Raise a Glass
More than 200 whiskeys headed for Austin in traveling tasting festival
Whiskey Riot is coming to Austin in April.
On Saturday, April 5, whiskey nerds in Austin will have a chance to taste and compare more than 200 products at Whiskey Riot, a traveling whiskey festival. This will be the festivals fourth year in Austin — so even if guests try 50 whiskeys each time, they still haven't exhausted the lineup.
A press release invites both whiskey lovers and the "whiskey curious," and it sounds like past events have appealed to both because the 2024 event sold out.
Attendees will learn about whiskey from representatives of brands from near and very far, including some local to the Austin area and Central Texas: Austin's own Austin 101, Milam & Greene from Blanco, Balcones from Waco, and Maverick Whiskey from San Antonio, to name a few.
For a $90 ticket, attendees will get to sample all the whiskeys on the lineup, a commemorative tasting glass to take home, and some whiskey cocktails to break up the flavors. If guests also want to get there early for a more leisurely experience (and to pace out the alcohol consumption a bit), they can get a $120 early entry ticket; that gets them in an hour ahead and gives premium access to each brand and the cocktail bar.
Since more than 200 whiskeys is a lot to keep track of, the Whiskey Riot website also offers a free downloadable tasting worksheet. Using the notes section and a tasting wheel with descriptors like "botanical" and tasting notes like "coffee" and "honey," attendees can keep track of which discoveries were their favorites and why. The wheel might also help identify patterns of personal taste, so it becomes easier to find new favorites beyond the festival.
Whiskey Riot will be held April 5 from 4-7 pm (or 3-7 pm for early access) at Fair Market (1100 E. 5th St.). Guests must be at least 21 years old.
