The 20^th Victoria Whisky Festival was launched in style with a combination of 2 amazing Scotch Malt Whisky Society tastings accompanied by fantastic music. The music was provided by The Rhythm & Booze Project, a blues duo out of the UK which incorporates folk, and blues music in a uniquely gritty mix, blending hypnotic grooves with raucous energy and irresistible showmanship into their gigs and whisky tastings.

Session One: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Session Two: 9:30 PM – 11:30 PM

The Victoria Whisky Festival was once more proud to co-host the annual Canadian Whisky Awards ceremonies at the Hotel Grand Pacific, for the industry event of the year. Hosts Davin de Kergommeaux and Heather Leary revealed the most outstanding Canadian whiskies of 2025 and presented medals and awards to their producers.

This masterclass led by Nikka Whisky’s Global Spokesperson and Educator, Emiko Kaji, commemorated the 40^th Anniversary of Nikka’s iconic whisky, From the Barrel. The charm of the brand was explored from various angles and 3 limited edition whiskies produced for this special anniversary were presented. The expert skills of Nikka’s master blenders and the creation of From the Barrel, blended from some 100 iterations of whisky, were tasted first-hand. Adding to this whisky’s complexity, the evolution of the whisky with additional ageing in the Limited Edition Extra Marriage was tasted. In addition, two other cask strength components, created specifically for this occasion, that make up From the Barrel, were featured. This was a truly unique experience discovering the creation of Nikka’s global best-selling whisky.

Glenmorangie - Once Upon A Time In Scotland

Glenmorangie are known not only for their delicious single malt Scotch whiskies, but also for the philosophy and concepts behind them, from the pioneering family who founded the distillery, to the innovative practices and ideas by their whisky creation team. National Brand Ambassador Bryan Simpson took participants through some of their wonderful expressions, including new and limited releases.

Experience the Mastery of Blending Through a Tasting of Japanese Whisky with Jonathan Armstrong

US Brand Ambassador Jonathan Armstrong delved into the rich heritage of the House of Suntory, exploring their iconic brands such as Yamazaki, Hibiki, and Toki, and what makes Japanese whisky truly exceptional through a captivating discussion and an exquisite tasting experience featuring a remarkable selection of their finest products.

Buffalo Trace: Made in Kentucky, Enjoyed Worldwide

Raise a glass to Buffalo Trace Distillery - over 200 years of care and craftsmanship in every pour! Master Blender Drew Mayville led participants in a discovery of some of the expressions from the world’s most award-winning distillery.

Living Souls – a World of Small Batch Spirit Masterpieces

At Living Souls, we bottle more than just whisky. We capture moments, stories, and the spirit of exploration. Each release is chosen not simply for age or rarity, but for the experience it delivers in the glass. From humble beginnings to show stopping old casks, our whiskies invite you on a journey through flavour, place, and time.

For this Grand Tasting, the lineup showcased the Living Souls philosophy: diversity of style, authenticity of character, and the joy of discovery. Each dram offered a different perspective on Scotch whisky, together creating a tasting that moved from bright and fresh, through deep history and bold flavour, to playful peated experiments.

For over 125 years Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt whisky of exceptional quality. This tasting was a deep exploration into Gordon & MacPhail’s vaults and the fruits of this vision with whiskies from all corners of Scotland.

The long-awaited presence of Ichiro’s Malt and Chichibu finally arrived in B.C.. Ichiro’s intriguing and highly coveted whiskies have enticed the world for years. We had the pleasure to welcome Yumi Yoshikawa, Chichibu’s global ambassador, to present, in person, this enticing distillery, its storied past, present and highly anticipated future with a new second distillery and a third in the works. The past connection with Hanyu Distillery shaped the creation of Chichibu in 2008, and this Grand Tasting, delved deeper into how this connection is still relevant today with the creation of special release whiskies. Also, new, dynamic whiskies are coming out of the Chichibu Distilleries. Participants had a first-hand peek into the mysterious master distiller Ichiro Akuto and the alluring Chichibu distilleries and their promising future.

Tamdhu is a proudly family-owned Speyside distillery, dedicated to maturing every drop exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks. From American Oak to European Oak, each cask tells a story — rich, complex, and deeply rewarding — guiding participants through a journey of exceptional single malts.

“Behind Warehouse 24”

The ongoing legacy of The Balvenie was sampled through its history, by Brand Ambassador, Jamie Johnson. The journey of Malt Masters, past and present, was explored from DoubleWood 12 to present day releases.

