10 great whisky festivals from around the world to book for 2025
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From Kentucky to Dublin, and Paris to Islay, there’s a host of great whisky shindigs happening this year. What are you waiting for? Here’s where to go and how to book
Whisky festivals are a joy. You get to travel to great places, sample bottles from distilleries you’ve never tried (or even heard of) before, broaden your palate and meet new friends. Top names from the whisky industry host expert tastings, often showcasing unusual or rare expressions. You’re almost certainly going to encounter delicious food stalls and live music. There will be dancing. And free glassware. What’s not to like?
There are hundreds of festivals on the circuit now, with more joining the global whisky carnival every year. They’ve certainly come a long way from the days of a few fold-out tables with a handful of bottles plonked down alongside a bowl of dried crackers (though there’s nothing wrong with the lo-fi approach in the right hands). Many offer pleasingly curated masterclasses, fun interactive stalls and exceptional food. At most, you’ll be given a whisky glass on arrival to use as your tasting glass as you browse the producer stalls. Guard it with your life. This is your entry to the world of unlimited pours.
I’ve pulled together a list of 10 events taking place throughout 2025, with one eye on giving you a memorable adventure, as well as the opportunity to discover a wide variety of different styles of whisky.
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Because most of these may require travelling a fair distance to attend, I’ve opted mainly though not exclusively for festivals that roll out over a few days. Why not hatch plans with friends and make a short holiday out of it? Many of them will not yet have finalised their programme of events so it’s a good idea to bookmark the ones you’re interested in and check back nearer the time. Even better, follow them on social media and sign up to their newsletter if they offer one so they can keep you updated on ticket releases and event scheduling.
Booking travel well in advance is a smart move. If you’re planning a trip to Islay for Fèis Ìle (The Islay Festival) in May, for example, this is pretty much essential: accommodation on the island is far outstripped by the number of people attending and gets booked up very quickly. The same goes for ferries. Really, don’t leave it until the last minute to book those. Unless you happen to have a pal with a helicopter.
Finally, bear in mind that for a few of these festivals you don’t need tickets to be in the vicinity and soak up the atmosphere — but will need to book for specific tastings, VIP events and gigs. Often you’ll be offered a range of tickets going up in price for the more exclusive tastings.
Oh, and you’ll need to be over 18 to attend, or over 21 if you’re in America or Canada.
I hope you find a few that take your fancy. See you at the bar!
New Orleans Bourbon festival
When: 19-23 March, 2025
Where: New Orleans!
What: Let the good times roll. It’s the Big Easy so yes, there will be foot-stomping music, incredible food and an easy-going party atmosphere, as well as some of the finest bourbon you can drink from a whole host of innovative distillers (with a strong focus on women distillers). Sit-down dinners, fun competitions and an opening night hootenanny complete the wholly appetising picture.
Tickets: From $79
Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival
When: 30 April - 5 May, 2025
Where: Various locations across Speyside
What: Your passport to dozens of the most acclaimed distilleries in the world. Every April the doors to Speyside’s famous whisky makers are flung open and thousands descend upon this beautiful corner of north-east Scotland. There are a whopping 700 whisky inspired events to choose from - including exclusive distillery tours, tutored tastings, talks, whisky auctions and fairs, outdoor adventures, ceilidhs, fine dining dinners, live music and more. Accommodation gets snapped up quickly so it’s advisable to book that before you buy your tickets.
Tickets: Check website for individual events
Whisky Live Dublin
When: 16-17 May, 2025
Where: RDS, Dublin
What: The biggest whiskey festival in Ireland, featuring an exciting variety of long-established and new pretenders to the burgeoning Irish scene, plus plenty good sipping from Scotland, Japan and America. Visitors can enjoy great whiskey and food pairings, fascinating masterclasses (Pappy Van Winkle and Redbreast Dream Cask featured last year) plus delicious whiskey cocktails courtesy of some of Dublin's best bars and restaurants.
