Gear Up For a Fall Full of WhiskyFest, Starting With a New Location

Sure, summer is in full swing, but even as humidity and hot weather reign supreme, the cooler air and brilliant foliage of autumn are on the horizon, and with them, a slew of WhiskyFest events. This year, we’ve made some changes to the calendar: WhiskyFest will kick off in Hollywood, Florida on October 26th at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, which has previously hosted the Big Smoke Meets WhiskyFest, our crossover celebration of cigars and drams held in tandem with sister publication Cigar Aficionado. This marks the first standalone WhiskyFest in Hollywood, though fans of the joint event will be pleased to know that it will carry on next year.

For whisky lovers who also appreciate their fair share of tunes, the Hard Rock boasts a great deal of music memorabilia, including famous musicians’ guitars and outfits, and more adorning its wall. The building itself is shaped like a giant guitar, stretching 450 feet into the sky and lighting up in myriad colors throughout the night. And for whisky fans who like to gamble, the Hard Rock has a casino, should you feel so inclined to indulge in the hours leading up to or following the event.

After Florida, WhiskyFest will head to Chicago on November 15, then make one last stop in New York City on November 20. Notably, there will not be events in either San Francisco or Las Vegas this year. While details for this year’s events are still far from finalized, there are some particulars we can share, starting with some of the exhibitors you can expect to see on the floor. In Hollywood, there’s a mix of scotch, Irish, Japanese, and American whiskies currently on the docket, ranging from Bruichladdich to The Busker to Sagamore Spirit. Some distillers will be at all three events, among them Fuji Whisky, Loch Lomond, Heaven Hill, Minden Mill, and Middle West Spirits; Chicago ticket holders will be sipping whiskies from Redbreast, The Glenlivet, Torabhaig, Mossburn, and Caisteal Chamuis, while New York attendees will be enjoying The Glenturret, Komoro Whisky, Omar Whisky, Torabhaig, Mossburn, Caisteal Chamius, and Hatozaki. Of course, you can expect all three lists to expand exponentially as the dates draw closer.

Master Classes are also in the offering, and they’ll remain a first-come, first-serve affair. In Hollywood and Chicago, Heaven Hill and Bruichladdich will be presenting, while in New York, those names are joined by Glen Moray, The Glenturret, and Komoro Distillery. As we approach the fall, we’ll have more details about Master Class specifics.

Tickets for all three events are on sale now, with both VIP and general admission passes available. Rates for room blocks at each hotel are listed on our website as well. We look forward to coming together for nights full of drams and high spirits soon.