Whisky from around the world gathered in Kyoto! This year, the two-day event will be held in four sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon each day. This is truly one of the largest tasting events in the Kansai region.
The organizer of the event is “Liquor Mountain Corporation,” headquartered in Kyoto City.
Importers and producers of whisky and spirits from Japan and abroad will gather to exhibit in about 80 booths. There will be free tastings, paid tastings of rare whiskies, sales of whisky grab bags, a charity auction, special seminars, and many other events.
The tasting will be held on Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6, 2023. Advance ticket sales began on Thursday, April 27 at the Liquor Mountain online store, E-Plus, Ticket Pia, Lo-Tike, and Liquor Mountain stores (limited to 700 tickets for each session).
Click here for an outline of the event.
1. How to purchase tickets
Available at the LIKAMAN Online Shop, E-Plus, Ticket Pia, Lochike, and Liquor Mountain stores.
■Click here for the Likaman Online Shop
■Click here for e-plus
■Click here for Ticket Pia
■Click here for L-TIKE
2. Outline of the event
| Venue | B2 “Prince Hall”, 1092-2 Iwakura-hatae-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0015, Japan |
| Access | 7 min. walk from “Kokusai Kaikan Subway Station” (3 min. walk from Exit 4-2) |
| Date & Time | Saturday, August 5, 2023 Part 1: 11:00 – 14:30, Part 2: 15:00 – 18:30 Sunday, August 6, 2023 Part 3: 10:00～13:30, Part 4: 14:00～17:30 |
| Price | Advance tickets 4,500 yen, at the door 5,000 yen (tax included) Advance tickets (1+2 and 3+4) are available for 8,000 yen (tax included) |
| Organizing | Liquor Mountain Co., LTD. |
2-1. Special offers for advance ticket purchasers
Present of tasting glasses & neck straps.
*One pair will be given per advance admission ticket.
*Advance tickets (1+2 and 3+4) are counted as 1 ticket.
*No special offer will be given for same-day tickets.
Image Source: Likaman Whisky Messe in KYOTO | Liquor Mountain Co.
2-2. Events on the day
Details have not yet been announced, but the following are planned. This is a high-profile event, as last year’s charity auction featured rare and valuable whiskies. The seminar and admission ticket will be sold as a set.
■Charity Auction
■Whisky grab bag sales
■Special Seminar
3. Finally
If you live in Kansai, why not join us? This is one of the largest whisky festivals in the world, and is sure to attract whisky lovers from other parts of the world as well.
Although exhibitors have not yet been disclosed, about 80 booths will be set up, so it will be interesting to see not only famous names but also the latest up-and-coming craftspeople.
Many whisky festivals have been held throughout Japan this year. There are also more scheduled for later this year. Whisky festivals are an event that I can enjoy no matter how many times I attend. If you have time, please visit the venue and taste the whisky while talking directly with the makers about their passion.
■Upcoming Whisky Festivals
Lastly: Recommended Books on Japanese Whisky
If you want to learn more about Japanese whisky, which is a global trend, we highly recommend these books.
(1).Whisky Galore Vol.29 December 2021 issue
In the December 2021 issue of Whisky Galore, published by the Whisky Culture Research Institute, we report on 11 Japanese craft distilleries, including some that are open to the public for the first time, under the title of “Japanese Whisky Craft Frontline,” the first of three consecutive issues. Why did the popularity of Japanese whisky and the craft boom occur? We will examine with interviews. Chichibu Distillery / Chichibu No.2 Distillery / Mars Shinshu Distillery / Mars Tsunuki Distillery / Kanosuke Distillery / Hioki Distillery / Ontake Distillery / Osuzuyama Distillery / Kaikyo Distillery / Hanyu Distillery / Konosu Distillery
(2). Japanese Whisky as an Education for Business
This is a book written by Mamoru Tsuchiya, a world-famous whisky critic and representative of the Whisky Culture Research Institute, titled “Japanese Whisky as a Culture that Works for Business” .
The book covers the basics of whisky, the introduction of whisky to Japan, the birth of Japanese whisky, advertising strategies and the rise of Japanese whisky, and the current rise of craft distilleries. This is a book that summarizes Japanese whisky in a very easy to understand way.
(3). Whisky and I (Masataka Taketsuru)
Masataka Taketsuru, the founder of Nikka Whisky, devoted his life to brewing whisky in Japan. This is a revised and reprinted version of the autobiography of a man who simply loved whisky and talked about himself. The book vividly depicts the days when he went to Scotland alone to study as a young man and overcame many hardships to complete Japanese whisky, as well as his companion, Rita.
(4). A Letter of Challenge from a New Generation Distillery
Launching in 2019. With the world experiencing an unprecedented whisky boom, what were the managers of craft distilleries thinking and what were their thoughts as they took on the challenge of making whisky? This book tells the stories of 13 craft distillery owners, including Ichiro Hido of Venture Whisky, famous for his Ichirose Malt, who inspired the birth of craft distilleries in Japan.
(5). Whiskey Rising
This is the Japanese version of Whisky Risng, published in the US in 2016, with much updated content. Not only does it describe the history of Japanese whisky in detail, but it also includes data on all the distilleries in Japan, including the craft distilleries that have been founded in recent years. The book also includes descriptions of the legendary bottles that have been released, as well as information on bars where Japanese whisky can be found.
