Tbilisi's Whisky Festival 2026: Two Days of World Spirits at Sheraton Grand Metechi Palace, May 16–17

Georgia is known to the world primarily for wine — and rightly so, given that the country has been making it for 8,000 years and that its Kvevri clay vessel fermentation method is a UNESCO-recognised Intangible Cultural Heritage. But Tbilisi has a growing, confident, internationally connected spirits culture that extends well beyond the native grape, and every May it makes that culture visible in the most enjoyable way imaginable: two full days of whisky, gin, brandy, and craft spirits at one of the finest hotel venues in the Caucasus.

Tbilisi's Whisky Festival 2026 — described as the first and largest whisky festival in the Caucasus region — takes place on Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17, 2026 at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace, with doors opening at 14:00 on Saturday and 13:00 on Sunday.

One-day ticket: 65 GEL (~€22). Two-day ticket: 95 GEL (~€32). Tasting tokens available on-site.

Why Tbilisi Hosts One of the Caucasus' Best Whisky Events

The idea of a major international whisky festival in Tbilisi might surprise people who associate Georgia exclusively with wine culture — but it reflects something real about the city's contemporary identity.

Tbilisi is, by almost any measure, one of the most rapidly internationalising cities in Europe and the wider region. Its 1.1 million residents include a growing international community of expats, digital nomads, and long-term visitors drawn by the combination of low cost of living, excellent food and wine culture, a UNESCO-protected Old Town, and a nightlife scene that has earned the city a reputation across Europe.

The spirits culture that has developed alongside the restaurant and bar scene in the Fabrika complex, along Vera neighbourhood's wine bars, and in the cocktail bars of the Sololaki Old Town district is sophisticated, curious, and genuinely interested in the full range of international spirits alongside Georgia's own wine and chacha (grape marc spirit) traditions.

A festival that brings together international whisky brands, Georgian spirits distributors, gin producers, brandy makers, and the city's growing community of spirits enthusiasts is not an anomaly in this context — it is a natural expression of where Tbilisi's food and drink culture has arrived in 2026.

What the Festival Covers: Whisky, Gin, Brandy, and More

Tbilisi's Whisky Festival is not purely a whisky event — the title is a branding choice that leads with the most recognised premium spirits category, but the actual programme covers a significantly broader range:

Whisky

The core of the festival is a comprehensive showcase of whisky from the major producing regions:

• Scotch single malts — the prestige end of the whisky world; expect representation from the major distillery groups (Diageo, Pernod Ricard, William Grant, Beam Suntory) as well as independent bottlers who specialise in single cask and rare expressions
• Scotch blended whisky — the category that accounts for the majority of global whisky consumption; the major blends and premium blended malts from producers including Johnnie Walker, Chivas, Ballantine's, The Famous Grouse, and others
• Irish whiskey — a category that has grown dramatically in global popularity over the past decade; Jameson, Teeling, Redbreast, and the newer craft Irish distilleries
• American whiskey — bourbon (Jack Daniel's, Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey) and American rye; the category that has become the fastest-growing premium spirits segment globally
• Japanese whisky — the category whose global prestige has arguably exceeded even Scotch in some markets; Suntory's Yamazaki, Hibiki, and Toki, alongside Nikka and the newer Japanese craft distilleries
• World whiskies — including Taiwanese (Kavalan), Indian (Paul John, Amrut), and other international producers that have emerged as serious quality competitors

Gin

The gin section reflects a category that has gone from near-obscurity to global craze in the space of a decade — and whose craft producer segment now includes serious artisanal operations in dozens of countries:

• Classic London Dry gins alongside the new wave of contemporary-style gins (flavoured, aged, low-ABV)
• Georgian craft gin producers who have emerged in recent years — using native botanicals including tarragon, walnut, and Caucasian herbs
• International premium brands (Hendrick's, Tanqueray 10, Monkey 47, Roku, The Botanist)

Brandy, Cognac, and Armagnac

The brandy section includes:

