Welcome To Whisky - Main Stage Timetable - FREE TO ATTEND - pre-registration REquired
MAIN STAGE IS LOCATED ON THE GROUND FLOOR OF THE VENUE
friday 27 February
6pm-6:30pm // Countries You Never Knew Made Whisky // Whisky has gone global and is no longer the domain of a handful of countries. From Asia to Europe, South America and beyond, distillers across the world are building distinctive styles that reflect local grains, climates, and drinking cultures.
This session shines a spotlight on some of the most exciting - and often overlooked - whisky-producing nations, challenging assumptions about where great whisky can be made.
7pm-7:30pm // Sherry And Sherry Casks // “Sherry cask” is often used as a catch-all term - but sherry styles vary enormously, and so do their effects on whisky.
This talk explores how those different sherry styles shape whisky in dramatically different ways, from crisp and saline to rich and decadent. We’ll be tasting sherries alongside their whisky counterparts, uncovering how maturation choices influence flavour, texture, and balance and why not all sherry cask whiskies taste the same.
8:00pm-8:30pm // Smoke Signals // Smoke in whisky goes far beyond Islay - and peat is only part of the story.
This session explores how distillers around the world are creating smoky whiskies that make sense of and in their landscapes. By using native smoking materials to build flavour and identity distillers are creating whiskies with a local smoke. From peat and wood to local flora and beyond, we’ll look at the difference between smoke and peat, how these choices shape character and discover just how expressive smoky whisky can be.
Saturday 28 February
12:30pm-1pm // Debunking Regions // Scotland’s whisky regions are often treated as rigid flavour categories - but do they still hold up?
This tasting looks at how and why regional classifications were created, the stereotypes they’ve produced and the many distilleries that actively defy them. We’ll be shifting the conversation away from geography and towards flavour, production choices and house style to broaden our Scotch whisky horizons.
1:30pm-2pm // Whisky Exploring Flavours // While whisky is often seen as either a pre- or after-dinner drink that is enjoyed on its own, the range of flavours out there means it can be brilliant with food. With such an array of different styles and flavours, it can be really fun to pair a dram with different foods: from crisps to cupcakes and everything in between!
There are many different approaches to creating the perfect pairing, and in this session, Dawn Davies MW will be flexing her sommelier muscles to give you not only the skills to create your own pairings, but also a selection of her own to tantalise the tastebuds.
If you want to build your food pairing skills or even just want to eat some great bites, then this is the session for you.
2:30pm-3pm // New Kids On The Block // Scotland’s whisky landscape has changed dramatically over the past 15 years. This session explores the new wave of Scottish distilleries founded after 2010 - what motivated their founders, how their approaches differ from historic producers and what makes their whiskies distinctive today.
3:30pm-4pm // All Eyes On Asia // For a long time, Japan defined Asia’s place in the whisky world. Today, distillers across the continent are carving out styles of their own - shaped by climate, local ingredients and how whisky is actually enjoyed where they live.
This tasting will look across four Asian whisky-producing countries, exploring how tropical maturation, production choices and cultural context show up in the glass. We’ll discover four characterful whiskies and explore how distillers across the region are creating whiskies with flavours you won’t find anywhere else.