“Highland Park, the Taste of Orkney”

Situated in the North Sea and on the same latitude as the Yukon and Northwest Territories, Orkney is a remote, formidable landscape home to just two distilleries. Founded in 1724, Highland Park is the oldest on the Island and is one of the most highly awarded Single Malts in the world - named ‘Best Spirit in the World’ three times and collected countless Gold and Double Gold medals at international competitions. What makes it so unique to stand out above so many others? The answer was discussed in this masterclass.

This masterclass stepped into the world of whisky-making with Emma Coady as she guided them through the technical journey from grain to glass. In this in-depth masterclass, they gained a deeper understanding of the processes that define Tamnavulin’s distinctive Speyside style — from fermentation and distillation to cask selection and maturation. Emma shared her expertise on how each stage shapes the final character of the spirit, while offering insight into the distillery’s innovations and dedication to consistency.

During this masterclass, hosted by John and Cooper Sleeman, participants heard stories of the Sleeman family’s brewing legacy and the founding vision of Spring Mill Distillery. Built with reverence for tradition and a passion for craft, the distillery continues the family’s long history of producing exceptional Canadian spirits. Participants also took part in an intimate guided tasting session led by Cooper Sleeman, featuring a selection of John Sleeman & Sons whiskies, including unique expressions that showcased the character and heritage behind the brand.

Living Souls – a World of Small Batch Spirit Masterpieces

At Living Souls, we bottle more than just whisky. We capture moments, stories, and the spirit of exploration. Each release is chosen not simply for age or rarity, but for the experience it delivers in the glass. From humble beginnings to show stopping old casks, our whiskies invite you on a journey through flavour, place, and time.

The lineup of this masterclass showcased the Living Souls philosophy: diversity of style, authenticity of character, and the joy of discovery. Each dram offered a different perspective on Scotch whisky, together creating a tasting that moves from bright and fresh, through deep history and bold flavour, to playful peated experiments. Several excellent whiskies were presented.

This was a unique virtual experience as participants were dropped into a virtual world of Armorik whisky. This tour transported them on a personal journey behind the scenes of the distillery, strolling through copper stills, rows and rows of aging whisky barrels, including some secret barrels and, of course, interesting stories of the world of Armorik, Bretagne single malt whisky. While this was a serious exploration of whisky, participants were asked to bring their sense of humour, along with their curiosity and expectant taste buds, while Paul and the whiskies would take care of the rest!

Founded in 2011, Shelter Point Distillery has been committed to distilling high quality single malt whisky from the outset. Located on the Eastern shore of Vancouver Island, sourcing water from its own aquifer and surrounded by the farm that supplies much of the barley for its distillations, it is well placed to do so. Brand Experience Manager Chris Read took participants through the history of the distillery and the process for making its whiskies. This masterclass featured a chance to try Shelter Point’s inaugural 15 Year Old Single Malt, a new PX finish, and a Burrowing Owl Coruja finish as well as a selection of the distillery’s core offerings.

The Softer Side of the Highlands

Tomatin Distillery positions itself as the ‘Softer Side of the Highlands‘ and its recent successes have been built on an incredibly diverse core range. Keith Aherne brought the distillery to life and guide participants through the intricacies and intrigue that is created by such an assorted portfolio. By experiencing the location, the ingredients, the people - and a few laughs – those lucky enough to attend left having had some fun and with some new knowledge of what makes a Tomatin.

Reece Sims explored TS Global’s incredible portfolio of peated whiskies in a guided tasting that brought smoke to life in all its forms. Peat is one of whisky’s most distinctive flavors, and how it expresses itself depends on where it’s born. This masterclass travelled through six whiskies from around the world to uncover how local ingredients, fuel sources, and climates shape the smoke within each glass. The full spectrum of smoke was explored, from maritime and earthy to woody, sweet, and tropical. Then, to test everyone’s palate, in true Flavor Camp Taste Challenge style, participants took part in a blind tasting to see if they could identify each whisky’s origin and uncover what truly makes peat from each region unique.

Dr. Graeme Macaloney presented how he blended time-honored tradition with bold innovation to create the most awarded craft whisky in Canada, earning 17 gold medals and three “World’s Best” titles in just ten short years. He also explained how a culture of experimentation inspired The Peat ProjectTM — a series of special releases featuring imaginative local ingredients like sugar kelp, crafted with Graeme’s custom-designed distillery smoker that infused each peated whisky with exceptional flavour and character.

