What to Expect at Whisky Live Paris 2026

Whisky Live Paris is an international whisky and spirits tasting show held at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris. The 2026 edition runs from Saturday 26 to Monday 28 September, with Saturday and Sunday open to the public and Monday reserved for trade visitors. Started in 2004, it now bills itself as the largest whisky and spirits tasting event in the world, and its 2025 edition drew over 24,500 visitors to taste 2,000 whiskies and spirits from around 300 exhibitors across nearly 35 countries.

Key Takeaways

• Whisky Live Paris 2026 runs Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September for the public, plus a trade only Monday 28 September, at the Grande Halle de la Villette.
• The show is organized around themed zones: the main Plateau Dégustation, the Rhum Gallery, the Saké District, the Patio des Agaves for tequila and mezcal, an Espace VIP, and the separately ticketed Cocktail Street.
• The 2025 edition hosted around 300 exhibitors from nearly 35 countries, 2,000 whiskies and spirits, and 29 themed masterclasses.
• Confirmed 2026 masterclass names include Gordon & MacPhail, Nikka Whisky, The Dalmore with Richard Paterson OBE, Ardbeg, Kavalan, Michter's, Glenfarclas, Benromach and Chartreuse.
• New for 2026: the Golden Promise Week partners for the first time with the Jack Rose Dining Saloon of Washington D.C., adding 26 rare American whiskeys and bourbons to its Paris tasting menu.

Tip: Saturday and Sunday passes are priced separately, and a two day Pass Découverte works out cheaper than buying both days on their own. If tasting time matters more to you than ticket cost, the Pass VIP opens the doors an hour early, at 12:30, before the main floor gets busy.

What Is Whisky Live Paris

Whisky Live Paris began in 2004 and has grown every year since into what its organizers call the largest whisky and spirits tasting event in the world. It is organized by La Maison du Whisky, the Paris retailer and importer that has built one of the deepest whisky ranges in France. The show brings together distilleries, bottlers and importers from Scotland, the United States, Ireland, Japan, France and beyond under one roof, alongside a growing rum, saké, gin and agave spirits program.

The 2025 edition marked the show's 21st anniversary, and for the first time it filled the entire Grande Halle de la Villette rather than part of it. That expanded footprint carries into 2026, with the same venue and a broadly similar zone layout.

Dates, Hours and Venue for 2026

Whisky Live Paris 2026 takes place at the Grande Halle de la Villette, 211 Avenue Jean Jaurès, 75019 Paris, reachable by metro at Porte de Pantin (line 5) or by tram on line 3B.

• Saturday 26 September: 13:30 to 19:00 for standard tickets, from 12:30 for Pass VIP holders.
• Sunday 27 September: 13:30 to 19:00 for standard tickets, from 12:30 for Pass VIP holders.
• Monday 28 September (trade only): 10:00 to 18:00.

Entry is restricted to visitors aged 18 and over, and large bags, backpacks and bottles of spirits must go into the cloakroom rather than onto the tasting floor.

What to Expect: The Zones

The show is split into themed areas rather than one open floor. The Plateau Dégustation is the core of the event, where hundreds of exhibitors pour their whiskies, including a large share of previews and world premiere launches. The Rhum Gallery, close to 1,500 square meters, is dedicated entirely to rum, and the Saké District, launched in 2022, keeps growing each year. The Patio des Agaves is a 250 square meter balcony for tequila and mezcal, and the Espace VIP is set aside for rarer pours reserved for VIP pass holders.

Running alongside the ticketed show, Cocktail Street brings bartenders and brands out into the surrounding La Villette gardens for a free, cocktail focused public event. In 2025 it drew roughly 32,000 people over its three days, well beyond the ticketed show's own attendance.

Who Will Be There: Masterclasses and Names

Alongside the exhibitor floor, Whisky Live Paris runs a full masterclass and round table program, free to attend on a first come basis with any pass. The 2025 edition ran 29 of them; the 2026 program is already confirming well known names across whisky, rum and liqueurs.

Names confirmed for the Saturday and Sunday 2026 program include Gordon & MacPhail with commercial director Richard Urquhart, Nikka Whisky with Emiko Kaji, Kavalan with David Chen, Caroni with Luca Gargano, Ardbeg with distillery manager Gillian MacDonald, Michter's with Dan McKee, The Dalmore with master blender Richard Paterson OBE, Fuji with Jota Tanaka, whisky writers Serge Valentin and Dave Broom sharing a joint session, Old Pulteney with Sarah Burgess, Glenfarclas with Deborah Stewart, Chartreuse with Bertrand De Nève, and Benromach, again with Richard Urquhart.

What's New for 2026

The most notable change for 2026 sits just outside the exhibition hall. From 23 to 30 September, the Golden Promise Whisky Bar in the 2nd arrondissement extends the Whisky Live Paris week into the city with its Golden Promise Week. For the first time, it partners with the Jack Rose Dining Saloon of Washington D.C., a bar known for its American whiskey collection, to add 26 rare American whiskeys and bourbons, including several Pre Prohibition bottlings, to its own collector list of more than 1,000 bottles. Aged Chartreuse from La Maison du Whisky's private collection, including a Tarragona bottling, joins the same list. A Golden Promise Week pass, sold in Silver, Gold or Platinum tiers, gives up to 50 percent off these rare pours.

Beyond that addition, 2026 keeps the expanded, full venue format introduced for the 21st anniversary in 2025, running one day earlier in the month (26 to 28 September, against 28 to 30 September in 2025).

Tickets and How to Attend

Three pass types are on sale for 2026. The Pass Découverte covers the Plateau Dégustation, Rhum Gallery, Saké District and the Forum masterclasses, plus two free cocktails at Cocktail Street and a 10 percent discount in the pop up shop: €72 for Saturday, €66 for Sunday, or €122 for both days. The Pass VIP adds an hour of early entry at 12:30 and access to the Espace VIP on top of everything in the Pass Découverte: €130 for Saturday, €125 for Sunday, or €205 for both days. The Monday trade day is free to industry professionals, capped at four representatives per company, subject to accreditation.

Tip: Book online in advance through the official Weezevent ticketing link on whiskylive.fr. Walk up sales at the door are common at French trade shows this size, but arriving with a pass already loaded onto your phone avoids the queue at check in.

FAQ

When is Whisky Live Paris 2026?

Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 September 2026 for the public, plus a trade only day on Monday 28 September, all at the Grande Halle de la Villette in Paris.

How much are tickets?

The Pass Découverte runs from €66 for a single day up to €122 for both public days. The Pass VIP runs from €125 up to €205 for both days and adds early entry and access to the Espace VIP.

What is different about the 2026 edition?

The main addition is the Golden Promise Week's first partnership with the Jack Rose Dining Saloon of Washington D.C., bringing 26 rare American whiskeys and bourbons to the Golden Promise Whisky Bar's collector list for the week. The show itself keeps the full Grande Halle de la Villette format introduced for its 21st anniversary in 2025.

Who organizes Whisky Live Paris?

La Maison du Whisky, the Paris whisky retailer and importer, which has run the show since it began in 2004.

Is Whisky Live Paris only about whisky?

No. Alongside the main whisky floor it includes a dedicated Rhum Gallery, a Saké District, a Patio des Agaves for tequila and mezcal, and the separately run, free to attend Cocktail Street for cocktails.