New Expressions on Show at FNB Whiskey Live Showroom Events
The FNB Whisky Live Showroom, taking place in Durban, Nelspruit and Cape Town, will introduce fans of the dram to some noteworthy whiskies set to become firm favourites among local palates.
“This new show dedicated to one of the world’s finest and most popular spirits builds on the successes of previous FNB Whisky Live Festivals, and brings a unique whisky experience to more South Africans,” says Emily Stockden, chief operating officer of Whisky Live Festival.
“There will be a number of exciting new expressions for whisky lovers to taste and purchase, along with a broad range of well-loved and familiar favourites. We have chosen each venue for the FNB Whisky Live Showroom events carefully to provide a truly remarkable experience for every visitor that provides the perfect backdrop for an evening of sampling some of the world’s finest whiskies.”
The 1989 and 2000 expressions of Balblair will be on display, with the brand challenging the way that punters think about whisky.
“Balblair is bucking the current trend of moving away from age statements, with each product in its range not just being of a specific age, but also of a specific vintage,” says Paul laCock of Aficionados, which represents Balblair in South Africa. “This means that each product is a whisky distilled in a specific year – whereas most single malts are made up of whiskies from different years. The year of bottling Balblair is also stated on the bottle, so that the consumer can deduce its age too.”
Ian MacMillan, the master blender behind Scottish Leader, will be on hand at all three Showrooms to introduce visitors to this masterful blend of up to 30 of Scotland’s finest whiskies. Available in more than 60 countries worldwide, Scottish Leader is produced at the Deanston Distillery on the banks of the river Teith, in the historical central Scottish Highlands.
Kavalan will be showcased at the Showrooms, and is produced by the first distillery in Taiwan. The distillery is in a subtropical area, which is much hotter and more humid than conventional whisky-producing areas. The higher temperatures result in a much quicker interaction of the whisky with the wood of the barrels, leading to much quicker maturation – but the higher temperatures cause more rapid evaporation, and the greedy angels take up to 15% of the whisky every year.
The FNB Whisky Live Showroom is proudly brought to you in partnership with:
Firm favourite Johnnie Walker will be showing its full range of Red, Black, Gold, Platinum and Blue Label blends, offering visitors the opportunity to experience the different expressions in the context of its Flavour Wheel. The Wheel takes the mystery and guesswork out of tasting whisky and then explaining the experience by offering guidelines such as ‘malty,’ ‘dried fruit,’ ‘winey,’ ‘floral,’ and ‘smoky’ among others.
Black Bottle, a daringly bold blend of all the renowned single malts from the Islay balanced by the finest Highland, Lowland and Speyside malt and grain whiskies, will be available for tasting. Originally blended by Gordon Graham, a tea merchant who shifted from blending teas to blending whiskies in the 19th century, Black Bottle is presented in a unique pot-still shaped bottle.
Fans of South Africa’s Three Ships whisky will be able to taste Three Ships 5 Year Old, named the World’s Best Blended Whisky in 2012 at the World Whiskies Awards. Bain’s, Cape Mountain Whisky, another South African whisky masterpiece that was named World’s Best Grain Whisky in 2013, will also be available for tasting.
The FNB Whisky Live Showroom events take place in Durban on 25 and 26 April, in Nelspruit on 16 and 17 May, and on 19 and 20 June in Cape Town. Tickets cost R150 each at www.whiskylivefestival.co.za and Facebook/FNBWhiskyLiveFestival, or R170 at the door.
All ticket prices include a complimentary tasting glass, a 2014 SA Whisky Handbook, a 500ml bottle of Valpré Spring Water, 15 tasting vouchers, and a variety of additional value adds, such as a R200 voucher for all first-time users of Uber’s taxi services (valid in Durban and CT only), R50 off any purchase of more than R500 at the on-site FNB Whisky Live Shop and a 10% discount voucher for purchases on www.whiskyshopsa.co.za after the event (some terms and conditions apply).
Follow @WhiskyLiveSA on Twitter, ‘like’ the FNB Whisky Live Festival Facebook page at Facebook/FNBWhiskyLiveFestival, or check www.whiskylivefestival.co.za for regular updates about the events.
The FNB Whisky Live Showroom promotes responsible drinking. No persons under the age of 18 years will be allowed into the Showroom. Designated driver tickets are also available at R95 per ticket. Part of the ticket proceeds will be donated to The Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR).
