Blog
Alumni
Meet the Educator: Daniel Whittington
Daniel Whittington is our Approved Course Provider in Austin, Texas. He teaches EWA courses on the campus of Wizard Academy and Whisky Marketing School.
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Meet the Educator: Samantha De Noia
Samantha De Noia, founder of creative whisky agency 9 Smoking Barrels, is our Approved Course Provider in Madrid.
Tel...
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Meet the Educator: Joe Cabassa
Based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Joe Cabassa is our Approved Course Provider for Latin America. He is the founder of whisky and spirits education company, Academia De Whisky.
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Definition
Whisky Words: Lyne Arm
The lyne arm is part of the still - also called the lye pipe - and it's what connects the top of the still to the condenser unit. The slope of the lye pipe is really important with regards to reflux in the final spirit.
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Whisky Words: Low Wines
In the intricate world of Scotch whisky production, every step holds significance and contributes to the rich tapestr...
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Whisky Words: Coffey Still
A Coffey still, also known as a column still or continuous still, is a type of distillation apparatus patented by Aeneas Coffey in the 19th century.
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Explainer
Michael Walsh on Edinburgh Whisky Academy’s Irish Whiskey Flavour Wheel
Our Irish Whiskey Flavour Wheel offers a guided journey through the sensory delights of the category and prompts conversation with either yourself or others as Michael Walsh explains in this video.
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Esters and the Scotch whisky production process
In the Scotch whisky production process, esters are primarily generated during fermentation when yeast interacts with the sugars present in the malted barley during mashing. Yeast metabolises the sugars, producing alcohol and various flavour compounds, including esters.
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The ideal grist ratio for making Scotch whisky
The grist ratio is a vital parameter for the distiller as it tells them how well the malted barley has been ground in the mill. The grist is made up of three fractions: husk (20%), flour (10%) and grits (70%).
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Feature
A day in the life of a cooper at The Balvenie Distillery
20 barrels a day? Nae bother! We had the pleasure of chatting to Barry, a cooper at The Balvenie Distillery, about what a typical day in his job involves, from repairing casks to helping the apprentices.
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Was Alfred Barnard the original whisky influencer?
Dr Gordon Steele discusses Alfred Barnard’s "Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom" and its lasting influence with historian Fionnán O’Connor.
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Grain Whisky Distilleries in Scotland
There are currently seven grain whisky distilleries in Scotland, all of which are much larger in scale than traditi...
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Jobs
Meet the Maker: Matthew Paterson, Malt Man at The Balvenie
We recently visited The Balvenie Distillery to film some updated explainer videos for our Certificate in Scotch Whisk...
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Whisky Jobs… Gillian Kirkland on being a Bar Owner
Edinburgh Whisky Alumni Gillian Kirkland runs The Piper Bar in Glasgow. We asked her to tell us more about the day-to...
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Whisky Jobs… Gary Taylor on being a Cooper
As a cooper at Speyside Cooperage, it’s Gary Taylor’s job to check, repair and re-finish casks of all descriptions,...
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News
Approved Course Provider Tulleeho deliver their first Certificate in Scotch Whisky course in Delhi
Congratulations to Tulleeho, our Approved Course Provider in India, for successfully delivering their first Certificate in Scotch Whisky course in Delhi (28 April 2024).
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"Making Sense of Whisky" with Ann Miller at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival
Attendees of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival can look forward to a fun and interactive introduction to the wonders of sensory appreciation with Ann Miller, aka The Dram Queen.
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Whisky Words: Valinch
A valinch is a tool used in the Scotch whisky industry for extracting samples directly from casks during the aging pr...
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Opinion
Old, Older, Oldest? Iain Russell unpicks tales from the Scotch whisky industry
Marketers cannot resist an opportunity to bestow the title ‘first’ or ‘oldest’ upon their whisky brand’s distillery. ...
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Why learn about whisky?
Ever wondered whether whisky is really a worthwhile topic for study? We brought together a group of whisky experts and asked them why they love to learn more about whisky.
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Peaty Scotch whisky, is it possible to taste terroir?
When it comes to making peaty Scotch whisky, there are different sources – peat bogs – available to distillers from l...
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Whisky Myths
Whisky myths: colour = flavour
While it may seem that a darker whisky would have more flavour than a lighter whisky, this just isn’t the case.
A wh...
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Whisky myths: Drink it neat or not at all, right?
Wrong! How you enjoy your whisky is entirely up to you. If you prefer it neat, drink it neat. If you like to add wate...
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Whisky myths: Does blend = bad?
No, it does not! Seemingly one of the hardest whisky myths to shake is that blended whisky is of an inferior quality....
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