World Whisky Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday in May. According to World Whisky Day’s founder, Blair Bowman, this annual event is intended to be “a day of global whisky celebration.”
Bowman, a whisky consultant and leading authority on all things whisky, is the author of Pocket Guide to Whisky: Featuring the WhiskyTubeMap. He’s currently the Whisky Columnist for Scottish Field Magazine, and regularly hosts whisky tastings around the world. He has served as a judge of numerous whisky competitions, including the Denver International Spirits Competition and North American Bourbon and Whiskey Competition. He’s even hosted a TEDX talk on whisky! Needless to say, Blair Bowman is passionate about introducing the world to whisky.
That’s why, in 2012, Bowman founded World Whisky Day. According to their official website:
World Whisky Day is all about making whisky fun and enjoyable. It’s not about being exclusive or prescriptive. You can drink it however you enjoy it (ice, water, mixer – whatever works for you). We want to be all inclusive and that means any kind of whisky/whiskey from anywhere in the world.
World Whisky Day is also a chance for people to try whisky that may not normally consider themselves whisky drinkers. Bars around the country host events and cocktail competitions in conjunction with this annual event. But thanks to the power of social media, you can take part in the celebration, even if there’s not a formal event in your area. In past years, the folks behind World Whisky Day have hosted tastings via Twitter, online raffles for whiskies, decanters and glasses, and they’ve even produced a “dram a day” Advent calendar to help you count down the days to World Whisky Day… and try some new whiskies along the way!
If you’re new to whisky… or just want to try something new in honor of World Whisky Day… GreatDrams’ editor, Greg Dillon, recommends 10 essential whiskies to try, from Bourbon to Irish Whiskey, from Blended Scotch to a Japanese Hibiki.
Whether you enjoy your whisky on the rocks, with soda water, or mixed in a cocktail, there’s no wrong way to drink whisky! Sláinte!
World Whisky Day is typically celebrated worldwide.