The Gisbelle Distillery was founded in 2011 in Yantai, China. Participants had the opportunity to experience Gisbelle's innovative whisky aged in Oriental Diao Castle Mongolian Oak casks, combining traditional whisky-making craftsmanship with modern, innovative distillation techniques for a unique, rich flavor profile.

The Victoria Whisky Festival was very proud to co-host the annual Canadian Whisky Awards ceremonies at the Hotel Grand Pacific. Hosts Davin de Kergommeaux and Heather Leary revealed the most outstanding Canadian whiskies of 2024 and presented medals and awards to their producers. See https://canadianwhiskyawards.com/ for results.

This dinner and tasting was a step into the enchanting world of the Unicorn of Scotland – Fettercairn Distillery - its singular Highland Single Malt paired with an exclusive multi-course dinner prepared by the chefs of the Fathom Restaurant.

“The Making of a Masterpiece with The Dalmore”

Participants were taken into a deep dive into what makes The Dalmore Single Malt so unique, and tasted through an assortment of whisky expressions including limited releases such as Luminary and Vintages.

Ray Daniel focused on Suntory Global Spirits Bourbon history and innovations, leading participants through a sampling of some classic recipes and contrasting those with some unique innovations. There is room for everyone in the world of Bourbon.

Amrut Distillery - A Celebration of Indian Whisky Excellence

An exclusive Grand Tasting of Amrut Distillery’s finest whiskies, hosted by Amrut’s Neelesh Saran, who guided participants through a curated selection of Amrut’s celebrated expressions, from the flagship expressions of Fusion, Single Malt, Single Malt Cask Strength and Peated to limited edition whiskies such as Triparva, Kurinji, Strath’s Exclusive Bottling and Master Distiller’s Reserve.

Celebrating 200 Years of Glencadam Whiskies

A special Grand Tasting in celebration of Glencadam’s 200-year anniversary, hosted by Brand Ambassador Cody Reynolds. Guided by Cody, participants explored the unique character and history behind Glencadam’s finest whiskies, experiencing their depth of flavour and timeless quality.

Confessions of a Whisky Salesman

The Strath's Adam Bradshaw - with close to two decades experience in the whisky industry - shared some of his favourite bottles, explaining why they were so exceptional and exposing some industry secrets along the way.

Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige at Gordon & MacPhail and Master of the Quaich, took participants on an exploration deep into Gordon & MacPhail’s vaults, to experience the fruits of G&M’s mission “to create single malt whisky of exceptional quality” with whiskies from all corners of Scotland.

Nikka Whisky’s Global Spokesperson and Educator, Emiko Kaji, took participants on a captivating journey through nine decades of whisky-making excellence. This exclusive masterclass commemorated Nikka's 90^th Anniversary, delving into the rich history and pioneering spirit of this iconic Japanese distilling company.

A curated selection of Nikka whiskies was featured, showcasing the breadth and depth of Nikka's whisky-making expertise, highlighting the unique characteristics of different distilleries and production techniques.

Over the past two decades, several Vancouver Island distilleries have produced a myriad of award-winning whiskies. Senior representatives from Shelter Point, Stillhead and Macaloney’s Island distilleries presented some of these world class whiskies.

Keepers of the Quaich Andrew Ferguson and Lawrence Graham spoke about the culture and history of this prestigious whisky society that celebrates the Scotch Whisky Industry. The dinner featured a curated selection of exceptional Scotch whiskies paired with a superb menu prepared by the chefs of the Fathom Restaurant.

What does Virginia, the birthplace of American spirits, taste like? Founded in 2008, Reservoir focuses production on single grain expressions of Wheat, Bourbon and Rye Whiskey with all ingredients from Virginia. Founder David Cuttino presented a tasting of their core bottlings and 2 special pours.

“Behind Warehouse 24”

The ongoing legacy of The Balvenie was sampled through its history The journey of Malt Masters, past and present, was explored with Brand Ambassador, Jamie Johnson, from DoubleWood 12 to present day releases.

Situated in the North Sea and on the same latitude as the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Orkney is a remote, formidable landscape home to just two distilleries. Founded in 1724, Highland Park is the oldest on the Island and is one of the most highly awarded Single Malts in the world. This masterclass explored what makes it so unique to standout above so many others.

Showcasing the finest whiskies from Tomintoul Distillery in Speyside, this exclusive masterclass with Cody Reynolds, Brand Ambassador, demonstrated the smooth, balanced character of Tomintoul, crafted with pure Ballantruan spring water, fresh mountain air, and their distinctive tall stills—offering a true taste of Speyside's renowned whisky heritage.

Yellowstone Bourbon: More than 150 Years in the Making

Yellowstone Bourbon, sharing the name of America’s first National Park, is one of America’s oldest Bourbon Brands. Greg Mefford, Managing Director - International Business Unit, took participants through a special line-up of Yellowstone Bourbon expressions, crafted by 7^th Generation Master Distiller, Stephen Beam, at Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky.

