Taiwan

Whisky Live Taipei 2011 Review

 TAIWAN. Whisky Live, dubbed the world’s premier whisky tasting and sampling show, concluded its latest event in the city of Taipei on 28-29 August, welcoming a record 12,400 attendees.

Held at the Taipei World Trade Centre, Whisky Live & Fine Spirits Taipei showcased 60 Scotch whisky brands, offering consumers over 300 styles of whisky to taste. The festival included its trademark whisky tastings, master classes and live entertainment.

Asked why the East Asian island has such an affinity with whisky, importing £85.1 million worth of Scotch last year, Show Director Stephen Notman replied: “I think it’s about whisky’s perceived status as a luxury product and people’s desire to discover the fascinating world of single malts.

“The Taiwan single malt market emerged approximately 10 years ago when it was comparatively unknown. Brands such as The Macallan set this market up and from there it’s gone from strength to strength,” said Notman.

“The taste profile of malt has certainly caught the imagination of the Taiwanese people. It was fantastic to see so many young malt drinkers at the festival, and also women – something you would rarely see in established Western markets. The genuine passion, enthusiasm and appreciation reverberated around the festival,” he enthused.

Exhibiting brands and companies included Morrison Bowmore, Glenmorangie and Berry Brothers & Rudd.

Morrison Bowmore Marketing Director for Asia David Pattison said: “This is arguably the most exciting and dynamic market in the world with a festival of stature to match. It was great to see whisky being seen as fun and enjoyable by so many young people.”

Glenmorangie Master Distiller Dr Bill Lumsden said: “The show has been outrageously successful – we went like a train.”

Berry Brothers & Rudd Global Brand Ambassador Ronnie Cox added: "The Taipei event was undoubtedly the greatest international Whisky Live and indeed whisky event that I have ever experienced. That it should have had a record number of attendees surprised me not in the least – a real credit to the magnetism of Scotch.”

It is the second year the event has been held in Taipei. Taiwan is said to be the tenth largest export market for Scotch whisky by value, worth about £102 million in 2009.