With 800 expressions and 350 new releases, the festival offers plenty of opportunities to discover new favourites, alongside exceptional bottles for those who know exactly what they are looking for.
There is a particular pleasure in tasting something you would never have thought to order. At Whisky Live Singapore, that discovery might come in a glass of French whisky or through a Jamaican rum whose intense aromas transport you straight to the heady tropics.
That spirit of discovery runs through the festival’s 15th edition, which returns to EHL Campus (Singapore) on 21 and 22 November 2026. Presented by La Maison du Whisky (LMDW), it brings together 800 expressions across whisky, rum and fine spirits, 350 of which are new releases.
For first-time visitors, the Connoisseur Pass is a good place to begin. It gives you access to more than 40 brands and over 700 expressions, so you can follow a recommendation or try a style you’ve wondered about before committing to a bottle. Master distillers, master blenders and brand ambassadors will be on hand to help you choose, while Connoisseur masterclasses will be presented by Kavalan, Blanton’s, Nikka, GlenAllachie, Sullivans Cove and Elixir Distillers.
Not to be missed is an immersive experience by Hampden Estate, which invites you into the universe of this iconic Jamaican rum. Open to all pass holders, the dedicated room will host Fragrance of Trelawny, a guided sensory experience exploring the aromas of its rums through gastronomic pairings and tastings of the core range. Hampden’s slow fermentation with wild yeasts helps explain its distinctive aromatic character. With a guide beside you, those aromas become easier to recognise — and their possibilities rather more intriguing.
Also making its festival debut is Hampden Fresh, an unaged white rum named after the distillery’s term for spirit straight from the still. Bottled at 42% ABV, it brings Hampden’s aromatic personality to cocktails, with tastings and suggested serves available to all pass holders.
France has several introductions to make, too. Whisky drinkers can explore LAMAISON, LMDW’s new French whisky brand, making its Whisky Live Singapore debut. Its Whisky de Pays approach treats France as a country of complementary distilling talents. The first release, Triple Malted Grain, brings together malted barley, wheat and rye, drawing on 11 stills and seven types of casks. That is quite a cast of characters for one bottle. A dedicated masterclass with French whisky expert Matthieu Acar explores how these elements work together to create its texture and flavour.
Pegasus Vodka makes its Singapore debut with organic grains and water drawn from the distillery’s own well. LMDW describes its flavour profile as rounded, with subtle roasted-grain notes — a reason to pay attention to the vodka itself before reaching for the mixer. Alongside it, JNPR’s No/Lo range makes its Singapore debut, bringing botanical character and traditional copper-still distillation to alcohol-free cocktails.
The exploration of French craftsmanship continues with Citadelle Gin and Christian Drouin Calvados. Across the festival, suggested serves featuring Double Dutch’s premium mixers offer fresh ways to enjoy these spirits. Agave enthusiasts have their own discoveries to make. Corazón Tequila makes its Whisky Live Singapore debut, joining Arette Tequila and mezcals from Koch and Herencia de Sánchez.
Even the rarities need not be the preserve of seasoned collectors. A recreation of Golden Promise, LMDW’s Paris whisky bar, offers more than 120 rare and vintage spirits by the glass at special event prices. Salvatore Mannino, who oversees the Paris bar’s Collectors’ Lounge, joins Clement Kam from LMDW Singapore to help visitors navigate bottles more often encountered in auction catalogues.
For returning visitors and those seeking more elusive expressions, the VIP Pass offers early entry and access to a dedicated hall featuring selections from The Glenlivet, Martell’s Le Cercle, Secret Speyside, GlenDronach and Sullivans Cove. VIP masterclasses will explore Gordon & MacPhail’s old and rare vintages, Chichibu with Yumi Yoshikawa, and rare rum bottlings with Velier’s Daniele Biondi.
Among the VIP hall’s most anticipated highlights is ARTIST Nikka Whisky, a collection of eight single casks from Yoichi and Miyagikyo aged between 10 and 40 years, making its debut at Whisky Live Singapore. It includes the oldest single-cask releases from both distilleries and marks the first full Nikka collection in LMDW’s traditionally Scotch-focused ARTIST series, following 25 years of partnership.
The age statements are only part of the appeal. Yoichi’s direct coal-fired stills produce a weightier spirit known for its peaty and coastal character, while Miyagikyo’s steam-heated stills yield a more floral, fruity style. Each bottle features an original photograph by Yoshiki Hase, taken around the distilleries, connecting his exploration of time with whisky that has spent up to four decades maturing in casks.
For visitors keen to taste the collection’s most remarkable expressions, a separately ticketed ARTIST Nikka masterclass will feature the 35-year-old Yoichi alongside the 40-year-old expressions from Miyagikyo and Yoichi. The tasting will be guided by two of the driving forces behind the collection, Nikka’s Emiko Kaji and Philippe-Alexandre Bernatchez of LM&V Creations.
La Boutique offers the chance to take a favourite discovery home, with all ticket holders enjoying 10% off purchases, including new-to-market expressions and exclusive bottlings. The lasting souvenir may also be a better sense of your own taste — and a more interesting answer the next time someone asks what you would like to drink.
Whisky Live Singapore takes place on 21 and 22 November 2026 at EHL Campus (Singapore), 3 Lady Hill Road. Connoisseur and VIP passes are available at whiskylive.sg.
