Was at Glasgow 1st session with a couple of pals. Was there last year as well. TBH I think I’m going to leave the festival circuit alone for a few years. I really don’t think there’s that much about on the scene that is blowing me away at the moment. I want to support the new distillers and made a point of visiting Torabhaig, Raasay, Harris, Lagg etc but I don’t think what they are offering is worth the asking price. The ones who impressed me the most were the usual crowd Arran, Ardnamurchan, Thompson Bros but they are the darlings of the scene for good reason. I didn’t get round to Glasgow distillery or Lindores or a lot of the indie bottlers as time just seemed to fly which I suppose means I was having fun but i got a general feeling that almost everything I was trying was ridiculously overpriced case in point the Distell table there was no core range everything was over £100 a bottle the Bunna 21 cask strength I don’t think offered much more than the 12cs for triple the money there was a Feis Ile bottle that’s obviously not moved the way they hoped and I thought the Deanston drams were mid at best for what they were asking. Maybe it’s me getting fussier the further along the road I go with whisky but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it’s not at its best right now and a reset is needed. The layout has its downside as you said a lot of walking back and forward to find things but more than that I found it a bit of a rammy at times to get to tables and didn’t feel I got the chance to speak to the exhibitors much it was often ask to try something and stand back to let others in. I enjoyed the Fife festival a good bit more, it’s busy but a lot easier to get around the whole thing in the time.
@@greigmartin4339 I think that is all very fair points you have. Prices have become unmanageable, and I suppose festivals do offer the opportunity to try before you buy. But like you say, the ones that impressive tend to be ones that you are already on board with. Having a fallow festival year is definitely an option, as I do agree things can get awfully samey. I went and tried to seek out stands of things I hadn’t tried before or maybe had avoided, just to freshen up the experience a bit. The plus side of it though is an excuse for a day out with your pals, some drams and then pub after to chat through. Cheers for taking the time to share your thoughts 🥃
This is great wrap up - I've booked my LWF full weekend tickets and stay already for next year. Really interesting for the contrast; and I think it's so true the cost of all the elements around attending the shows have a big impact as well as the noise / being able to actually talk and chat to people.
Cheers! It’s definitely a ‘hidden’ cost and consideration when attending. By the time you factor those things in, it can be a substantial amount paid out to go! Glad you have your ticket, I’m trying to convince myself to get mine sooner than later!
Pre Lockdown I used to attend the Old & Rare Show in February and Dornoch Whisky Festival in October. Sadly, the Old & Rare didn't survive, but I now have the Croydon Whisky Festival in the Spring, so the year is balanced again! Both are smaller scale and more for enthusiasts, so they suit me better than the bigger, more crowded ones...
Croydon has fallen on days around my birthday the last couple of years (I think) and so I’m always double booked, but will try again for 2025! Dornoch, well that’s been on the list just even to visit, so hopefully next year as well. Shame the old and rare seems to have disappeared though
Great video about all three shows. Attended GWF this year for my first time and loved it! As you say it’s well spread out but I think it’s just the venue layout. Loved every minute and hope to make it back again.
To be honest, I think I was trying to find something negative, so it seemed balanced, the layout is something they can't really control unless they shifted to another venue. Was a great day, and the whole vibe seems to be echoed in comments, posts and other articles. Thanks for watching 🥃
Been going to LWS since 2012 and love it (although more corporate recently). Great Masterclasses there. Attended Paris this year for the first time which makes London seem small. Paris was overwhelming but has an incredible selection of whiskies and also great for rum. The VIP ticket is the way to go but be prepared to battle crowds. Cheers David!