Amrut - The Pioneer of Indian Single Malt Whisky

This masterclass, hosted by Amrut’s very own Neelesh Saran, delved into the history, process, and artistry behind Amrut’s world-class whiskies, including the signature Fusion and Single Malt whiskies as well as a couple of limited editions.

While Cognac is the most renowned spirit produced by France, whisky production is slowly making a name for itself, beginning in Brittany in 1987with Distillerie Warenghem and their release of the first French single malt in 1998 under the Armorik label. This masterclass covered how the coastal climate, which is similar to Ireland and Scotland, plays an important role in the aging process of the whiskies. French know-how in whisky making was tasted, the taste profile imparted by the use of French barley and the influence of local Breton oak that gives Armorik whiskies their “French” character. Also covered was how the use of different oak casks creates compelling profiles to whiskies that are very much in “Scotch” style with a French twist.

Participants joined Stephen Wilson, Crown Royal’s Director of Whisky Engagement, for a Behind the Blend experience where they the rare opportunity to break down Crown Royal Deluxe and taste the individual whiskies that make up this iconic blend. Stephen also “opened the doors” to the Gimli Distillery and discussed the history, production process, and art of blending this award-winning liquid.

Holyrood Distillery - canny geniuses or numpties?

Although this masterclass may not have reached a conclusion to this question, Rob Carpenter, co-founder of Holyrood, still shared some of Holyrood’s recent whisky releases, including single casks and upcoming bottlings. He also discussed the distillery’s curious production approach and provided an update on recent goings on.

Flavor Camp Taste Challenge: Exploring Regional Scotch Styles

At this interactive tasting challenge blind tasting skills were tested with a variety of regional Scotches. From triple distilled drams, to lightly peated malts, to Scottish rye whisky, a variety of styles produced by Isle of Raasay, Glasgow Distillery, and Arbikie Distillery were explored.

In the past several years, Dr. Don Livermore, 2019 Canadian Whisky Blender of the Year, has done a lot of work to raise the bar for Canadian Whisky through incredible innovation. He dug into his archives and pulled out some of his favourite, and most rare, whiskies of the past few years. Participants enjoyed some of the best that J.P. Wiser’s, Lot No. 40, Pike Creek and Gooderham & Worts have to offer.

Tish Harcus took participants on a tasting through time, reveling in the storied background of Canadian Club. With a history that dates back over 160 years, it's no wonder CC has become a true icon.

“When it comes to whisky and the joy it brings, Compass Box keeps our minds open to new possibilities. They tap into new production processes, new combinations of flavours, new ways of sharing and enjoying great whisky. There is so much to discover in the world of whisky, and Compass Box is ready to take us there.” This was aptly demonstrated by a representative selection of Compass Box blended Scotch, blended malts, and blended grain whiskies.

“Benromach is a window into another time - a traditional family-owned Speyside distillery intent on making single malt the right way with true character. They keep things simple: single malt made by hand matured exclusively in first-fill casks, with a subtly smoky character.” A range of Benromach single malts and two single cask malts were presented by Gordon & MacPhail’s Stephen Rankin.

The Ardbeg Committee Meeting

Loyal Ardbeggians have fallen in love with the full-on phenolic power of Ardbeg whiskies, but also with the stories of the distillery including the dark days and the miraculous re-birth of the brand. Bry Simpson led participants at this “super serious meeting of the Ardbeg Committee” through some of their weird and wonderful Ardbeg expressions, with some limited editions among the mix.>

Bowmore has stood on the shores of Lochindaal since 1779, and is home to one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses, the No. 1 Vaults. It’s in this legendary warehouse that Bowmore single malts have been meticulously matured and transformed for over 240 years. James Neil led the tasting, explaining the "Art of Time", the traditions, skills and expertise passed down through generations of whisky makers and what that means for this exceptionally balanced Islay Malt.

The Art and Diversity of Scottish Whisky

An exploration of the diverse and captivating world of Scottish whisky through sampling different styles and innovative releases from Islay Mist, WaterProof and InchDairnie Distillery.

This masterclass consisted of an exploration of Dalmore's Still House to discover what makes Dalmore's new make spirits so unique by means of an interactive and sensory experience: tickling tastebuds with samples of new make spirits, showing a 3D visual of Dalmore's idiosyncratic stills, and hearing the sounds that make the distillery unique. A couple of limited edition single malts were also tasted.

Canadian Whisky Awards head judge, Davin de Kergommeaux, led participants through a tasting of the winners of the 2024 Canadian Whisky Awards.

