Celebrating Belfast’s whiskey heritage with the return of Ireland’s largest whiskey festival

The fifth Belfast Whiskey Week, Ireland’s largest whiskey festival, returns Friday, July 21 – Saturday 29.

Featuring multiple events and spanning nine days, Belfast Whiskey Week is running in partnership with 18 venues city wide and delivering sessions with over 30 brands and distilleries.

Designed to cater for a wide range of festival goers, this year’s programme includes whiskey tastings, cocktail events, theatrical experiences, chocolate making, comedy, fine dining experiences, heritage walking tours, music, fire-side talks, Irish dancing, candle making and food pairing sessions.

At this year’s festival sample hundreds of whiskies; exploring all style & variations, from production to perfection. Enjoy an eclectic mix of live music, comedy, food collaborations, walking tours, theatrics, cocktails, distillery days and much more. Enjoy exclusive dining and drink collaborations with well-known Belfast bars and restaurants. Join the Whiskey Expo to meet the brands and distilleries who will be pouring their whiskies for festival attendees to explore. Party with Belfast Whiskey Week at this year’s cocktail takeover at TradeMarket.

Celebrate with those who make whiskey work at the prestigious Irish whiskey industry awards.

Belfast Whiskey Week will collaborate with Belfast Hidden Tours, Irish Whiskey Review and Belfast Walking Tours to provide three unique whiskey walking tours throughout the city.

It will also be working in partnership with Irish Whiskey Magazine, Urban Bar, Belfast Whiskey Club, Echlinville Distillery, The Friend at Hand and the Duke of York, Willis Insurance and risk management, who return as festival partner, and Hastings Hotel Group as festival accommodation provider. Festival venues were selected for their strong whiskey links and their love of showcasing whiskey, these include Whites Tavern, The Merchant, The Duke of York, The Deer’s Head, A Peculiar Tea, Angel & Two Bibles, Urban Scullery, Tribal, Maddens, The Reporter, Nancy Mulligans, the National, Roam, Alba Steak House, Waterman House, TradeMarket.

Belfast Whiskey Week is a community led initiative driven by a group of enthusiasts from Belfast Whiskey Club. It was created as a platform for Belfast to reclaim its whiskey heritage, celebrate its distilling history as well as look forward to the exciting innovations and growth within the region.

Festival organiser Paul Kane, said: “We are delighted to announce details of the fifth Belfast Whiskey Week, Ireland’s largest whiskey festival. It is a must-attend event for those with an interest and taste for all things whiskey and as well as to help open up conversations with audiences new to whiskey or who have considered it not for them! Belfast is quickly re-emerging as an important place for Irish whiskey. Soon we will have two functioning distilleries, something the city hasn’t seen in over 70 years. The city is steeped in whiskey heritage and legacy spanning 300 years and it’s important to celebrate that.

“We hope to welcome thousands of attendees across the 9-day event and hope they enjoy the wide range of unique and different ways to engage with whiskey.”

Prices for Belfast Whiskey Week events range from £20-£250. Day passes are also available for £100 that include 4 Events between 12pm-12am. There are events across a variety of levels including introduction, intermediate and masterclass, through various experiences that will appeal to both whiskey enthusiasts and novices.