The Pittsburgh Whiskey & Fine Spirits Festival is an annual festival celebrating whiskey and spirits in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.[2] The festival is sponsored by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board.[1] Contributions to the event benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.[3] The Pittsburgh festival follows a similar one in Philadelphia.[4] The creation of the festival follows the success of the Pittsburgh Wine Festival.[1] It was conceived as an "experiential marketplace for spirits."[5] It was founded in 2007, amid growth in whiskey's popularity.[6]
The inaugural event in 2007 focused on featuring whiskeys, ryes and vodkas, which are meant to be consumed "neat."[5] The theme was the Whiskey Rebellion, an important event in Western Pennsylvania history, with information on the history of ryes and whiskeys.[5] In 2008, the offerings were expanded to include cocktails,[3] That year, the sponsors sought to reach the female demographic.[7] The 2009 event sought to reach an even broader audience, especially younger individuals.[8][9] The 2010 event had a speakeasy decor, with a new focus on cigars.[10][11][12]
For the first time, the 2011 edition, which had a Mad Men theme, sold out all tickets prior to the beginning of the event. Wigle Whiskey, a new Pittsburgh distillery, was to have been featured, but federal authorities had not yet approved the brand's label design.[13][14] The "Adult Chocolate Milk" specialty drink was well received.[15]