Bilbao is not vying to be the capital of Malta, but it has certainly become a capital for malt, hosting events focused on beer and whisky in recent days. Firstly, La Salve celebrated the third edition of its ‘Ser de Bilbao’ awards, honoring talent and commitment to the city. At the brewery in Bolueta, accolades were given to figures including journalist Olga Saéz, actress Maribel Salas, dancer Igor Yebra, Basque Food Cluster's general director Jon Ander Egaña, and journalist Luis Gómez.
Also in attendance were DEIA's deputy director, Sara Cortés, and journalist Sandra Atutxa; BilbaoCentro manager Jorge Aio; manager of the Association of Merchants of San Francisco, Bilbao La Vieja and Zabala, Begoña Castaño; coordinator of Bilbao Historiko, Leire Landeta; Director of Public Space for the Bilbao City Council, Asier López; and head of PatxiKoop, Patxi Uriarte. The event's organization was handled by Borja Elorza and Jon Marin.
Furthermore, since June 12th, the city hosted the third edition of the Bilbao Whisky Topaketa, spearheaded by Manu Iturregi. The program featured various tasting sessions at Edari, boat trips along the Nervión River, encounters with international experts, and talks such as ‘American Whisky; Rye, Bourbon or Tennessee?’. The event also included pairings of Scotch whisky with ham, producer meetings, and cocktail-making demonstrations.
The Bilbao Whisky Topaketa, held at Yimby Bilbao, saw the presence of notable figures such as Guillermo Palacios (Whiskeando), Garazi Gorroza, Pedro Javier Murillo, and Adrían Jiménez (Infernu Taberna of Iruña), alongside Javier Isasi, Paula Araiz, and Tomás Zambrano (El rincón del Iruña). Passionate whisky enthusiasts including Miguel Gómez, Alex Mayorga, and Alberto López also participated.
