The historic city of London, birthplace of a nation, bathed in the most glorious sunshine, was the backdrop for this year’s Whisky Live event.

The world’s premier whisky tasting show, held in the Royal Horticultural Halls, was packed with enthusiasts eager to sample the latest and greatest offerings from a wealth of distillers and whisky companies.

Highlights of the show included several companies releasing new expressions giving the malt lover an opportunity to try the latest bottlings before they hit the shelves.

These included The Glenlivet 25 Years Old, Longmorn 16, Benromach Sassicaia wood finish, Ardbeg’s Airigh Nam Beist and the new Balblair vintages.

These new releases were put through their paces by whisky star and renowned author, Dave Broom, French Whisky Magazine editor Martine Nouet and Whisky Magazine’s consultant editor Dominic Roskrow in a series of live tastings.

The stage was turned into a cocktail bar as top international barmen from LABartenders created some refreshing and sophisticated whisky cocktails using the innovative AnCnoc shaken-up into delicious tipples. The increasing popularity in blended whisky cocktails was reflected with the crowd’s appreciation of the mixologists’ art.

Richard Paterson was his usual showmanlike self as he presented a blending competition live on stage. Members of the audience got the chance to join Richard and Dave Broom in competing to create the best blend in a mere nine minutes.

This year’s tutored tastings had plenty to challenge the enthusiast and entice the newcomer into exploring the whisky world further. The first day of classes offered a look at Mackmyra’s ongoing work producing Swedish whisky.

The Glenlivet gave fans the chance to try three rare Cellar Collections as well as samples from the last year’s sma’ still project.

Whisky Magazine’s Martine Nouet looked at tracing the influence of pepper in our glasses, and Highland Park offered a chance to walk through the ages of the Orcadian malt in its masterclass.

Diageo allowed its masterclass attendees to get up close and personal with its big Islay two, Caol Ila and Lagavulin.

Those at the Balblair masterclass got some of the first public glimpses and tastings of the new liquid and packaging.

To round off Friday Whisky Magazine’s globetrotting contributing editor Dave Broom looked at whisky by the occasion.

Saturday’s masterclasses kicked off with Dominic Roskrow leading a whisky inspired version of Question Time.

Glenmorangie and Fullers, the brewers, teamed up for the first time to show why both products have bags of character.

In the second Diageo masterclass of the show the company gave a tutored tasting of the latest batch of Special Releases from the Classic Malts selection.

Dr Bill Lumsden from Glenmorangie presented the “Path to Peat Maturity,” looking at the story of Ardbeg’s development.

Whyte and Mackay’s Richard Paterson presented some of the rarest whiskies in his stable during his Fab at Forty tasting, including Whyte and Mackay 40 Years Old blend and a 40 Years Old Dalmore.

Again rounding off the day, Dave Broom with the help of Jon Allen, co-proprietor of Loch & Glen, the Scottish specialist foodstore, took a merry dance through Scotland’s gastronomic and whisky landscape.

A great selection of food was also on offer to stave off the hunger pangs.

Preparations are already underway for next year’s event, which promises to raise the bar yet again and bring the greatest celebration of whisky in the world back to Scotland.

Masterclasses

Mackmyra Swedish Whisky – Work in Progress Spring 2007
With only locally produced raw material and maturing the whisky in cave rooms, Mackmyra is since 1999 producing the first single malt whisky in Sweden. In March 2006, the first bottled series of Swedish malt whisky was released; Mackmyra Preludium. The first three of the series have already received international prizes such as Silver Medal and Best in Class at IWSC and The Jim Murray Whisky Bible Award for Best Mainland Whisky 2007.

