It’s that time of year again folks! Yup, the 12th FNB Whisky Live Festival is about to roll into Johannesburg and take up residence at the Sandton Convention Centre for another 3 days from 12-14 November.

What can you expect at Whisky Live this year?
As usual, there is plenty on the go from workshops to private tastings and more. Some things to watch out for include:

The 2014 edition of John Walker & Sons Private Collection will be showcased at the festival
Iam MacMillan and Pierre Meintjes will be on hand to walk you through the Bunnahabhain range and their new release, Eirigh na Greine (pronounced Ae-ree ne gray-nyuh) which is Gaelic for “Morning Sky”, matured in red wine casks
Dominic Walsh, Monkey Shoulder’s ambassador, will show off the versatility of Monkey Shoulder with the option of trying it neat or in an impressive whisky cocktail. To make good cocktails you need a good whisky and Monkey Shoulder certainly fits the bill
Wild About Whisky legend Steve Adams will be pouring some new-to-SA whiskies in the form of Tullibardine, Tamdhu, Tomatin and Smokehead.
Some great expressions from Balblair’s Vintage single malt whiskies will be explored with Stuart Harvey, Master Blender for Inver House Distillers (Balblair, AnCnoc, Old Pulteney and others).
And a SA whisky show would not be complete without our very own Andy Watts – master distiller at the James Sedgwick Distillery (home of Three Ships and Bain’s) – who will share the soon-to-be-released 2015 Three Ships 10yo single malt and some divine work-in-progress samples straight from the distillery

For more details, head on over to the FNB Whisky Live website.

A WHISKY TASTING FELLOWSHIP SCOOP!
Having tasted pretty much every whisky on offer at the festival this year I am always looking for the under-the-counter bottles the distillers and brand ambassadors have with them. Something new. And I always head on over to the World Whisky Awards and Independent Bottlers’ Challenge stands as you are pretty much guaranteed that you won’t see any of their whiskies on local shelves any time soon. And this year is going to be a cracker!
I’ve got my hands on the full listing from the folks at Whisky Live after hacking into their mail server and pulling down all the top secret whisky files. Ok, not true. All I had to do was ask and they kindly sent it to me and now I get to share it with you – the whisky lover.

Your Complete Whisky Live SA WWA & IBC Whisky List
Once you’ve gone through the list, go through it again… and again. Did you see the Speyside 50yo from Master of Malt? How about the Malts of Scotland North British grain whisky? And the Wemyss Malts Peat Chimney (sounds like my kind of whisky!!)? Or maybe the SLYRS Sherry Edition from Germany tickles your fancy? You see what I mean? PLENTY of cool whiskies to try if you’ve already tasted all the standard ranges available in SA.
Let’s dive right in…

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Independent Bottlers’ Challenge

