The Irish News: Belfast prepares to raise a glass to the island's largest Irish whiskey festival

The piece sets out the scale of the 2025 programme — 100 events, more than 40 brands and distilleries, and nine days of activity across some of Belfast's best-known pubs and venues. Festival director Paul Kane spoke to The Irish News about the festival's accessibility: "We are pleased to play our part in creating an annual event for those with an interest and taste for all things whiskey, as well as creating conversations with audiences new to whiskey or who have considered it not for them."

The article is accompanied by a photograph of Paul outside The Watson — Belfast's new hospitality venue and the location of the festival's corporate networking launch — alongside Connor O'Reilly of McConnell's Irish Whisky and Rachel Taylor of Fable, the festival's official creative partner.

The 2025 programme will culminate in three flagship events at the end of the nine days: a cocktail takeover at Common Market on 24 July, the festival's Whiskey Expo at the historic St Comgall's on 25 July, and the Irish Whiskey Industry Awards at the Ulster Reform Club on 26 July.

The Irish News is one of Belfast Whiskey Week's longest-running media supporters, with consistent annual coverage of the festival since 2022. Their pre-festival features remain one of the strongest ways for new audiences to discover what's on offer — particularly readers who may be curious about Belfast's distilling heritage but new to whiskey culture itself.

Tickets for Belfast Whiskey Week 2025 start at £15 and are available through the festival website.

Read the full feature: The Irish News — Belfast prepares to raise a glass to the island's largest Irish whiskey festival