Among the international guests flying in for the event is David Ligoff, an Australian whisky expert making his second appearance at Tel Aviv’s festival. The co-founder of World of Whiskey, Australia’s first specialist whisky store, he will present master classes showcasing Australian whisky innovation across both days.
Whisky Live 2025 opened Wednesday at Expo TLV, marking the third year Israel’s largest international whisky event has called Pavilion 10 home. The two-day festival, running September 10-11 from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., brings together rare bottles, international experts, and master classes that show off the country’s rapidly maturing whisky culture.
This year’s event features dozens of rare bottles making their Israeli debut, alongside workshops led by ambassadors, master blenders, and independent bottlers from around the world. The festival has expanded significantly since launching in Israel in 2014, now positioning itself as the country’s largest alcohol event.
Israeli whisky taking off
Local surveys show increasing consumption and a growing number of domestic distilleries, with Israel’s own Milk & Honey distillery making international headlines when their Elements Sherry Cask won World’s Best Single Malt Whisky in 2023.
The numbers reflect this growing appetite for premium spirits. According to Debbie Shapiro, Country Director for the Department for Business and Trade at the British Embassy in Israel, UK alcohol exports to Israel reached £67 million in 2024, with Scotch whisky accounting for nearly £50 million – a 19% increase from the previous year.
“Whisky is more than just a drink. It’s a symbol of craftsmanship, culture, and connection,” Shapiro says. “At Whisky Live Tel Aviv, we’re proud to celebrate not only the strength of UK-Israel trade, but also the shared passion that brings our producers and consumers together, from the Highlands of Scotland to the heart of Tel Aviv.”
Leading this year’s expertise is Tomer Goren, the exhibition’s professional director and master distiller behind that award-winning bottle. Under his guidance, Whisky Live has introduced several innovations for 2025, including a premium stand with unique gold coupons that double the available bottle selection, and a luxury Business & Relaxation Lounge offering respite from the tasting marathon.
International collaboration
Among the international guests flying in for the event is David Ligoff, an Australian whisky expert making his second appearance at Tel Aviv’s festival. The co-founder of World of Whiskey, Australia’s first specialist whisky store, he will present master classes showcasing Australian whisky innovation across both days.
“The Israeli whisky community embraces innovation and creativity,” Ligoff explains, noting why he’s drawn to present in Tel Aviv. His sessions will highlight Australia’s unique approach to whisky making, where regulations allow for experimentation beyond traditional oak casks.
“In Australia, the rules are different,” he says. “You can use fence posts if you like, it just means you can’t export it because it wouldn’t be whisky anywhere else.”
Ligoff’s presentations will feature distinctly Australian innovations, including whiskies aged in red gum casks and even grain malted over fires fueled by sheep dung, a technique that caught celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay’s attention during a filming visit. These unusual methods show off the creative spirit that has seen Australia grow from a dozen whisky distilleries in 2012 to over 200 today.
This international collaboration reflects Whisky Live’s global reach. The event, organized by Whisky Magazine, takes place annually in over thirty cities worldwide, from London and Paris, to Hong Kong, Tokyo, and New York.
Another notable international guest this year is Tagore Ramoutar, a leading expert in English whisky and specialty spirits. He is a founding member of the English Whisky Guild, a trade organization dedicated to promoting and protecting English whisky, where he played a key role in drafting proposals for geographical designation of English whisky to establish its authenticity and protect against misrepresentation.
Ramoutar co-founded the award-winning Oxford Artisan Distillery, now called Phelean, and serves as director or consultant to three other young whisky producers. Since 2022, he has produced a monthly survey of the specialty spirits market, tracking over 85 distilleries and 900 beverages in Britain.
Whisky and politics
Beyond the tastings and workshops, this year’s festival addresses the challenges facing the global whisky industry. With companies shedding staff and distilleries closing worldwide, Ligoff notes that new world whiskies from Israel, Denmark, or England face an uphill battle against established Scottish favorites.
“When times are tough, people revert to what they know, which is what we call the 12-year-old Scotch,” he explains. “So new world whisky, be it from Israel or from Denmark or from England, has got an uphill battle to start off with.”
Despite these challenges, Ligoff remains committed to supporting Israeli whisky. When some Australian corporate events have requested he exclude Milk & Honey from his lineup, his response is firm: “I’ve said, well, in that case, I pass it on to one of my colleagues. I will not do that event. I’ve got zero tolerance for intolerance.”
Reach out to Jeremy.Ungar@israeltrade.gov.il to learn more about Israel whisky, for an introduction to David Ligoff, and to be considered for a whisky tour of Israel in September 2026.
Likely dates: 31.8.26 – 10.9.26
H/T: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-866750
israeltrade.org.au 