Brand
Expression
ABV

Malts of Scotland
Laphroaig
58.20%

Malts of Scotland
Images of Islay
53.20%

Malts of Scotland
Highland Park
47.80%

That Boutique-y Whisky Company
Benrinnes
49.50%

Darkness
Aged 18
52.70%

Darkness
Aged 22
57.80%

Single malts of Scotland
Longman Distillery
49.70%

Master of Malt
Deanston 19 YO
58%

Master of Malt
Speyside 50 YO
43%

Master of Malt
Arran 17 YO
53.60%

Dramboree
2014
58.80%

Signatory Vintage
Cambus 1991
53.80%

Signatory Vintage
Auchroisk 1990
61.50%

SMWS
26.101
59.30%

SMWS
7.1
58.70%

SMWS
2.85
61.40%

The octave
Miltonduff
55.60%

The Octave
Strathclyde
54.30%

Darkness
Aged 15
52.90%

Malts of Scotland
Caol Ila
47.20%

Wemyss Malts
Campletown 1991
46%

Wemyss Malts
Lemon Zest
46%

Wemyss Malts
Loch Indaal Catch 1982
46%

SMWS
21.28
48.10%

SMWS
36.77
59.10%

SMWS
72.3
49.90%

The Tweedale
Lowland grain scotch 16YO
46%

The Tweedale
Lowland grain scotch 14 YO
46

Wemyss Malts
Pasille Bouquet
46%

Benmon
Blue
42.80%

Speyside 16 YO
Linkwood-Glenlivet
48%

Signatory Vintage
Auchentoshan 1997
46%

Wemyss Malts
Speyside
46%

Granmon
rare
42.80%

Stronachie
Small Batch Release
43%

Tasmanian Heartwood
Convict Redemption
71.90%

The Clan Denny
Invergordon
53.60%

Moonstag
Grain Whisky
42.80%

Malts of Scotland
North British
55.80%

Malts of Scotland
Strathmore
43.80%

That Boutique-y Whisky Company
Highland Park
46%

Biostar
Royal Blend
42.80%

The Golden Cask
Invergordon
55.80%

Mackillops Choice
Tormore 1988
47.80%

The Pearls
Ben Nevis
51.80%

Mackillops Choice
Highland Park 1985
51.60%

The Golden Cask
Caol Ila
56%

The Pearls
Invergordon
43.40%

The Pearls
North of Scotland
43.30%

The Golden Cask
Bunnahabain
44%

Douglas
Auchentoshan 11 YO
46%

Dimensions
Tormore 24YO
53.60%

Celtic Cask
2000 Tri
46%

Celtic Cask
1991 Cuig
46%

Celtic Cask
1991 Se
46%

That Boutique-y Whisky Company
Invergordon
58.30%

Celtic Cask
2001 4
46%

World Whisky Awards

Brand
Expression
ABV

SLYRS
Sherry Edition
46%

Stauning
Young Rye
51.20%

The King Of Scots
Rare & extra old
43%

Wemyss Malts
Peat Chimney
40%

Wisers
Legacy
45%

The Irishman
Superior Irish Whiskey
40%

Koval
Bourbon
47%

Rock Town Distillery

45%

Grand Royal
Special Reserve
43%

Wild Turkey
American Honey
35.50%

Glen Moray
12YO
40%

Cedar Ridge
Bourbon
40%

Wisers
Spiced
43%

Wisers
Delux
40%

JP Wisers
Rye
40%

Bushmills
Irish Honey
35%

Rogue Ales

40%

Sons of Liberty
Winter Release
40%

Connemara
Peated single malt
40%

Ledaig
10YO
46.30%

Caribou Crossing
Single Barrel
40%

The wild geese
Single Malt
43%

The Arran Malt
12YO
53.90%

Amorik
Double Maturation
46%

P & M
Corsican Whisky
49%

Tullamore Dew
10YO
40%

Mackmyra
Privus 04
55%

Pike Creek
Pike Creek Vintage
40%

SLYRS
Single Malt Whisky
43%

Millstones
PX Cask
46%

Boxes Blend

40.90%

Something Special
Blended
40%

Kavalan
Port Cask finish
40%

Kavalan
Single Malt
40%

Forty Creek
Barrel Select
40%

Old Master
G
40%

The Tunbridge Wells
Maple Whisky Liqueur
29.90%

Kornog

57.80%

Forty Creek
Copper Pot
43%

Dewar’s
White Label
40%

Scottish Leader
12YO
40%

Poit Dhubh
21 YO
43%

Moment
6
40%

Penderyn
41 Madeira
41%

Gaelic Whisky
Te Bheag
40%

JP Wiser’s
Spiced
43%

Master of Malt
8YO
40%

William Lawson

40%

Please note: These whiskies were correct – as provided – at time of publishing, they may have changed since or may not be available at the festival. Some of the names are incomplete, but that just serves to arouse more curiosity don’t you think? Here’s hoping you get to try a few of them.
So many whiskies and such little time…
Be sure to drop a comment below and let me know which of the whiskies above you have set your sights on. I’m always interested in finding out what my readers like in their glass, and why.
Please be aware: there is literally one bottle of each of the whiskies listed above, and I can’t tell you which whiskies will be available on any given night. The organizers have got to stretch the supply out across all three nights, so don’t take too long to get over to the WWA and IBC stands for a tasting. You have been warned!
I look forward to seeing you all there. I’ll be wandering the floors – just look for the tall handsome chap with a big grin on his face and a dram in his hand.
Sláinte!