Each year during the third week of January, hundreds of people make the pilgrimage to the Hotel Grand Pacific to sample, learn and celebrate all things whisky, and 2018 is no exception!
From January 18 – 21, 2018, enthusiasts will have an opportunity to sample new and limited edition whiskies, revisit favourite drams and meet whisky creators and industry stars.
Once again, Canadian whiskies will feature strongly in the Festival program, a testament to their growing prominence on the world stage.
And The Award Goes To…
On Thursday, January 18, the eighth annual Canadian Whisky Awards gala will recognize the best whiskies in the country. The awards program received 25% more entries than in 2017 due not only to the flourishing micro distillery industry but also the growing pride and range of whiskies made in Canada.
Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to worthy whiskies, and major awards are presented to the best whiskies as selected by the judges.
Along with medal presentations, the awards ceremony features industry keynote speakers as well as a flair demonstration combining cocktail making with showmanship.
International Recognition
The Victoria Whisky Festival attracts distilleries from throughout the whisky world. Over 50 distilleries are represented from Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, United States, Japan, Taiwan, India and France.
Collectively, they will present over 250 whiskies showing a broad range of styles and flavour profiles. Canada’s presence at the Festival has increased steadily over the last few years with BC’s new distilling industry making its strongest showing to date in 2017.
While most Festival events are sold out, tickets are still available for the Canadian Whisky Awards on January 18. Tickets may be purchased from the Hotel Grand Pacific and reservations can be made by calling James Burrough at (250) 380-4455.
Net proceeds of the volunteer-run Victoria Whisky Festival are donated to charitable organizations. For more details, check out www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com.
If you want a look at last year’s festival, check out this appropriately dizzying video:
