Nelson’s First Winter Whisky Festival is set to take place from June 11-15, boasting a range of experiences centred around the famous drink.

Hosted by Kismet Cocktail & Whisky Bar, the festival includes a series of whisky tastings, plus events such as food and whisky pairings and informal daily lunchtime talks from industry insiders.

A highlight of the festival will be ‘Dram in the Clouds’ – an immersive experience which aims to showcase the subtle differences that elevation brings to whisky by sampling four whiskies at ground level, and again – after a short helicopter ride – atop the 1,500m summit of Mt Starveall.

The festival closes with a ceilidh and cocktail party, complete with bagpipes and traditional Scottish highland dancing.

The Winter Whisky Festival events are a mixture of free and ticketed entry, tickets, and the full event schedule, are available from May 1.