100 Whiskeys, Nine Floors Up: The Nashville Whiskey Festival Takes Over a Midtown Rooftop Oct. 10
Tennessee has a complicated relationship with whiskey. This is the state that went dry years before national Prohibition and was slow to come back; for much of the 20th century, most of its counties could not legally distill a drop. Today the state's whiskey trail runs to dozens of distilleries, and on Saturday, October 10, 2026, a sizable slice of the whiskey world will gather nine floors above Midtown for the Nashville Whiskey Festival & Battle of the Spirits.
Where and when
The festival takes over The Rux Rooftop on the ninth floor of the Cambria Hotel Nashville Midtown, at 1612 Church Street. VIP guests get the longest night, from 5 to 10:30 p.m. General admission runs from 6 to 9 p.m. This is a strictly 21-and-over event, and the organizer, Corkdorks Wine Spirits Beer, states that tickets are non-refundable, so check your calendar before you buy.
What is in the glass
The headline number is more than 100 whiskeys, with tequila, mezcal, rum and gin poured alongside them. General admission includes a commemorative Glencairn glass, a tasting guide, unlimited tastings across the floor, specialty cocktail samples, light bites, live music and limited access to masterclasses. VIP adds a distillers' showcase, rare pours from whiskey lockers, a private lounge, curated food, limited-edition swag and first crack at the masterclasses. A top Saturday VIP tier goes further, with special bottles and a Weller barrel pick limited to 40 people. The organizers bill the event as a 14-year tradition.
How to taste 100 whiskeys and still walk home
Nobody should try. Veterans of big tastings tend to follow the same playbook: pick a lane early (bourbon, rye, Tennessee whiskey or something agave-based), take small pours and use the dump buckets without guilt, drink water between tables and eat whatever the bites station is offering. A masterclass is the best value on the floor, because a distiller walking you through three pours side by side teaches you more than thirty rushed samples. And plan the ride home before the first sip: Midtown is a rideshare-friendly part of town.
Make a weekend of it
October is one of the best months to visit Nashville, and the festival lands on a busy Saturday. If you are coming in from out of town, book your stay close to Midtown or downtown so the night ends with a short ride. Spend the daylight hours on our list of free things to do in Nashville, then, if the evening still has legs after the rooftop, our first-timer's guide to Lower Broadway will point you to the honky-tonks.
Tickets are sold through the organizer's official listings. Whatever you pour, pour it slowly. The view from nine floors up deserves your attention too.
Image: illustrative, AI-generated – not the actual location.
