WhiskyFest

I've attended Hansell's event for years in the past, then a few of those presented by Marvin Shanken, thereafter.  The ambiance and options at Hansell's events were different from those experienced, but there were reasons.  Yet, Shanken puts on an equally educational and entertaining Whisky Fest in Chicago, among other locations at a par to John Hansell, even better at times!  

We all miss Hansell, but Shanken is dedicated and determined!  Whisky Fest is the largest whisk(e)y event in the U.S., rivaled only by the more economical Whisk(e)y and Barrel Nite run by the same management that once handled Whisky Live.  

The challenge with Shanken's event is more logistical and financial for the distilleries and distributors.  However, the cost of putting on such an event is tremendous and cannot be overstated. I wish Marvin the best and look forward to seeing him post dates for Chicago in the future.

I’ve attended this event every year during most of the 2000s in NYC when John and Amy Hansell ran it, and once in Chicago a little over a decade ago. The locations dictate qualitatively different experiences. In NYC, I recommend wearing steel toed boots and lightweight body armor. And be prepared to deliver a preemptive elbow to the ribs when someone is moving in to push you out of their way. Chicago is a much more pleasant experience. The circumstance that I can imagine attending WhiskyFest again would be in Chicago as a secondary activity after attending Binny’s associated one night event which is a far more rewarding experience. The rugby scrum experience of the New York event is just not worth the bruises. 

A nice event for beginners to Scotch and Irish whiskey. Mainly the large corporates attending. Every stand had sales people who knew little about the whisky they were selling let alone the whisky making process or any history of whisky, regions etc. Really an event for beginners who can taste a lot of different corporate modern souless whisky.