An Unapologetically Canadian Whisky Masterclass

Canadian Whisky Ambassador Mike McLean explored the proud history of Canadian Club and Alberta Distillers brands, along with a breakdown of what makes Canadian Whisky so unique, all while participants were enjoying an incredible range of their products.

When it comes to whisky and the joy it brings, Compass Box keeps our minds open to new possibilities. They tap into new production processes, new combinations of flavours, new ways of sharing and enjoying great whisky. There is so much to discover in the world of whisky and, as Compass Box demonstrated at this masterclass, it is ready to take us there.

Benromach is a window into another time - a traditional family-owned Speyside distillery intent on making single malt the right way with true character. They keep things simple: single malt made by hand matured exclusively in first-fill casks, with a subtly smoky character, as was shown at this masterclass.

The Ardbeg Committee Meeting

This masterclass was an invitation to a super serious meeting of the Ardbeg Committee to loyal Ardbeggians who have fallen in love with the full on phenolic power of their Ardbeg whiskies, but also with the stories of the distillery including the dark days and the miraculous re-birth of the brand. Bryan Simpson led participants through some of their weird and wonderful Ardbeg expressions, with some limited editions among the mix.

Bowmore has stood on the shores of Lochindaal since 1779, the original Islay. Home to one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses, the No. 1 Vaults. It’s in this legendary warehouse that Bowmore single malts have been meticulously matured and transformed for over 240 years. James Neil led a tasting explaining the "Art of Time", the traditions, skills and expertise passed down through generations of whisky makers and what that meant for this exceptionally balanced Islay Malt.

The Art and Diversity of Scottish Whisky

Whisky novices and whisky enthusiasts alike were taken on an exploration of the diverse and captivating world of Scottish whisky through sampling different styles and innovative releases from InchDairnie Distillery.

Taste of Imagination with Fettercairn Highland Single Malt Distillery

The innovative spirit of Fettercairn was revealed at the guided tasting led by Canadian Brand Ambassador, Emma Coady. Known for its unique copper cooling ring that shapes a tropical house style unlike any other Highland malt, Fettercairn pushes the boundaries of whisky-making with creativity and vision. A selection of distinctive expressions were explored while uncovering the craft, character, and imagination that define this remarkable distillery.

The Golden Age of Canadian Whisky is now! Canadian Whisky Awards head judge, Davin de Kergommeaux led this masterclass through the best of the very best – the winners of the 2026 Canadian Whisky Awards. The New York Times said Davin’s influence on the renaissance of Canadian whisky cannot be overestimated.

As America’s first bottled bourbon, Old Forester has been setting standards since 1870, with a legacy rooted in consistency and innovation. This legacy was presented as well as the rich history of the only bourbon continuously sold by the same company before, during and after prohibition. This session also dove into the brand’s unique approach to barrel aging, showcasing how time, wood and craftsmanship converge to create its signature flavour profile and how history and artistry come together in every sip.

Tomintoul Speyside Scotch

This exclusive masterclass with Fergus Hartley, showcased the finest whiskies from Tomintoul Distillery in Speyside, Scotland. It was a journey to the heart of the Cairngorms to discover the smooth, balanced character of Tomintoul, crafted with pure Ballantruan spring water, fresh mountain air, and their distinctive tall stills—offering a true taste of Speyside's renowned whisky heritage.

The story behind Canadian Rockies, a trailblazer in the Canadian whisky market for over 10 years, guided by renowned whisky educator Roberto Roberti. This masterclass offered a unique opportunity to taste their latest releases, freshly introduced to Canada, alongside rare archival whiskies not yet bottled. Roberto led participants on a journey through flavor, craftsmanship, and history, as he shared the story of the brand and the passion behind each expression. Education was combined with enjoyment and offered a rare chance to explore exceptional drams and deepen the appreciation of Canadian whisky.

For over 200 years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been dedicated to one craft: making fine bourbon whiskey. By honoring tradition while embracing innovation, it has earned a place among the world’s legendary distilleries. Master Blender Drew Mayville explored the art of blending, where mashbills and oak come together to create exceptional whiskey.

Adam Bradshaw shared exceptional independent bottlings from Signatory Vintage, featuring rare cask-strength single malts and grain whiskies with unique maturation profiles never before available to British Columbia.