The Western Canadian Advocacy and Education team of Calin Manuel and Aoife McEniff took masterclass participants on a tour through the Brown-Forman American whiskey portfolio, visiting old friends and taking a look at what makes the diverse expressions of brand families of Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, and Jack Daniels so unique and iconic.

Hunter Laing & Co. Ltd. is a family company with an unrivalled pedigree in Scotland

The Laing’s have spent over fifty years in the industry – first as blenders, then as bottlers of some of the finest single cask Scotch whiskies in the market, and now, with the launch of Islay’s newest distillery, distillery owners. Ardnahoe’s Inaugural Release and a selection of Old Malt Cask bottlings were presented by Lee Hanson.

Masahiro Mastery: A Journey Through Awamori-Inspired Whisky

The world of Masahiro Distillery was explored in an exclusive vertical tasting masterclass, hosted by Reece Sims and TS Global. A selection of whiskies that highlighted the artistry and tradition of this unique distillery were presented. -Masahiro Pure Malt and Blended Whisky, and a variety of Kujira rice whiskies, showcased the diverse flavour profiles crafted from local ingredients and time-honoured techniques from Okinawa.

Established in 1948, Douglas Laing is a proudly independent, family-owned Scotch Whisky business in its third generation. Over 70 years of heritage have helped the company to refine its processes, and deliver whisky that is consistently exceptional. Dougal Barr delivered an education in blending and Blended Malts with the Remarkable Regional Malts Series and deep-dives into the wonderful world of independently bottled Single Cask expressions.

Oh, for peat’s sake!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society pulled out the smoke for this one. Rob and Kelly Carpenter presented six SMWS bottlings, each focussed on peat and reek, with a warning that if you didn’t like peated whiskies, this was definitely not your masterclass.

Turbo Time:

“Meikle Toir means “the great pursuit.” While Billy Walker has achieved about as much as one can achieve in the whisky business, his newest venture of heavily peated spirit at GlenAllachie distillery opened a new chapter, and may be his best work to date. As it turns out, Billy’s hand is as deft with peat as it is with sherry. Participants were treated to the full range of these new releases, as well as a few other rare peated whiskies from GlenAllachie.

Created in the northern plains of India, where extreme temperatures and high angel's share have a huge influence, Indri Indian Single Malt has been winning hearts of single malt lovers the world over. Madhu Kanna, Head of International Sales, deconstructed the core Triple Cask Expression - "Trini" - where the 3 individual components of Trini were tasted, along with some cask strength expressions.

Step into the World of The Isle of Harris Distillery

In this masterclass, hosted by Peter Kwasniewski, participants learned about the history and founding vision of the Harris Distillery, known locally as the Social Distillery, and how it was created not just to produce exceptional spirits but also to support the island's community and preserve its heritage. They also learned about and tasted the popular Hearach whiskies, including rare cask strength whiskies not usually available in BC.

“The Glenfiddich Effect”

Sipping their way through the history and legacy of The Grant Family. Brand, participants were guided by Ambassador Jamie Johnson through a flight of The World’s Most Awarded single malt, and told a tale of how one of Scotland’s most famous family made an everlasting impact on Scotch Whisky.

There were some incredible whiskies presented by “Whisky Folk”, The Strath’s whisky club, in 2024. The club’s founder Adam Bradshaw shared some of his favourites and more about the social side of the local whisky community here in Victoria.

Maker’s Mark Diplomat, Micah Dew, led a tasting beginning with how Maker’s Mark bourbon stood out from the crowd substituting distiller’s rye for soft red winter wheat, to the impact of changing proof and finishing with the exploration into the science of wood.

The three Scotch distilleries of Brown-Forman - GlenDronach, Benriach and Glenglassaugh – were the focus of this Masterclass. The tastings included expressions aged in port, rum, sherry and virgin oak casks and featured whisky voted #1 by Whisky Advocate magazine!

National Brand Education Specialist and former Canadian Whisky Brand Ambassador Colin MacDougall took a trip back in time and taste through the iconic Gooderham & Worts and Pike Creek rare range whiskies including 49 Wellington, Little Trinity, Eleven Souls, PC 22yr Pedro Ximenez and more. Participants learned about the incredible story behind these gems while sipping the rare and seldom found together whiskies side by side.

Over two decades ago, Forty Creek ushered in a new era of premium whiskies from Canada. With an unwavering focus on innovation and quality, Forty Creek has released a long line of award-winning expressions that have dazzled judges and consumers alike. The hosts of this masterclass, Master Blender Bill Ashburn, and Forty Creek Brand Ambassador Chris Thompson, poured a few of their favourites, including the latest, small batch limited edition, "Maplewood Select".

