November 2010 is whisky month with the annual 'FNB Whisky Live Festival' returning for its eighth year showcasing whiskies from around the world in Cape Town and Johannesburg.


The festival remains the largest and most exciting whisky show of its kind in the world. The festival is in the following centres and dates: The Cape Town International Convention Centre from Wednesday, 3 November to Friday, 5 November and at the Sandton Convention Centre from Wednesday, 10 November to Friday, 12 November.

 

Showcasing more than 180 local and international whiskies the festival offers so much more - what to look out for:

• Whisky Pairing Zone with fresh oysters, salmon, handmade chocolates, shortbread, Italian meats and French cheeses. 
• Other opportunity to interact with the people behind the brand includes: The Macallan Maturation zone, Glen Grant Distillation zone and Schweppes Art of Whisky Cocktail Making zone.
• Whisky workshops offering the best learning experience/best value for money at the show by visitors.
• The popular Lexus Connoisseur’s Experience - The Ultimate Guided Tour offering festival-goers the opportunity to be chauffeur driven to the festival and then savour exclusive and rare whiskies generally not available to the public while joining a personal guide on a tour of the distillery stands. The experience will also include light dinner, in the hospitality lounge.
• This year those who cannot get hold of a Lexus Ultimate Guided Tour ticket can have the benefit of tasting a selection of whiskies unavailable in the tasting hall in the comfort of a stylish lounge. The Whisky Lifestyle Lounge offering the perfect exclusive forum for client entertainment or simply networking and meeting up with like-minded friends. A light dinner is included. Tickets cost R495.00/person which includes your Tasting Hall entry ticket.

Tickets

Various exciting new tickets options for the Tasting Hall, as well as the other features, attractions and workshops are available from Webtickets from mid-September 2010, which can be accessed via the Whisky Live Festival website (Whisky Live Festival)

The FNB Whisky Live Festival promotes responsible drinking. No persons under the age of 18 years old will be allowed into the Tasting Hall, and dedicated driver tickets are available. Discounted food vouchers and a bottle of Valpre mineral water are included in the ticket price, and taxis will be on hand to ensure that everyone in your party is able to have a good time. Part of the proceeds will continue to be donated to The Foundation of Alcohol Related Research.

 

For more information please visit the website - www.whiskylivefestival.co.za – or e-mail contact@whiskylivefestival.co.za.

The Durban Spar Whisky & Jazz Festival

The Durban leg of the "Spar Whisky & Jazz Festival" was held from Wednesday 23rd to Friday 25th July 2008 at the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment world which in itself has become a landmark in Durban.

Once again all major whisky distributors were present and the paying whisky enthusiasts were spoilt with an exceptional array of the world's leading whiskies.

Jameson whiskey was as popular at this show as it turned out to be at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition where it was awarded a Double Gold. A real treat for visitors at the Durban "Spar Whisky & Jazz Festival" was the opportunity to sample a reserve Jameson Gold whiskey.

Chivas Brothers showcased the "Chivas Regal" 12 and 18 year old whiskies; the "The Glenlivet" single malt whisky range and the "Royal Salute" 21 year old and "100 Cask Selection".

As usual Chivas Regal 12 year old stole the show and surprised all that it cost no more than other 12 year old whiskies. The Prince of Whiskies will always be "the Chivas Regal of Scotch". The Chivas Regal 18 year old is in the style of the younger 12 year old but older and smoother with a richer and lightly peated silky palate.

The "The Glenlivet" stole hearts with the 15 year old French Oak Reserve and the 16 year old "Nadurra" gained many fans while the 12 year old was revisited by many fans familiar with its fame. The Glenlivet is the whisky that started it all - the first licensed distillery in Scotland, the first whisky to use the term "Single Malt" and the whisky to establish the "Speyside" region from where the top 10 selling single malt whiskies come from. As all world famous whisky writers proclaim: "The Glenlivet is the quintessential single malt against which all other single malts are measured".

The Royal Salute whiskies were admired and desired but not offered for tasting. The youngest offering in the Royal Salute range starts with 21 year old which is followed by the collectable limited release 100 Cask Selection. The 100 cask selection is followed by the 38 year old Stone of Destiny and finally the top of the range is capped with the solid gold and 'hallmarked' silver labelled 50 year old.

The "bargain" Tops at Spar Whisky Festival.

The "Tops at Spar Whisky & Jazz Festival" was from Thursday 10 July 2008 and Friday 11 July 2008. The Thursday evening started at 6 p.m. sharp and kept "slow". Attendance reached 257 people the first evening. All in all it was a routine kind of evening without the thrill that "busy' gets on a good evening.

Opening ticket sales on the Friday exceeded 300 people. The evening became extremely busy and the hall seemed to small at times. A great evening.

The R75 per head it cost one to gain entry into the hall of whiskies gave one an incredible (and never to be repeated) array of whiskies that one would otherwise never get the opportunity to taste. Of all the whisky festivals in South Africa this was far and away the "best bargain" whisky festival I have ever attended.

Next year I would like to see some changes:

1) A Tops at Spar price-list of the whiskies available at the show.

2) The ability to buy the product on the night.

3) A coupon system for each tot to limit people from over-indulgence

4) A coupon system to reimburse the suppliers for their very expensive stock.

The Knysna Whisky & Jazz Festival

The Festival

I have just returned from The Knysna Whisky & Jazz Festival which was held on Saturday 7 July. The major whisky houses of Chivas Brothers with Chivas Regal 12 and 18 year old, Irish Distillers with Jameson and Jameson Gold, The Glenlivet, Glenfiddich, Famous Grouse, Black Bottle, Bunnahabhain, Three Ships and some legendary Japanese whiskies we were represented.
The live jazz band jammed away as the 200 visitors were enchanted by the golden nector and trays of mouthwatering gourmet dishes.

A quick introduction to Knysna.

The town of Knysna started in 1804 when sir George Rex arrived in the area. The official founding date for Knysna is 1825. In 1851 it was declared a magistrate, and in 1881 a town. Alluvial Gold was found in 1885 in Millwood, about 15 km's outside of Knysna, deep into the indigenous Knysna forest. Knysna’s name probably originates from the Khoi word ”Xthuys Xna”, meaning ”the place where the wood is”. The current population estimate for Knysna is just short of 60,000. Knysna is a beautifull laid-back sea-side town on the east coast of South Africa. Knysna has great weather for most of the year and is a surfers paradise.