From humble beginnings the Victoria Whisky Festival has grown to become one of the top-rated festivals in the world, a recognition earned through the broad range of offerings that mix longstanding favourite distilleries with a first look at new ones from all corners of the world. For the 20th Festival, organisers have brought together a multinational lineup of presenters, engaging presentations and hands-on experiences to celebrate two decades of whisky appreciation in Victoria. Tickets go on sale in November with a variety of packages and single tickets available.
Running January 15 to 18, 2026, Victoria Whisky Festival Grand Tastings and Masterclasses offer a glimpse behind the curtain into a distillery’s unique history, mythology and flavour profile.
This Festival will kick off this year with a unique whisky tasting experience: The Rhythm & Booze Project, a blues duo hailing from the UK. Attendees will be treated to a gritty mix of roots, folk, and blues music presented with a selection of Scotch Malt Whisky Society whiskies for an immersive whisky tasting experience. Rhythm & Booze bookends the Festival with a Laphroaig tasting on Sunday.
“Whisky is about enjoyment and we have put together a schedule of events that focuses on enjoyment – enjoying with people, enjoying with music as well as interactive experiences,” says Frank Hudson. “It’s a place where you can focus on the kinds of whiskies you typically drink or you can spend an hour trying something new and expand your horizons. It’s completely up to you.”
A broad selection of distilleries will be in attendance including a significant number of Scottish distilleries.Over 50 distilleries will represent countries from around the globe including Scotland, Ireland, England, Canada, United States, Japan, India, and France. Whisky types range from smoky, heavily peated Islay whiskies to the lighter malts of Speyside to the delicate whiskies of Japan.
Ichiro’s Malt from Japan is presenting a masterclass for the first time, offering a peek into this rapidly-growing distillery and their globally sought after whiskies. And Guelph Ontario’s Spring Mill range of whiskies will be presented by John and Cooper Sleeman. Michael D’Souza, master blender at India’s Paul John distillery, is travelling to the Festival to present their multiple award-winning lineup. And Dante Raphael Concepcion Jr will present a Johnny Walker blending class. Participants will learn about the art of blending and create their own Johnny Walker Private Label blend. France’s Armorik Distillery masterclass features a tasting and a tour of the distillery with presenter Paul Klocke who will be livestreamed from France.
Independent bottlers, rising stars in the Whisky world, are also on the schedule with Gordon & McPhail, Compass Box, Living Souls, Signatory Vintage and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society all in attendance. Independent bottlings are a growing trend as whisky appreciators seek new expressions from their favourite distillery or pursue a particular flavour profile. Independent bottlers also present opportunities for unique collaborations such as The Strath’s special Signatory cask bottlings which will be released during the Festival.
Local distilleries are keen to share their story and whisky philosophy. Duncan’s Stillhead Distillery, Shelter Point Distillery from Campbell River and Macaloney’s Island Distillery from Saanich will all present masterclasses paired with stories of how they came to be, as well as some hints about what is coming next.
Canadian pride will be on display, with a Masterclass featuring winners of the Canadian Whisky Awards and Suntory Global’s showcase of Canadian whiskies from across the country. Canadian Rockies, which launched their 21 year old whisky at the Victoria Whisky Festival in 2018, is returning to showcase their latest releases newly introduced to Canada. The Canadian Whisky Awards on Thursday, January 15, will announce the best in Canadian Whisky for the previous year.
Tickets for out of town attendees will be on sale on Friday, November 21. Call Hotel Grand Pacific 1-800-663-7550 to purchase a ticket package in conjunction with a hotel room reservation. Tickets for in-town attendees will be on sale 9 am to 12:00 pm on Sunday, November 23 at the Strath Liquor Merchants, 919 Douglas Street
Proceeds from the Victoria Whisky Festival support local charities including T.L.C. Fund for Kids, Victoria Crime Stoppers, as well as nearly two dozen other charities since 2019.
The Victoria Whisky Festival is held annually at the Hotel Grand Pacific. The Festival hosts four days of events including the Canadian Whisky Awards, Grand Tastings, Masterclasses, and consumer tastings. Presenters come from around the world. The 2025 Victoria Whisky Festival raised over $40,000 for local charitable organizations. Details at www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com.
Packages and single tickets are now available from The Strath at https://www.strathliquor.com/