Have heard that about Paris! Was on the list but I've been away too much this year already so had to give it a miss this year, on the '25 list though... The masterclasses I wanted to attend always end up being a day I'm not there, hence why I'm sorely tempted by 3 day ticket this time... 🥃
Great to have met you, such a hectic afternoon! Hope the haul got back safely across the pond, and no doubt you’ll have some amazing bottles to enjoy! 🥃
I love Whiskyfringe, being going since 2016. However, I missed this year due to getting facial surgery. Poor to hear about the masterclass and not being able to hear it. They used to have it in the room where they put the brands from the united states in, and it worked very well in there. I remember one year they had Loch Lomond doing a class and it felt like being in a distillery tour, tried their new make plus 4 or 5 other drams. I do enjoy GWF, only been going for the last two years and it was nice to meet you on that day. Ive been to EWF in Murrayfield which was decent, SNWF in glasgow and Edinburgh which were ok, whiskylounge which was really good last year but this year was the worst festival ive been too and I have also been to stirling festival last year, which was ok juat too small. However like you, im keen to try Paris live. It would be great to see a whisky festival in another country.
As an idea, the location was great for the masterclass. But in practice, terrible. I forgot about the Edinburgh Whisky Festival, it seems to come at a time in between others, and to make two trips to Edinburgh in one year, I’d be asking a lot! Paris is on the list, will need to see if it’s an overnight job or if I could muster a day trip… 🥃
Have heard that it was fantastic from some folk that attended! About time there was one in Wales, some great stuff happening and a really active whisky community there!
My favorite two events of the whisky fest calendar are Fife (Luvians) and Dumfries (T.B. Watsons). Fewer of the big boys, more independent bottlers, very reasonably priced (£35-£40) but most importantly great vibes.
Fife has been on my list, but it’s the practicalities of it all, the costs start adding up! Looks like a great one though, and again, very community focused!
Another great video. The masterclass was a bit disappointing, but at least RMW were decent enough to give you a refund and look to fix the issue. I think you'd really enjoy the Fife Whisky Festival, but you need to act fast buying a ticket. The Session 1 tickets now sell out within about 5-10 minutes. One minor correction regarding train ticket prices between Edinburgh and Glasgow, they remain off-peak at the weekend, so the price would still be around £18 return (at the time of writing).
Thanks, appreciate the kind words. Yeah Fife is on the list, its more the logistics of that one for me thats the biggest barrier. Hear you on the weekend fares, this was a Friday, but as the Fringe show is all weekend, that is good to know!
Dude what a shit show with the audio, how amateurish. Of course you should've complained and good on you for doing so! Thanks for taking us on a walk David, I enjoyed this :) I think the appeal of the Edinburgh one is being in the city and taking it all in when you're there. If they did it outside of Fringe time I don't think it would be that good. The dram quality at Glasgow seems unreal! Why so short though? Can you attend both sessions? London is massive, sorry I missed you this year but hopefully will see you next year. Even after 3 whole days I still didn't do everything I wanted to! I've not been but a few friends of mine went to Paris this year and bought the VIP tickets where you get more drams but the videos and photos were absolute pandemonium! They couldn't get a dram for 20 minutes at certain stands and it all looked a bit too uncomfortable. Cheers man, great video!
Thanks for watching! Agree with the take on Edinburgh, you'd need to be planning on staying there, and timing with the fringe makes sense. There is the other Edinburgh whisky festival held in the autumn, but I've not been able to make it the last couple of years so would be interesting to see how that compares. Glasgow, it's a one session per person rule, makes sense as I think they want to ensure as many people can attend as possible without overdoing it. Yeah, we can testify first hand how huge Londons show is, the fact I never bumped into you at all! But always next time! Paris I heard had issues like that, which is a shame but I suppose will happen when you get to the scale of that show. I do wonder if the VIP tickets also contribute to the problems, with expectations raised. Would still be great to visit though, any excuse for some time in Paris! Cheers 🥃
Was at Glasgow 1st session with a couple of pals. Was there last year as well. TBH I think I’m going to leave the festival circuit alone for a few years. I really don’t think there’s that much about on the scene that is blowing me away at the moment. I want to support the new distillers and made a point of visiting Torabhaig, Raasay, Harris, Lagg etc but I don’t think what they are offering is worth the asking price. The ones who impressed me the most were the usual crowd Arran, Ardnamurchan, Thompson Bros but they are the darlings of the scene for good reason. I didn’t get round to Glasgow distillery or Lindores or a lot of the indie bottlers as time just seemed to fly which I suppose means I was having fun but i got a general feeling that almost everything I was trying was ridiculously overpriced case in point the Distell table there was no core range everything was over £100 a bottle the Bunna 21 cask strength I don’t think offered much more than the 12cs for triple the money there was a Feis Ile bottle that’s obviously not moved the way they hoped and I thought the Deanston drams were mid at best for what they were asking.