Paul John Whisky is made from Indian 6-row malted barley and, for some variants, imported Islay and Aberdeen peat, distilled in traditional copper pot stills and then matured in charred American Oak casks at the company’s distillery in Goa, India. The Paul John Single Malt expressions (except Nirvana) are non-chill filtered, with no added colour, additives, or flavours. A selection of these exceptional spirits – that have won over 290 prestigious international awards – were presented at this masterclass.

Celebrating over 200 Years of Glencadam Scotches

This masterclass offered a special tasting of Glencadam Scotches to discover the distillery’s rich heritage, established in 1825, and its commitment to traditional craftsmanship that has produced award-winning Single Malts for more than two centuries. Guided by Fergus Hartley, the unique character and history behind Glencadam’s finest whiskies were explored, and their depth of flavour and timeless quality experienced. This was a rare opportunity to celebrate two centuries of excellence in whisky-making with an expert in the field. Each sip reflected the distillery’s dedication to preserving time-honored methods, delivering a whisky that is both authentic and exquisite.

The Spirit of Niigata: Shinobu Single Malts

Hosted by Reece Sims and TS Global, this exclusive masterclass took participants inside the world of Shinobu Distillery, where craftsmanship meets the rare elegance of Mizunara oak. Together, they tasted a selection of single malts and limited-edition single cask bottlings from Niigata, Japan, exploring how Mizunara oak imparts its signature sandalwood, incense, and exotic spice. This masterclass was a must-attend for those who sought a deeper appreciation of Japanese whisky’s artistry.

“The Glenfiddich Effect”

Sipping through the history and legacy of The Grant Family, Brand Ambassador Jamie Johnson, guided participants through a flight of The Worlds Most Awarded single malt, and wove a tale of how one of Scotland’s most famous family made an everlasting impact on Scotch Whisky.

Two Brewers started barreling single malt whisky in 2009, and sold their first bottles in 2016. This masterclass included what they were planning for 2026, 10 years of whisky, and what they had learned over that time frame, while enjoying a suite of their current offerings.

This masterclass, featuring 5 excellent single malts paired with the perfect pairing for whisky – chocolate - was for women to start or further their whisky journey. The delicious chocolates, made by Hot Chocolates of Courtenay, ensured a very special tasting.

This class was led by Viola Van de Ruyt, Victoria Whisky Festival Director, and along with her husband, has run and presented tastings for the Sidney Companions of the Quaich for over ten years.

This masterclass stepped into the world of Glendronach where rich heritage and craftsmanship take centre stage. It explored the distillery’s renowned sherry cask maturation process, delved into the unique character of select expressions, and offered a guided tasting that highlighted the bold, complex flavours Glendronach is celebrated for. An unforgettable experience of tradition, taste and storytelling for both seasoned enthusiast, or those new to the world of single malts.

Jack McCreadie, Brand Ambassador for Chivas Brothers, presented an in-depth exploration of how oak casks shape the character and complexity of Scotch whisky, delving into the artistry of cask maturation — uncovering how wood, time, and tradition define flavour, style, and quality. Participants sampled a curated selection of exceptional whiskies, including iconic expressions such as The Glenlivet 12 and the richly layered Aberlour 16, showcasing the evolving craftsmanship behind some of Scotland’s most celebrated single malts.

Stillhead Distillery founder and Master Distiller Brennan Colebank presented a unique tasting experience showcasing the potential of 100% Rye Whisky.

Located in the Galloway region of Southern Scotland, Bladnoch, known as the Queen of the Lowlands, is one of the oldest independently owned distilleries in Scotland. Established in 1817, its rich history spans nearly two centuries. In a new chapter, Australian businessman David Prior acquired Bladnoch and meticulously restored it to its former glory. To secure its future, Dr. Nick Savage, formerly of The Macallan, was brought on as master distiller. His creative expertise is evident in the exquisite Bladnoch whiskies. These handcrafted single malt whiskies are produced using the finest local ingredients, reflecting Dr. Savage's masterful touch and dedication.

Billy Walker has achieved about as much as one can achieve in the whisky business, from his early days at Chivas through the sale of BenRiach and GlenDronach. His newest venture at GlenAllachie Distillery, focusing on heavily peated spirit as well as richly sherried single malts, may be his best work to date. GlenAllachie has now won “World’s Best Single Malt” twice under Billy’s leadership. The full range of GlenAllachie expressions, both peated, sherried and other, were featured including a single cask bottled for 2026 festival.

