky and Spirits Live opens its doors as from today until Friday the 10th at the Sandton Convention Centre from 6pm until 10pm.
Tickets are on sale at www.ticketpro.co.za starting from R240 and include a tasting glass, sixteen tasting vouchers and a bottle of Consol Glass still water.