Maybe it’s me getting fussier the further along the road I go with whisky but I couldn’t shake the feeling that it’s not at its best right now and a reset is needed.
The layout has its downside as you said a lot of walking back and forward to find things but more than that I found it a bit of a rammy at times to get to tables and didn’t feel I got the chance to speak to the exhibitors much it was often ask to try something and stand back to let others in.
I enjoyed the Fife festival a good bit more, it’s busy but a lot easier to get around the whole thing in the time.
@@greigmartin4339 I think that is all very fair points you have. Prices have become unmanageable, and I suppose festivals do offer the opportunity to try before you buy. But like you say, the ones that impressive tend to be ones that you are already on board with.
Having a fallow festival year is definitely an option, as I do agree things can get awfully samey. I went and tried to seek out stands of things I hadn’t tried before or maybe had avoided, just to freshen up the experience a bit. The plus side of it though is an excuse for a day out with your pals, some drams and then pub after to chat through. Cheers for taking the time to share your thoughts 🥃
This is great wrap up - I've booked my LWF full weekend tickets and stay already for next year. Really interesting for the contrast; and I think it's so true the cost of all the elements around attending the shows have a big impact as well as the noise / being able to actually talk and chat to people.
Cheers! It’s definitely a ‘hidden’ cost and consideration when attending. By the time you factor those things in, it can be a substantial amount paid out to go! Glad you have your ticket, I’m trying to convince myself to get mine sooner than later!
Yeah agree with the others a really nice compilation and assessment of the festivals Cheers David.
Thanks for taking the time to watch 🥃
Pre Lockdown I used to attend the Old & Rare Show in February and Dornoch Whisky Festival in October. Sadly, the Old & Rare didn't survive, but I now have the Croydon Whisky Festival in the Spring, so the year is balanced again! Both are smaller scale and more for enthusiasts, so they suit me better than the bigger, more crowded ones...
Croydon has fallen on days around my birthday the last couple of years (I think) and so I’m always double booked, but will try again for 2025! Dornoch, well that’s been on the list just even to visit, so hopefully next year as well. Shame the old and rare seems to have disappeared though
Great video about all three shows. Attended GWF this year for my first time and loved it! As you say it’s well spread out but I think it’s just the venue layout. Loved every minute and hope to make it back again.
To be honest, I think I was trying to find something negative, so it seemed balanced, the layout is something they can't really control unless they shifted to another venue. Was a great day, and the whole vibe seems to be echoed in comments, posts and other articles. Thanks for watching 🥃
Been going to LWS since 2012 and love it (although more corporate recently). Great Masterclasses there. Attended Paris this year for the first time which makes London seem small. Paris was overwhelming but has an incredible selection of whiskies and also great for rum. The VIP ticket is the way to go but be prepared to battle crowds. Cheers David!
Have heard that about Paris! Was on the list but I've been away too much this year already so had to give it a miss this year, on the '25 list though...
The masterclasses I wanted to attend always end up being a day I'm not there, hence why I'm sorely tempted by 3 day ticket this time... 🥃
Thanks for a great summary. I've only been to the GWF, and it was great to meet you there.
Great to have met you, such a hectic afternoon! Hope the haul got back safely across the pond, and no doubt you’ll have some amazing bottles to enjoy! 🥃
I love Whiskyfringe, being going since 2016. However, I missed this year due to getting facial surgery. Poor to hear about the masterclass and not being able to hear it. They used to have it in the room where they put the brands from the united states in, and it worked very well in there. I remember one year they had Loch Lomond doing a class and it felt like being in a distillery tour, tried their new make plus 4 or 5 other drams.
