2018 Edmonton Whisky Festival
Once again the folks at Vines Riverbend Wine Merchants have teamed up with the Alberta Division of the MS Society to bring you Edmonton’s Premier Whisky Festival. This is a great opportunity to taste different whiskies from around the world as well as to meet and discuss the grain-based spirit with industry insiders and distillery representatives. Monies raised at the event will help those affected by MS in our community, as well as help to fund research towards a cure.
Where: Edmonton Delta South Hotel
When: Wednesday, January 17, 2018 (7:00 – 10:00pm)
For ticket information please contact: Edmonton Whisky Festival Website
The 2018 Edmonton Whisky Festival is a must for any whisky enthusiast and for those new to the exciting world of whisky. Please attend and enjoy yourself chatting in a relaxed atmosphere with whisky and scotch principals and enthusiasts from across Canada and around the world (The Rum Howler will be there too).
The always popular whisky Master Classes are brought to you by some of the whisky world’s most prominent luminaries. They begin at 6:30pm (and cost an additional $25 on top of your Festival ticket cost).
Master Class Options
Glenmorangie Master Class in the Fort McMurray Room (20 tickets available)
Bourbon Master Class with Matt Jones in the Banff Room (18 tickets available)
Tomatin Master Class with Scott Fraser in the Lake Louise Room (18 tickets available)
Invergordon Distilleries Master Class with Lukasz Dynowiak in the Jasper Room (20 tickets available)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I order Edmonton Whisky Festival tickets?
Tickets are available through the Edmonton Whisky Festival website: (purchase online here)
How much do tickets to Edmonton Whisky Festival cost?
VIP Hour Tickets $175 (100 tickets available)
Regular Admission Tickets $90
Regular Admission + Masterclass $115 (limited spaces)
What do I get for the price of a regular admission ticket?
You’ll receive a commemorative Glencairn whisky glass, an event program , a gourmet buffet throughout the evening and, of course, over 175 whiskies to sample plus a chance to win a bottle of whisky a month for a year and a chance to bid on a number of whisky themed silent auction items. If that wasn’t enough there is also music and Irish dancers!
What’s the difference between a Regular admission ticket and a VIP ticket?
In addition to what Regular admission ticket holders receive (above), VIP ticket holders gain admission to the ballroom a full hour prior to regular admission 6.00 – 7.00 P.M and each VIP attendee will also receive a goodie bag. With limited ticketing, and the extra hour of time in the ballroom, you can get the most out of this additional hour, having more time to talk with the distillery representatives. Some exhibitors will pour something extra special that’s available only during the VIP hour. These VIP hour whiskies are provided at the discretion of the distillers in extremely limited quantities, and as such, we cannot guarantee that every VIP whisky will be available to all VIP attendees. There are 100 VIP tickets available.
Are tickets available at the door?
Tickets are available at the door, if any are remaining. It is strongly advised that you order your tickets in advance.
What is a Masterclass?
As part of a small group of 20-25 people you will have the opportunity to sit down in a break out room on the first floor and focus on a number of whiskies from one particular distillery or listen to an expert on a particular genre within the world of whisky. All classes run from 6.30 – 7.30 P.M. Tickets available on November 1, 2017.
When is the “Whisky a Month for a Year” draw?
“Whisky a Month for a Year” draw will be a live draw on the evening of the Whisky Festival. Winner must be in the room.
Should I have a game plan?
Absolutely! Take a minute to study your program and decide which whiskies of the 175 being shown you have to try. You can only seriously taste and analyze a few before palate fatigue sets in. The key to surviving any event involving alcoholic spirits is not to over indulge, practice quality over quantity. You can help yourself by drinking lots of water during the tasting and having a solid meal before the event.
Should I wear perfume/after shave?
One of the joys of any whisky event is nosing whisky in the glass to identify the subtle and delicate aromas. These delicate aromas can be completely over powered by perfume, cologne and after shave worn on your own person or even by somebody else some distance away. Please refrain from wearing any scent for the duration of the Festival and advise your guests accordingly.
