Independent Spirits Festival 2026 Review

The Greatest Whisky Event

After my second time attending the Independent Spirits Festival in Leith, Edinburgh, I can say this with total confidence. This is the greatest whisky event out there.

The day kicked off with a screening of the documentary Farm to Flavour, which tells the story of brands building whisky from the ground up, literally. We followed it with a Q&A featuring Joe from Spirit of Yorkshire and Francis from Daftmill.

The drams were absolutely banging, though the pours came so fast I was grateful for a quick curry break to reset before the main event.

Once the gates opened at Leith Theatre, things went from great to mind blowing. Organizers David Stirk, Roy, and the Water of Life team created an atmosphere that felt like whisky enthusiasts pouring for whisky enthusiasts.

Banff, Turntable, Gordon & MAcphail, Fragrant Drops Signatory, Woodrows and much more!

This festival is bottled magic. It has the scale of the big shows but the heart of a local tasting. If you like world class liquid and even better people, mark your calendars for 2027.