I do enjoy GWF, only been going for the last two years and it was nice to meet you on that day.
Ive been to EWF in Murrayfield which was decent, SNWF in glasgow and Edinburgh which were ok, whiskylounge which was really good last year but this year was the worst festival ive been too and I have also been to stirling festival last year, which was ok juat too small. However like you, im keen to try Paris live. It would be great to see a whisky festival in another country.
As an idea, the location was great for the masterclass. But in practice, terrible.
I forgot about the Edinburgh Whisky Festival, it seems to come at a time in between others, and to make two trips to Edinburgh in one year, I’d be asking a lot! Paris is on the list, will need to see if it’s an overnight job or if I could muster a day trip… 🥃
I attended the inaugural Wales Whisky Fest this November and thought it was very well put together
Have heard that it was fantastic from some folk that attended! About time there was one in Wales, some great stuff happening and a really active whisky community there!
My favorite two events of the whisky fest calendar are Fife (Luvians) and Dumfries (T.B. Watsons). Fewer of the big boys, more independent bottlers, very reasonably priced (£35-£40) but most importantly great vibes.
Fife has been on my list, but it’s the practicalities of it all, the costs start adding up! Looks like a great one though, and again, very community focused!
@drinkswhisky I'm lucky to have a pal whose mum lives in Cupar so we crash there.
I will be attending The Whisky Show next year on the Friday night. Still have to book accommodations. 🇳🇱
Fantastic, you'll have a fantastic time! Make sure to use the map!
Another great video. The masterclass was a bit disappointing, but at least RMW were decent enough to give you a refund and look to fix the issue.
I think you'd really enjoy the Fife Whisky Festival, but you need to act fast buying a ticket. The Session 1 tickets now sell out within about 5-10 minutes.
One minor correction regarding train ticket prices between Edinburgh and Glasgow, they remain off-peak at the weekend, so the price would still be around £18 return (at the time of writing).
Thanks, appreciate the kind words. Yeah Fife is on the list, its more the logistics of that one for me thats the biggest barrier.
Hear you on the weekend fares, this was a Friday, but as the Fringe show is all weekend, that is good to know!
Thanks for the summary, David. Gives a good overview of the different festivals.
Slàinte mhath
Glad you enjoyed!🥃
Dude what a shit show with the audio, how amateurish. Of course you should've complained and good on you for doing so! Thanks for taking us on a walk David, I enjoyed this :)
I think the appeal of the Edinburgh one is being in the city and taking it all in when you're there. If they did it outside of Fringe time I don't think it would be that good.
The dram quality at Glasgow seems unreal! Why so short though? Can you attend both sessions?
London is massive, sorry I missed you this year but hopefully will see you next year. Even after 3 whole days I still didn't do everything I wanted to!
I've not been but a few friends of mine went to Paris this year and bought the VIP tickets where you get more drams but the videos and photos were absolute pandemonium! They couldn't get a dram for 20 minutes at certain stands and it all looked a bit too uncomfortable.
Cheers man, great video!
Thanks for watching! Agree with the take on Edinburgh, you'd need to be planning on staying there, and timing with the fringe makes sense. There is the other Edinburgh whisky festival held in the autumn, but I've not been able to make it the last couple of years so would be interesting to see how that compares.
Glasgow, it's a one session per person rule, makes sense as I think they want to ensure as many people can attend as possible without overdoing it.
Yeah, we can testify first hand how huge Londons show is, the fact I never bumped into you at all! But always next time!
Paris I heard had issues like that, which is a shame but I suppose will happen when you get to the scale of that show. I do wonder if the VIP tickets also contribute to the problems, with expectations raised. Would still be great to visit though, any excuse for some time in Paris!
Cheers 🥃