|
Flavour
experts The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
has created its first accredited course
explaining how whisky is made and where
its huge range of flavours come from.
As winter approaches and whisky takes
centre stage, the world’s leading whisky
club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
has introduced a new course to help more
people explore the complexities of this
beloved spirit.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS),
in collaboration with The Edinburgh
Whisky Academy, has launched the Focus
on Flavour Education Pack. Since its
founding in 1983, SMWS has been
dedicated to exploring whisky’s vast
range of flavours, offering unique
single malt, single cask whiskies that
cannot be found anywhere else. Each
bottling is a one-of-a-kind creation,
never to be repeated once sold out.
The Edinburgh Whisky Academy, the only
Scotch whisky and gin education centre
accredited by the Scottish
Qualifications Authority (SQA), brings
its expertise to this partnership.
Designed for both beginners and seasoned
whisky lovers, the course aims to deepen
participants' whisky knowledge. It
provides an in-depth understanding of
every aspect of whisky production and
how each stage—from malting and mashing
to distillation and maturation—affects
the flavours of different whiskies.
Accompanied by a specially curated
tasting pack, the course explores how
these processes shape the distinct
flavour profiles of SMWS whiskies.
Delivered through five instructional
videos, the course is supported by
online resources, informative articles,
and visual aids. After completing an
online test, students receive a
certificate. The course takes
approximately one hour to finish, and
participants can revisit the content at
any time.
The tasting pack includes four 50ml
bottles labelled Cask A, B, C, and D,
without details on the whisky’s name,
flavour profile, or distillery. This
allows participants to focus entirely on
the tasting experience and better
understand how flavour profiles develop.
Anne Phillips, Marketing Director at The
Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: "At
the SMWS we believe whisky is for
everyone, and developed this course to
share our expertise gleaned over 40
years of whisky creation with anyone who
wishes to find out more about this
incredible and diverse spirit."
Students will explore the craft of
cask-making, learning how different
types of oak used in barrels influence
the whisky's flavour profile. They'll
also discover the distinction between
charring and toasting a barrel, and how
the shape of a still plays a crucial
role in shaping the spirit’s flavour.
The course also delves into the
Society’s distinctive approach to
whisky, detailing the rigorous testing
process each bottle undergoes. A secret
tasting panel of impartial whisky
experts evaluates every bottle, and
instead of listing the distillery, SMWS
focuses on detailed flavour
descriptions. Each whisky is classified
into one of 12 flavour profiles to help
guide enthusiasts through the character
of the whisky inside.
The Focus on Flavour education pack
costs £65 for members and £75 for
non-members and is available to purchase
from
www.smws.com/whisky-club-membership
If you are interested in joining The
SMWS and exploring the unique single
cask whiskies they have to
offer, membership starts from £100, this
price includes a bottle of The SMWS
whisky, and it is
available to purchase here
www.smws.com/whisky-club-membership
|
