The FNB Whisky Live Festival wends its way to Sandton in November

The largest whisky lifestyle show in the world is nearly here!

he 2014 FNB Whisky Live Festival, opens to fans of the dram from 12 – 14 November 2014 at the Sandton Convention Centre for the twelfth year running, promises firm favourites, exciting new expressions, and myriad ways to get up close and personal with some of the world’s finest whiskies, local and international master distillers, and Keepers of the Quaich.

The main tasting hall will be home to 30 whisky stands, each featuring a number of expressions and some featuring more whisky brand, all offering opportunities for visitors to sample both new and established expressions, while engaging with the experts to learn more about each whisky’s history, tasting notes, and other ways to appreciate the spirit’s fine flavours. Newcomers to the Festival include Tomatin and Smokehead, while newcomer Monkey Shoulder is sure to add fun and flair to the event.

The FNB Whisky Live Festival Tasting Room, located within the main tasting hall, will offer half-hour sessions during each evening where different brands will host presentations about their offerings. These intimate sessions do not charge a cost, but need to be booked on the night of each event, with places reserved on a first-come, first-served basis.

Specialist hour-long master classes (Workshops), at R120 per visitor, will be hosted upstairs from the main event in Committee Rooms 4 and 5, with the likes of Pierre Meintjes of Bunnahabain, Andy Watts of Three Ships, and Stuart Harvey of Enver House Distillers will be giving enthusiasts a first-hand experience of the magic of the drams that they distil. Seats are limited to 70 seats per session for these workshops, and tickets can be booked on the FNB Whisky Live Festival website.

There will be many exciting experiences on offer for visitors at the various brands’ exhibitions, including the ability to have their tasting profile analysed at the Flavour Explorer section of the brandhouse stand. This is of particular interest to newcomers to the category, who will then be able to choose whiskies to taste based on whether their profile is Vibrant, Bold, Rich or Fresh.

The Festival’s VIP section has a new format for 2014: VIP ticketholders will have exclusive access to all exhibitors from 17h00 to 18h00 each day, with many of the brands providing special tasting treats reserved just for that time. VIP ticketholders will receive an additional 10 tasting vouchers. Lastly, there is also an exclusive VIP lounge available, where these guests will be able to take time out to ponder on the whisky wonders that they have sampled and enjoy light meal servings throughout the night.

Visitors to the Festival will be able to buy their own limited edition bottle of the FNB Whisky Live Festival cask strength expression of Balblair, with only 600 bottles being made available. This is an annual tradition at the Festival, with previous bottlings appreciating substantially in value after the event.

Tasting Hall tickets are selling at 2013 rates: R195 on Wednesday 12 November and Thursday 13 November for tickets pre-purchased online and R220 at the door, while tickets for Friday 14 November night cost R220 at www.ticketpros.co.za or Facebook/FNBWhiskyLiveFestival and R240 at the door. Guests can unlock additional value-adds at the event if they answer a few simple questions about their whisky choices at Reward Stations positioned around the venue.

Only 500 VIP tickets per night will be made available at a cost of R750 each, and should be booked on the website in advance. Lastly, all VIPs will receive a R200 voucher for Uber taxis (valid for first-time users of the service only).

All ticket prices include a complimentary tasting glass, a 2015 SA Whisky Handbook (launched at the Festival), a 500ml bottle of Valpré Spring Water and 15 tasting vouchers.

Follow @WhiskyLiveSA on Twitter, ‘like’ the FNB Whisky Live Festival Facebook page, or subscribe to our newsletter at www.whiskylivefestival.co.za for updates about the event.

The FNB Whisky Live Festival promotes responsible drinking. No persons under the age of 18 years will be allowed into the Festival. Designated driver tickets are also available at R95 per ticket. Part of the ticket proceeds will be donated to The Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR).