The wide world of whisky is just that: staggeringly large. And it’s getting bigger every day, with new distilleries in new areas producing new brands of whisky all around the world. So how do whisky lovers possibly keep up with all the new brands, new regions, and new expressions of whisky? With events like WhiskyFest.

WhiskyFest is one of the many whisky festivals traveling from city to city showcasing hundreds of whiskies. This one, put on by Whisky Advocate Magazine, is one of the leading whisky festivals, with more than 350 whiskies from nearly 90 brands to taste, plus seminars and a gourmet buffet.

By the numbers, WhiskyFest is pretty impressive. But what’s it like to actual attend? Well, let me tell you.

Why Whisky Lovers Should Go to WhiskyFest

It’s a Better Deal than a Bar Tab

Let’s just get this out of the way from the start: WhiskyFest is not cheap. There, I said it. Ticket prices vary by city, but general admission will run you around $275 while VIP costs about $345. That’s one expensive bar tab! …Or is it?

When you actually break it down, it’s not that expensive. Looking again at the numbers, there are 350+ whiskies to taste, without limits or drink tickets. That includes some rare and old expressions. And for VIP, there are dozens of hard-to-find or old expressions, like 30 year Laphroaig, Taketsuru Pure Malt 21, and Old Forester Birthday Bourbon.

Trying even a few of these rare whisky beauties would cost almost the same as the ticket price — that is, if you can find them anywhere. Then you throw in a gourmet buffet, seminars, and being able to talk to the brand ambassadors or distillers and you’ve got a deal.

You Meet the Passionate People Behind the Brands

Which leads to me to my next point. One of my favorite parts of WhiskyFest was getting to talk to people whose passion is whisky as they pour a dram. It gives you the ability to really get to know what’s in your glass and how it differs from the range of whisky in the brand (or even in the world of whisky itself).

I loved talking to brand ambassadors and sharing what I like to drink so they could point me in the right direction for their whisky. Or, even better, when they proved me wrong about an expression I didn’t think I would like! So you end up discovering new whisky you otherwise wouldn’t pay to try.

And Passionate Whisky Lovers

Not only do you meet knowledgeable brand ambassadors, you meet passionate whisky people. I shared a few drams with some guys at the Tullibardine table who had just been to the distillery and shared their tips for getting there since I’m headed to Scotland soon. During dinner, I met a father-son duo who had dedicatedly driven all around Scotland hitting a handful of distilleries and shared their tips on how to get to the best ones. (Thanks to all of you!)

Plus There’s In-Depth Whisky Seminars

For those who really want to dive into the depths of whisky, there are seminars all night during WhiskyFest. The topics and speakers vary by city, but the ones in Chicago focused on exploring oak casks (the Glenmorangie/Ardbeg’s brand ambassador argued American Oak is best while Maker’s Mark diplomat hosted a tasting of different types of oak), the beauty of no age statements, and discussing the flavor wheel.

There were also seminars focused on specific brands and regions hosted by master distillers and blenders: Jim Beam, BenRiach and Speyside scotch, Lagavulin rare bottles, Tyrconnell’s influence on Irish single malts, and No. 99 Canadian Whisky. You could even make your own Elijah Craig Small batch with Heaven Hill!

The seminars don’t require signing up, but they filled up fast so head to the conference rooms early to get a seat.

WhiskyFest Details

Event Dates & Cities

WhiskyFest Chicago won’t come back around until 2019, but Washington DC, San Francisco, and New York all have upcoming events. Ticket prices and whisky lineups vary by city, so check the website for details. There are early bird tickets for a discount and all tickets are likely to sell out (especially VIP!).

Dress Code

The WhiskyFest website says the dress code is business or business casual, but attendees in Chicago wore everything from casual to dressy. (There was a group of men inexplicably in suit jackets with dead animals draped around their necks, which was interesting.) Worth noting: Chicago had a free coat check.

Food & Drinks

In addition to the staggering amount of whisky, there were a few wine tables at WhiskyFest Chicago. There were several stations of food offering something for everyone and I even noticed gluten-free signs and vegetarian dishes. (But check with WhiskyFest for more allergy information.) Both the food and drinks are unlimited and water is readily available to keep you going all evening.

Disclaimer :: I attended WhiskyFest Chicago as a member of the press. As always, all opinions are my own.