Chivas Brothers - The Glenlivet – From Sma’ Still to Cellar Collection
Featuring three rare Cellar Collection releases as well as samples from the experimental sma’ still re-enactment in 2006, this guided tasting through the Glenlivet range will highlight the versatility and defining characteristics of the single malt that started it all.
Ian Logan – Brand Ambassador

Whisky Magazine - A toast to Sgt Pepper: Whisky and Pepper
Black pepper, white pepper, sechouan pepper, long peppercorn, cubèbe pepper, selim pepper…. There’s more than just « pepper » in a spicy flavour. Let’s trace all those different peppers in our glasses. A fascinating family to season our tastings. Martine Nouet

Highland Park
Gerry takes you through the ages of Highland Park, explaining the uniquely Orcadian factors that make it such a delicious and well-regarded dram. Find out why the 18 year old was named "The best spirit in the world", and see if you agree - perhaps you'll prefer the 30 year-old?
Gerry Tosh, Brand Ambassador

Diageo - Islay Whiskies: peat, cask and distillery character
An in-depth tasting of whiskies from Islay’s Caol Ila and Lagavulin Distilleries, exploring the particular influence of raw material, distillery character and cask effect on taste and flavour.
Billy Stitchell (Caol Ila), Donald Renwick (ex Lagavulin) Peter Campbell (Port Ellen Maltings)

Balblair - The Gathering Place
Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is rooted in ancient Scottish history yet is entering a new dawn. At the Balblair Masterclass we will offer you an unrivalled experience that epitomizes the distillers art and reflects the traditions, history and legend that have shaped Balblair over the ages.
John MacDonald, Balblair Distillery Manager
Stuart Harvey, Master Blender
Karen Walker, Marketing Manager

Whisky Magazine and The Financial Times – Free Your Mind
Join Whisky Magazine's globetrotting contributing editor, Dave Broom and discover a new way of looking at whisky: by occasion. Dave will dispense with the staid old ways of tasting whiskies by region, age, or distillery and ask you to free your mind to the joys of: slow whisky, quick whisky, subtle whisky, young whisky, weird whisky and rare whisky. You'll never look at the cratur in the same way again!

Whisky Question Time
Join Dominic Roskrow and a panel including Dave Broom for a whisky version of the BBC television show. Debate the key whisky issues with the experts and taste five whiskies specially selected by Dave and Dominic.

Glenmorangie and Fuller, Smith and Turner - Crafting Drinks With Personality and Character.....
To make your products desirable, in an age when there is an ever-widening choice of products available, the drinks you offer must have real personality and character - they must be different from the crowd, and be truly delicious! Fullers Brewery and the Glenmorangie Distillery are renowned for being classic examples of the very best their respective industries have to offer. Come and hear how these two Companies 'synergistic philosophies' lead to hugely characterful products, and put this to the test by enjoying some fine ales and Scotch single malt whiskies.
Bill Lumsden (Glenmorangie) and John Keeling (Fuller, Smith and Turner)

Diageo - Classic Malts Selection – Special Releases 2006/07
A tasting of six of the latest batch of Special Releases from the Classic Malts Selection, all bottled at natural cask strength.
Kenny Gray and Douglas Murray

Ardbeg – A work in progress
"Dr Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller for Ardbeg and Glenmorangie, presents the life of Ardbeg under the auspices of The Glenmorangie Company Ltd, including some of the challenges faced and the progress of our own spirit on the 'Path to Peaty Maturity'. Dr Bill will also be giving the "Heads up" on Michael - the new Ardbeg Distillery Manager."
Dr Bill Lumsden

Whyte & Mackay – Fab at Forty!!
Richard Paterson invites you to come along and be one of the privileged first to sample Whyte & Mackay’s Rare Editions – Whyte & Mackay 40 Years Old blend & 40 Years Old Dalmore Single Highland Malt – some of our rarest whiskies that are set to be released later this year.

Whisky Magazine, Dave Broom - Loch, Glen and Uisge Beatha
RRRoll up rrroll up rrroll up and join Messrs Jon Allen and Dave Broom as they lead you on a merry dance through Scotland's gastronomic landscape. Swoon! as they pair perfectly foods from the country's greatest artisanal producers with drams from its finest distilleries.
Gasp! as they explain why these combinations work.
Thrill! as they make you think in a new way about Scotland's national spirit. A feast for all the senses is guaranteed.
Jon is co-proprietor of Loch & Glen, the Scottish specialist foodstore in London's ultra-sexy Borough Market and is a whisky writer to boot.
Dave writes for Whisky Magazine.

Exhibitors

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