Glengoyne is a family-run distillery, slowly distilling vibrant, fruity spirit in the finest oak casks—from Bourbon to Sherry—offering a diversity of flavour in their single malts, natural colour and unhurried since 1833.

Glenmorangie - Once Upon A Time In Scotland

Glenmorangie is known not only for their delicious single malt Scotch whiskies, but also for their philosophy and the concepts behind them; from the pioneering family who founded the distillery, to the innovative practices and ideas by their whisky creation team. National Brand Ambassador Bryan Simpson presented some of these wonderful expressions, including new and limited releases.

At the Victoria Whisky Festival for the first time ever, Glen Grant presented an inspired journey of flavour. For over 180 years, The Glen Grant Distillery has been creating outstanding and intriguing Speyside Single Malt Scotch whiskies that celebrate the innovation that has defined its lasting legacy. In this masterclass participants learned about the incredible history that makes The Glen Grant unique while sipping through the exceptional, award-winning principal collection as well as the first limited expression from the new Exploration Series.

Celebrate 30 Years of Whisky Excellence

Marking 3 decades in the Canadian whisky industry with an exclusive masterclass, Dr. Don Livermore presented a guided tasting of his latest releases, including: JP Wiser’s 27 Year Mizunara Cask Strength; JP Wiser’s 20 Year Red Letter; Lot 40 Oloroso Cask Strength; and a few surprise whiskies specially selected for this milestone event.

Michter's is proud to honor a historical legacy tracing back to the founding of America's first whiskey company in 1753. Today Michter’s has married this history to innovations in whiskey production that has led to the creation of some of the best whiskies in America..

Johnnie Walker: Art of the Blend

In this interactive Johnnie Walker masterclass, participants learned about the intricate process of blending Scotch whiskies and what it takes to make the world’s best-selling blended Scotch whisky. Working alongside a team and a Johnnie Walker brand ambassador, they created their own Johnnie Walker Private Label blend, utilizing premium Single Malts within the Johnnie Walker Portfolio!

The number one selling Islay Single Malt in the World is a fan favourite for flavour and history. James Neil led the masterclass through Laphroaig’s favourite expressions, a good dose of Islay lore, and some very special drams for Friends of Laphroaig and other participants.

This Masterclass focused on Suntory’s Bourbon history and innovations. Ray led participants through a sampling of some classic recipes and contrasted those with some unique innovations. “There is room for everyone in the world of Bourbon.”

A Whale’s Tale: Exploring Kujira Japanese Rice Whisky

Reece Sims and TS Global presented a flavour journey that redefined Japanese whisky. Distilled from rice and rooted in Okinawa’s centuries-old awamori traditions, Kujira whisky offers a tropical expression unlike anything tasted before. In this guided tasting, layers of sweetness, umami, and exotic fruit notes that capture the spirit of Japan’s southern islands, were uncovered.

The VIP Tasting was open to special guests of the 2026 Victoria Whisky Festival and VIP Ticket holders. It was held in the Vancouver and Pender Island Ballrooms prior to the Consumer Tasting and feature the full line of whiskies as at the Consumer Tasting. VIP Ticket holders were be able to explore the range of whiskies being presented for a full hour prior to the Consumer Tasting (Ticket price included VIP Tasting and Consumer Tasting).

The heart of the Festival was the Consumer Tasting being held in the Hotel Grand Pacific’s Pender Island and Vancouver Island Ballrooms featuring a myriad of distilleries and whiskies including Canadian whisky, Scottish single malts and blended whiskies, Irish whiskey, Japanese, Indian, French, Swedish, Australian whiskies and a variety of whisky and whiskey styles from the United States of America. Here one could sample from over 150 whiskies, the largest selection available for such an event in British Columbia.

Each attendee was provided with an engraved Glencairn whisky nosing & tasting glass as well as assorted product information from the presenters.

The Hotel Grand Pacific provided the best Hors d’Oeuvres from their award-winning kitchen and Chefs using local ingredients including the very popular & elusive haggis tarts created especially for the Victoria Whisky Festival! Here one could satisfy your whisky curiosity by sampling your choice of over 150 whiskies, the largest selection available for such an event in British Columbia.

The 20^th Victoria Whisky Festival ended in style as it had begun, with another fantastic performance byThe Rhythm & Booze Project paired with an equally fantastic whisky tasting – Laphroaig this time.