Whiskies galore at travelling tasting show

Enlarge Photo A waiter is seen offering whisky in Caracas in this October 11, 2007 file photo....

Tue, Mar 4 12:40 PM

It could be paradise, a show carrying samples of the world's best whiskies travelling the globe offering tempting tastings for aficionados and the uninitiated alike.

Now in its eighth year, Whisky Live came to London at the weekend after visiting Auckland for the first time and before that Tokyo where whisky is immensely popular.

Bourbons, ryes, single malts, blended malts of different strengths and having been matured for differing lengths of time and in barrels that have previously held different alcoholic beverages to give them different flavours.

The variety of whiskies is as mind boggling as the effect they can have if consumed in excess.

"There is a whisky for everyone. If you haven't found one that suits you, you simply haven't looked hard enough," said Rob Allanson, editor of Whisky Magazine which organises the shows.

Swedish whiskies, Japanese whiskies, Canadian, American, Irish, even Scottish whiskies are on offer at the shows.

"There are hundreds of varieties," said Allanson. "Single malts do have that aspirational edge. That is where many people really want to get to. But there is increasing competition from bourbons and ryes which have a younger age profile."

After London, Whisky Live travels to Belgium next week then on to New York and Strasbourg in April, Paris in September, Barcelona, Los Angeles, Toronto and Glasgow in October before hitting Cape Town, Johannesburg and finally Leiden in November.

"This is to raise the profile of whisky and attract new drinkers," said Allanson. "It also illustrates the diversity of whiskies from liqueurs, blends and single malts."

And if the visitor stumbles across a whisky at the show that lights up their lives, the chances are they will also be able to buy it there.

With prices ranging from 25 to 250 pounds a bottle there are whiskies to suit all pockets as well as all pallets.

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