Is there parking at the hotel?
The hotel does have free parking available however, we encourage the use of public transportation and cabs. Better yet, stay at the Delta Edmonton South for the night.
Can I get a preferred rate to stay at the Delta?
Yes – Stay at the Delta Edmonton South for the night for a reduce rate on a room, tell them you’re attending the “Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada – 2018 Whisky Festival” Make reservations at:
Phone: 780-434-6415
Fax: 780-436-9247
Reservations: 888-890-3222
What should I wear to WhiskyFest?
Most commonly, business or business casual attire. Please feel free to wear a kilt if you have one or rent one from our friends at Scottish Imports!
Do I need to bring a glass with me?
There’s no need to bring a glass with you. A Glencairn crystal commemorative nosing glass will be provided to you at registration. It’s yours to use for the evening, and to take home with you.
What if I lose my nosing glass?
If you lose your nosing glass, we’ll have wine glasses available in the Grand ballroom. Sorry, we cannot replace any lost or broken nosing glass.
There’s a whisky on the list that I want to be sure to try. How can I find out which booth is pouring it?
The booklet you receive on entering is set out alphabetically by the local agent / importer responsible for that distillery. The tables in the ballroom follow that list in a clockwise direction. Each table is marked with the name of an agent / importer.
Do I need to purchase drink tickets to be able to taste the whisky I want to try?
Through the purchase of your General Admission ticket, you will receive 30 sampling tickets. For each sample that you take, you will give the vendor one sampling ticket. If you go through all 30 sampling tickets, you can purchase more at the rate of 1 ticket for $2.75 (as per AGLC regulations).
Should I keep my ticket stub?
Absolutely! Bring your stub into Vines Wine Merchants by the end of April 2018 to receive a 10% discount or $10 off, whichever is the better deal on a whisky purchase.
Is there a coat check available?
There is a coat check available at the event for a small donation. All donations will go to the MS Society.
May I bring my briefcase with me?
Backpacks, briefcases, tote bags, or any other such items, are not permitted inside of EWF. You will be asked to leave them at the coat check.
Will there be food available?
Food is provided throughout the evening, including beef on a bun and haggis sausage rolls.
When I discover a new whisky that I love at EWF, can I buy a bottle of it right there?
EWF is a tasting event only. Order forms will be available at each table for the whisky(s) that agent is presenting. Customers can fill them in there and then with their name and phone number and Vines Wines will order them for you the following week. Please note: your ticket stub (when presented at Vines Wines before the end of April 2018) entitles you to a 10% discount or $10 off (whichever is better) your whisky purchase.
I have a suggestion on how to improve the event. Who do I contact?
You may contact the event manager, Steve Richmond by emailing info@vineswinemerchants.com.
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Agave 99 Tequila is product of Worldwide Beverage Imports (WBI) who are located in Los Angeles California.The number 99 represents the bottling proof for the spirit which is bottled at 49.5 % alcohol by volume. As part of the media package I was given for the anejo spirit when I received my sample were two copies of official looking certificates. These indicated that Agave 99 Tequila is considered legally ‘organic’ by both the European Union and the USDA. It was also indicated to me that the tequila is kosher and is therefore suitable for both Cinco de Mayo and for Passover.
Over the next few weeks I am going to be stepping through the 
Beginning in 2016, I began to seek out and review as many juniper based spirits as I could get my hands on. It would be true in fact, to state that in the past two years, I have been as likely to be found enjoying a nice gin cocktail as I would have been found to enjoying a nice sip of Rum or Whisky. I have learned two important things in my gin journey. The first is that gin is much more complicated than I first suspected with several divergent styles of gin being produced. The second important thing I have come to realize, is that of those styles, my preference leans towards traditional London Dry Gin with juniper at the heart of the spirit’s flavour profile.
The Rum Howler Blog 