Tickets: From 44 euros
The Whisky Event, London
When: 18 May, 2025
Where: The Lancaster Hotel, London
What: Gathering together an impressive selection of 600 well-known, and lesser-known distillery representatives from across the globe in the elegant surroundings of London’s Lancaster hotel, this is a classy day-long affair for those who like a leisurely jog as opposed to a gruelling marathon when it comes to whisky tasting. There’s a bespoke buffet featuring exquisite Kosher dishes, free cocktails and an on-site shop to pick up that favourite bottle before you go. Lucky Londoners.
Tickets: Check website
A swinging affair: Campbeltown Malts festival
Campbeltown Malts Festival
When: 19-24 May, 2025
Where: Campbeltown, Scotland
What: Up and running since 2008, this bash is a superb way to immerse yourself in an historic and sometimes overlooked region of Scotch whisky, all in a glorious, picturesque setting. There’s a broad selection of ticketed and free events hosted by industry experts like Dave Broom (who’s confirmed to return this year), illuminating panels and even the chance to create your own blends from Glen Scotia single malts. Last year kicked-off with bagpipes, a grand three-course meal with whisky pairings and featured live performances from local bands Rhuvaal and We.R.Soul.
Tickets: Check website for details
Fèis Ìle
When: 23rd - 31st May, 2025
Where: Various venues across Islay
What: The week-long jamboree on Islay is definitely one for your whisky drinking bucket-list. It’s a vibrant celebration of the island’s world renowned range of peated whiskies, but also a chance for locals and visitors to let their hair down and enjoy days of great live music and superb local food in some breathtakingly scenic spots. Each distillery on the island hosts its own Fèis day (which are ticketed and need to be pre-booked) so our advice is to pace yourself and allow some time away from the tastings lest you fall over before Wednesday. It all kicks off with a classic ceilidh and ends with the Final Fling concert in the old church hall at Port Ellen. Whisky nirvana.
Tickets: Check website for details of individual events and opening/ closing gigs
Ardbeg day at Fèis 2024
Kentucky Bourbon festival
When: 5- 7 September, 2025
Where: Bardstown, Kentucky, USA
What: Whiskey Only. Only in the Bourbon capital of the world. So goes the straight-talking tagline for this extravaganza slap back in the heart of the bourbon-drinking universe. The weekend-long event includes samples from distilleries, the ability to purchase bottles directly from distillery booths as well as access to exclusive single barrel selections, along with chances to meet Master Distillers, attend workshops, panel discussions, expanded food offerings and more than 40 vendors in the Bourbon Marketplace.
Tickets: From $105 for a weekend pass
WhiskyLive Paris
When: 27-29 September, 2025
Where: Le Grande Halle de la vilette, Paris
What: Europe’s biggest event dedicated to tasting whisky and spirits is now in its 17th year and comprises endless boulevards of booze plonked into the historic Grande Halle de la vilette. Aside from the vast array of world whisky on show (with dozens of master distillers and experts on hand to walk you though them), there’s a rum gallery, sake district, cocktail street and an elegant balcony dedicated to agave spirits.
Tickets: Go on sale 3 March
The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show
When: 3-5 October, 2025
Where: Old Billingsgate, London
What: The UK’s largest whisky extravaganza, featuring over 1,000 whiskies and spirits, masterclasses, and exclusive tastings. It’s not a cheap day out but when you factor in what you get for the price of entry - limitless pours from an unmatched range of drams, a free Dream Dram token to redeem against a range of truly rare bottles, illuminating masterclasses and expert-led events, as well as a complimentary stomach-lining meal from the brasserie - it’s well worth it.
Tickets: From £85 per day (with unlimited pours), on sale now
Wales Whisky Festival
When: 31st October - 2nd November
Where: Llandudno, North Wales
What: This is a wonderful festival in a lovely town and a great excuse to visit Wales for a long weekend. There are some excellent Welsh whiskies and your ticket to the three-day event will give you the chance to taste them all, as well as tour the distilleries making them: Penderyn, Aber Falls, Llandudno, and Conwy. Over 100 distilleries were represented last year, there were great cask tastings and a host of expert guests.
Tickets: Check website