• Georgian brandy — a domestic tradition producing aged grape spirits in the Armenian/Cognac tradition; Georgian brandy is significantly underknown internationally but represents genuinely serious quality at approachable prices
• Armenian brandy — Ararat, the most recognised Caucasian brandy brand internationally, and smaller craft producers
• Cognac — Hennessy, Rémy Martin, Courvoisier, and their XO and prestige expressions
• Armagnac — the older, less commercially prominent French brandy tradition that serious spirits collectors often prefer for its individuality

Additional Spirits

• Rum — the category that has most recently received the craft spirits treatment; aged, single estate, and artisanal rums from the Caribbean and beyond
• Mezcal and Tequila — the agave spirits whose premium segment has expanded dramatically
• Chacha — Georgian grape marc spirit; the domestic moonshine that has been formalised and refined into a legitimate premium spirits category; several producers bring chacha to the festival

The Full Programme: Masterclasses, Cigar Clubs, Food, and Music

The Tbilisi Whisky Festival is structured as a full immersive day — not simply a walk around exhibition stands, but a programme of experiences that make the visit substantive whether you are a casual spirits enthusiast or a serious collector.

Masterclasses with International Brand Ambassadors

The masterclass programme is one of the most valued elements of the festival — sessions led by international brand ambassadors who guide a group of festival participants through a curated tasting of four to six expressions from their range, covering:

• Production methods and distillery history
• Tasting technique — how to nose, taste, and evaluate a whisky or spirit
• Food pairing recommendations
• The specific characteristics of their brand's style and region

Past festivals have included brand ambassadors from major Scotch distilleries, Japanese whisky producers, and craft gin brands. The 2026 programme is announced at whiskydays.ge and via the festival's social channels.

Masterclass places are limited and typically require advance booking at tkt.ge or on-site; they may carry an additional fee beyond the entry ticket.

Cigar Clubs

One of the distinctive elements of the Tbilisi Whisky Festival is the cigar club presence — premium cigar brands and Georgian cigar importers set up within the festival space, offering a classic pairing experience that is particularly well-suited to the hotel environment of the Sheraton Grand.

The combination of aged Scotch and a quality Habano or Dominican cigar is a classic pairing that the festival's cigar club participants provide in a dedicated area — often one of the more atmospheric corners of the event.

Food Court

A food court operating through both festival days provides the balance that any serious spirits tasting experience requires:

• Georgian traditional dishes — khinkali, khachapuri, grilled meats, cheese platters
• International snacks and charcuterie designed for spirits pairing
• Coffee and non-alcoholic options for designated drivers and non-drinkers accompanying participants

Live Music

Live music plays throughout both festival days — typically jazz, blues, and soul combinations that pair naturally with the spirits tasting environment, creating the background atmosphere of a premium hospitality event rather than a festival-noise environment.

VIP Area

Selected editions of the Tbilisi Whisky Festival have included a VIP section — a quieter, more intimate area within the festival space offering:

• Access to rarer, premium, and limited-edition bottles not available at the general festival stands
• A more relaxed tasting environment away from the main crowd
• Dedicated service from specialists

The Venue: Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace

The Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace is not simply the most obvious choice for Tbilisi's premium spirits festival — it is specifically the best choice, for reasons that go beyond brand recognition.

The hotel is located at 20 Telavi Street, Tbilisi 0103 — on the Metekhi cliff overlooking the Mtkvari (Kura) River, at the point where the Old Town's most historic architecture is closest to the water. The hotel's position gives it views over the Metekhi Church (a 13th-century landmark), the Narikala Fortress on the opposite hill, and the rooftops of the Abanotubani Bath District below.

Originally built in 1991 and renovated in 2019, the hotel operates under the Marriott Bonvoy group's Sheraton brand — 220 rooms and suites with panoramic views, and a meeting and events infrastructure that makes it consistently the top choice for Tbilisi's premium corporate and cultural events.

The festival is hosted in and around the Kavkasioni Ballroom — the largest ballroom in Tbilisi, at 10,172 square feet (945 square metres), with a ceiling height of 16.4 feet and a theatre-style capacity of 1,050 guests. The adjacent Kavkasioni Ballroom Foyer adds a further 550 square metres of open space. The hotel's total event capacity across all 12 meeting rooms is 2,524 people.

