WhiskyPLUS is Malaysia’s premier whisky and spirits show. Following two successful years in Kuala Lumpur, there was enough interest to take the event to Penang, too! And after a long Covid delay, the biggest whisky show in Malaysia returned at the very end of 2021, followed by a great 2022 edition in November of last year. The 2023 edition marks the fifth anniversary of WhiskyPLUS in Malaysia.

Our aim from the beginning has been to spread the love and appreciation for quality whisky and other spirits by allowing guests to learn about and taste a wide range at a single, special event. WhiskyPLUS is held in a premium venue, and we limit the number of passes sold to ensure guests have a great experience without feeling jam-packed at every turn!

The PLUS refers to a few non-whisky offerings, specially chosen to allow boutique bottlers and craft distillers of other spirits to showcase their handiwork to enthusiasts like you! There will also be an outstanding range of Cuban and non-Cuban cigars on offer, plus the chance to talk with industry pros and insiders, too. Guests will also have a selection of cocktails and mocktails to sample between their whisky drams.

In order to allow more people to enjoy WhiskyPLUS, we chose to split a full day into two different sessions with fewer passes available for each session, rather than just having one long session with more passes. Not only does this help ensure a more comfortable and enjoyable experience, it also lets guests choose the time that best suits them.

For those who perhaps want to be introduced to whiskies or enjoy a casual yet comprehensive tasting session by day, our afternoon session is ideal. The afternoon sessions tend to be attended by more connoisseurs and enthusiasts, perhaps to ensure they get a chance to try some of the more coveted drams before they run out. (Spoiler alert: very few whiskies actually run out during the event!) The next session, on the other hand, will run in the evening and may offer a slightly different selection, but apart from that – and darker skies outside – the sessions will be much the same.

That’s fine by us, though we can’t say we really recommend it! But if you wish to buy passes to each session, you are of course welcome to do so. Kindly note, however, that the venue itself will be cleared and closed between the two sessions for cleaning, restocking, and general tidying up.

If there is any capacity remaining, we will likely sell some “Whisky Explorer” passes at the door like we did in 2022. These lower-priced passes allow a shorter experience (two hours), and do not include a meal box. Only a tasting glass will be included with entry, which may be taken home. These passes, if made available, will be very limited in number, and will only be announced a a little over a week before the event. With that in mind, entry passes are best purchased in advance.

Kindly note that if any passes remain, ONLINE SALES WILL BE DISCONTINUED THREE TO FIVE DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT. We will note this prominently at the top of the website in the days immediately prior to sales being stopped. If the event sells out prior to this, online sales will be discontinued at that time.

Though the World Health Organization has declared the long Covid-19 pandemic to be formally over, of course the virus still exists and some people remain nervous about large crowds. We do encourage attendees to be fully vaccinated (and boosted, as applicable), but we no longer mandate this nor screen at entry.

We encourage guests who have any doubts to take a simple rapid antigen test immediately prior to coming to WhiskyPLUS. It’s fast, inexpensive, and will give you peace of mind. For anyone testing positive, obviously do not come to the event, but let us know, and we’ll ensure your pass will be valid for the next WhiskyPLUS, with no top-up required if prices increase.

Security has always been of paramount importance, and WhiskyPLUS engages with professional security teams to ensure everyone stays safe and minds their manners.

Strictly speaking, nope. Come casual, come smart, we don’t really care. We would probably suggest not showing up in a singlet and flip-flops, but we don’t have a specific dress code. We want you to be comfortable and have a good time!

No. WhiskyPLUS is all about whisky and distilled spirits only. You will find a handful of special offerings of gin, rum, or vodka, for example, but there won’t be any wines or beers!

Check the pricing page for all the packages and passes which are currently available. Prices will be posted when passes are made available for sale, typically six to seven weeks before the event. As specific packages or passes sell out, we will remove them as options. For large groups (11 or more), please contact us directly for additional discounts.

Yes, for guests with a Standard or VIP pass, a voucher for a set meal box is included in your entry fee. For guests choosing the shorter-session Whisky Explorer pass, food is not included, but is made available for purchase.

This year at the KL event, there will be multiple VIP Lounges, and these are only for guests holding the Black VIP pass. The actual premium whiskies will be poured for sampling at the exhibitor’s booths in the main tasting room (the VIP-only bottles will be on a special mat at each exhibitor’s booth for easy identification), but VIP pass holders can access the lounge areas at any time for greater comfort and relaxation.

Kindly note that the number of VIP passes for each session is very limited and there are no multi-pass packages available for this tier.

Those who purchase a VIP pass will receive 10 spots on their wristband which can be redeemed for pours from the special VIP-only range of whiskies at exhibitor booths. Each pour will require a spot to be marked out, so you’ll enjoy up to 10 pours of premium-range whisky (in addition to the unlimited tastings from the rest of the range). These top-shelf whiskies would carry a hefty price tag in any bar serving them, so even though it’s not free-flow, the VIP pass offers you enough premium drams to be a superb value.

Absolutely! Though not every whisky offered for sampling can be purchased, a wide range of them will be made available for take-home purchase at the event at very attractive promotional prices. In fact, some bottles are only available for purchase. We do ask that guests not open their purchased bottles at the event, however.

In order to discourage driving after drinking, we have chosen a venue easily accessible via public transportation and one which offers easy access by Grab or taxi, too. If you do choose to drive, parking at the venue is offered at an inexpensive, flat rate with validation.

However, unless you’re staying at the hotel, we definitely recommend not self-driving, so take Grab, have a friend pick you up, or even stay overnight at the hotel following the event!

We are working with many brand owners, importers, and distributors from Malaysia and across the region to once again bring in a significant number of whisky brands (and various expressions of those brands). As more and more exhibitors are confirmed, these will be updated and noted on our website, so be sure to check back as we get closer to the event. Though we have not yet finalised the full list of brands on offer, you may rest assured there will be dozens to choose from, and as always, our hope is that you’ll be introduced to some new labels and expressions of whisky that you’ve never tried before.

Generally speaking, no. We expect a strong response to this event, and ticket sales will be limited, so in order to be fair and to ensure a quality experience, we have to plan based on the number of passes available for each session. So once the passes are sold, they’re not refundable. We’re also not keen for transfers since we don’t want anyone buying blocks of passes and then reselling them. Measures will be implemented to ensure passes are used only by those who purchase them and strict limits will apply for each purchase.

Transfers for urgent circumstances can be considered on a case-by-case basis, as we have done in the past. Just contact us, we’re always happy to help.
If the event has to be rescheduled due to any reasons beyond control, your purchase is guaranteed to be fully applied to the rescheduled date.

Well, it depends. We’re all human, and we understand that things change, so if you buy a pass for one session and later decide you want to come to the other one, just let us know – our info is on the contact page – and we’ll certainly see what we can do for you. If there are spaces available, we’ll help transfer your pass from one session to another. The transfer must be in the same tier (i.e., either Standard or VIP), and you must pay the difference if going from Session One to Session Two. If you’re moving from Session Two to Session One, however, you will not be eligible for a refund of the difference.

Basically, the same conditions apply. Just contact us ASAP, and if there are still passes available for the VIP tier in the session you wish to attend, we’ll be happy to let you upgrade for the difference in price.

You can’t, so please, please don’t try! With dozens of brands being exhibited, many of which offer numerous expressions, trying to sample even a small amount of every one of them would be a big mistake! Take your time, talk to the exhibitors, learn about their products, and enjoy the whiskies you find most interesting. Remember that this is a tasting event rather than a drinking event!