South African whisky lovers will once again be treated to a range of the most aspirational & exciting spirits on the market at this year’s FNB Whisky Live Festival taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre from 06 to 08 November 2013. This premier whisky tasting experience is a celebration of the best whiskies from around the globe and has been hosted in Johannesburg and other international destinations such as Paris, London, Tokyo, New York, Taipei and Shanghai for the past 10 years.
Owing to the growing number of whisky drinkers in Gauteng, the FNB Whisky Live Festival organisers announced today that an exciting new venue will be added to the Gauteng segment of the festival: the iconic township of Soweto. Soweto has long had a strong historical association with whisky- “a drink reserved for the wealthy”- from the “jiving” 1950s when the era of Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela sent blues and jazz down the streets of Sophiatown, to the current optimism of young trend setters in the aspiring middle class who can be found enjoying whisky at their favourite “chill out” spots over the weekend.
The inaugural FNB Whisky Live Festival in Soweto will take place at the University of Johannesburg Soweto Campus from 24 to 26 October 2013. Capturing the intrinsic values of Sowetan culture, the FNB Whisky Live Festival will be transformed into a new-look whisky lifestyle “village”, offering elements of jazz, fashion, Shisa Nyama outlets and true Sowetan hospitality. Local restaurants, such as Back Room, Nex Dor and Wandie’s Pub, will host whisky lounges – access to these VIP lounges will be the ultimate “badge” statement and certainly the place to be seen savouring whisky. The key focus will remain on whisky education and recruiting new-to-whisky drinkers. Core elements of whisky education, integral to the success of the Sandton event, will be incorporated into the mix.
“We are very excited to celebrate 11 years of the FNB Whisky Live Festival in Sandton and to announce the addition of the Soweto venue to the festival this year,” says Whisky Live Festival joint founder, Sian Neubert. “The continued growth of the event demonstrates the increasing demand for premium whisky experiences and related luxury products in the South African market, and we are proud to be expanding the festival to Soweto. Sowetans have been commuting to the northern suburbs for years, yet returning to Soweto at weekends. Now it is time to showcase whisky in their hometown.”
The FNB Whisky Live Festival in South Africa is still the largest whisky and lifestyle event of its kind and will continue to boast the experiential, “edutainment” format that has contributed to its popularity among whisky enthusiasts over the years.
Visitors can look forward to the unique opportunity of exploring the world of whisky from a wide selection of premium brands, and to sampling rare and sought-after whiskies. The experience also includes meeting the producers and master distillers of some of the greatest whiskies in the world.
According to FNB’s Chief Marketing Officer, Bernice Samuels, “The FNB Whisky Live Festival has always been about sharing the passion and unravelling the mystery around whisky. But even more so, it’s about like-minded friends, associates and whisky lovers gathered under one roof, tasting whisky and experiencing the premium lifestyle that whisky drinkers enjoy. Taking the festival to Soweto for the first time this year is testament to its popularity and we are sure the residents of Soweto will enjoy the opportunity to experience all the wonders whisky has to offer. We look forward to creating even more memorable experiences at the 2013 festival.”
Whether guests are new to the world of whisky or have been connoisseurs for many years, there is something of interest for every level of enthusiast at the festival.
Tickets are set to go on sale in August 2013. Subscribe to the Whisky Live Festival newsletter at www.whiskylivefestival.co.za to ensure you don’t miss out on any updates!
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KEY DATES
Soweto: 24 – 26 October 2013
Sandton: 6 – 8 November 2013