For a spirits festival, the physical qualities of the Kavkasioni Ballroom matter: the high ceilings allow large brand stands and exhibition structures; the adjacent foyer allows overflow and outdoor-style zones; the hotel's service infrastructure — professional catering, temperature control, high-capacity bar service — supports the multi-brand tasting model that the festival uses.

Tbilisi in May: The Perfect Setting for a Spirits Weekend

The Tbilisi Whisky Festival on May 16–17 sits within one of the most appealing periods of the Tbilisi year: late spring, before the summer heat, when the city is at its most comfortable and its most festive.

Tbilisi in May: temperatures of 22–28°C, long evenings (sunset after 20:30), the city's tree-lined streets in full leaf, and a cultural calendar that in 2026 includes Georgian Independence Day (May 26) just over a week after the whisky festival closes.

Nearby Sheraton experiences to extend the weekend:

• Metekhi Church — the 13th-century church on the cliff directly adjacent to the hotel; one of Tbilisi's most recognisable landmarks, with panoramic views over the Mtkvari River and the Old Town
• Abanotubani (Sulphur Bath District) — five minutes' walk from the Sheraton; the subterranean mineral water baths whose distinctive domed bathhouses have been operating since at least the 5th century; an essential Tbilisi experience, particularly as a recovery tool on the second festival morning
• Narikala Fortress — accessible by cable car from Rike Park (across the Peace Bridge from Metekhi); the medieval citadel with 360-degree views over the city
• Fabrika — 15 minutes by taxi; Tbilisi's most vibrant creative and nightlife complex in the former sewing factory in Chugureti; excellent restaurants, natural wine bars, and the outdoor courtyard atmosphere that Tbilisi does better than almost any city in Europe
• Rustaveli Avenue — 10 minutes by taxi; the 19th-century main boulevard with the Georgian National Museum, the Rustaveli Theatre, and the best concentration of cafes and restaurants in the city centre

Practical Information for May 16–17, 2026

Dates: Saturday, May 16 + Sunday, May 17, 2026

Day 1 (Saturday May 16): Opens 14:00, closes 20:00

Day 2 (Sunday May 17): Opens 13:00

Venue: Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace

Address: 20 Telavi Street, Tbilisi, Georgia 0103

Venue phone: +995 32-277-2020

Ticket prices:

• One-day ticket: 65 GEL (approximately €22 / $24 USD at current rates)
• Two-day ticket: 95 GEL (approximately €32 / $35 USD)
• Tasting tokens: available for purchase on-site at the festival

Ticket sales: tkt.ge

Getting to Tbilisi:

• By air: Tbilisi International Airport (TBS) — direct flights from Amsterdam (~4 hrs, KLM), Frankfurt (~3.5 hrs), Vienna (~3 hrs), Istanbul (~2 hrs, Turkish Airlines/Pegasus), Dubai (~2.5 hrs), Tel Aviv (~3 hrs)
• Airport to Sheraton: Taxi/Bolt approximately 25–30 minutes, GEL 25–35 (~€9–13); Metro Line 2 to Rustaveli Station then taxi (~10 min) — total approximately 35 minutes

Getting to the Sheraton from city centre:

• By taxi (Bolt): From Rustaveli Avenue, approximately 5–10 minutes, GEL 5–8 (~€2–3)
• On foot from Old Town: The Sheraton is at the Metekhi cliff — accessible via the Peace Bridge (Rike side) and a short walk up Telavi Street
• By bus: Multiple city bus routes serve the Metekhi/Telavi Street area

The Best Spirits Weekend in the Caucasus

On Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17, the Kavkasioni Ballroom at the Sheraton Grand Tbilisi Metechi Palace becomes a destination that whisky lovers, gin enthusiasts, and curious spirits drinkers across Georgia, the wider Caucasus, and beyond have been planning toward for months.

Two days. Dozens of international spirits brands. Masterclasses from brand ambassadors who know their subject completely. A food court, cigar clubs, live music, and the specific pleasure of being in a room full of people who all showed up because they take their glass seriously.

Tickets from 65 GEL at tkt.ge. The two-day ticket is the obvious choice.

Verified Information at a Glance