This masterclass included the story of Nikka Whisky and its founder, Masataka Taketsuru, the 'Father of Japanese Whisky' and how his journey from Japan to Scotland shaped his vision and led to the creation of this renowned whisky company. It explored a selection of Nikka whiskies, highlighting both their innovative blends and exceptional single malts. Nikka’s Global Spokesperson and Educator, Emiko Kaji also covered the breadth of Nikka's expertise, from their masterful blending techniques to the historical development of Japanese whisky. A special limited-edition bottling was shared, providing a unique glimpse into the future of Nikka Whisky.

“Sometimes it seems like everything Billy Walker touches turns to gold. In 2017 he purchased the GlenAllachie distillery and every year since has seen new expressions and ideas that expand on his legacy. GlenAllachie is in particular known for their heavily sherried expressions, especially the 10 year which has been named best single malt in the world at both The World Whisky Awards and The Whisky Explorer Awards.” A selection of the distillery’s single malts and a couple of White Heather blends produced by the distillery were presented at this masterclass.

Turntable Spirits is a modern-day blending house looking to flip the record on ordinary. Led by Andrew Ferguson, Master of the Quaich and owner of Kensington Wine Market, participants stepped into the world of blending and tasted a range of small batch blends that focus on quality, innovation and transparency.

Glenmorangie’s Kind of Delicious and Wonderful Whiskies

Glenmorangie are known not only for their delicious single malt Scotch whiskies, but also for their philosophy and concepts behind them, from the pioneering family who founded the distillery, to the innovative practices and ideas by their whisky creation team. National Brand Ambassador Bry Simpson took participants through some of these wonderful expressions, with stories from the wild imaginations of the whisky makers who created them. This was also the first taste in BC for many of the new Glenmorangie Original 12 Years Old!

Classic malts: Discover your perfect single malt

While discovering tastes and whisky styles throughout Scotland with a flavour tour of six distinct whisky distilleries (Cragganmore, Oban, Talisker, Dalwhinnie, Glenkinchie and Lagavulin) participants were taken on an educational journey by National Whisky Consultant Stuart Brown showcasing the craftmanship and finishing techniques that make them the unique expressions that are known around the world.

“A Deconstructed Tasting of Angel’s Envy and its Finishing Process”

Participants joined Owen Martin, Master Distiller of Angel’s Envy, in tasting through and discussing Angel’s Envy whiskeys off the still, out of the bourbon barrel, and as the final bottled product – at different proofs and finishing cask intensities.

Ana Hinz, International Brand Ambassador and Business Development Manager, guided participants through the new frontier of American single malt whiskeys - from defining a new category, to exploring new facets of flavor through unique barleys, oak, cask finishes, and American peat.

David Hudyma, Prestige Engagement Specialist, took participants on a journey through the vaults of the House of Suntory Japanese Whiskies.

The number one selling Islay Single Malt in the world is a fan favourite for flavour and history. James Neil led the masterclass through some favourite expressions, a good dose of Islay lore and some very special drams for guests and Friends of Laphroaig.

This masterclass was a dive into the many expressions of Smokehead Whisky, a robust single malt with a bold, smoky character, built for those who crave adventure, its intense, peaty flavors offered an unforgettable ride in every sip.

Mizunara Magic: Discovering Shinobu Distillery's Whisky

An unforgettable whisky tasting masterclass featuring Shinobu Whisky, a stunning blend of Japanese tradition and Scottish whisky-making techniques. Participants savoured rich flavours ranging from oak, spice, and dried fruit to delicate notes of vanilla, honey, and subtle smoky umami, all thanks to Shinobu’s unique use of ex-bourbon, sherry, and Mizunara oak casks. A dive into the complex, yet approachable world of Japanese whisky.

The VIP Tasting for special guests of the 2025 Victoria Whisky Festival and VIP Ticket holders was held in the Vancouver and Pender Island Ballrooms prior to the Consumer Tasting, featuring the same full line of whiskies as the Consumer Tasting. VIP Ticket holders were be able to explore the range of whiskies being presented for a full hour prior to the Consumer Tasting.

The heart of the Festival, the Consumer Tasting, was held in the Hotel Grand Pacific’s Pender Island and Vancouver Island Ballrooms and featured a myriad of distilleries and whiskies including Canadian whisky, Scottish single malts and blended whiskies, Irish whiskey, Japanese, Indian, French, Swedish, Australian whiskies and a variety of whisky and whiskey styles from the United States of America. Here participants could satisfy their whisky curiosity by sampling a choice of over 150 whiskies, the largest selection available for such an event in British Columbia.

Each attendee was provided with an engraved Glencairn whisky nosing and tasting glass as well as assorted product information from the presenters.

The Hotel Grand Pacific again provided hors d’oeuvres from their award-winning kitchen and Chefs using local ingredients, including the very popular and elusive haggis tarts created especially for the Victoria Whisky Festival!

This exceptional dinner was by invitation only. The culinary team at the Hotel Grand Pacific led by Executive Chef Roy Tam paired exceptional dishes made with local ingredients with some outstanding whiskies.