Blog
Alumni
EWA Alumni: Martijn van Opstal
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I'm a 34-year-old whisky enthusiast who decided to turn his passion into his career. ...
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EWA Alumni: Xiaoyan Tao Lenz
How did you first discover whisky?
I discovered whisky from my job, working in a Swiss distillery (Säntis Malt Braue...
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EWA Alumni: Mark Hickey
How did you first discover whisky?
I have always been interested in Irish and Scottish history and how whisky was cra...
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Definition
What is an aroma?
An aroma (noun) is typically defined as a distinctive, pervasive and usually pleasant or savoury smell.
When apprecia...
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Whisky Words: Faraday Still
Penderyn's unique Faraday Still, is a single copper pot attached to a column installed with perforated plates. As the...
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Whisky Words: Angels’ Share
The Angels' Share refers to the amount of ethanol and water that is lost due to evaporation during ageing.
During mat...
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Explainer
Barley and the Scotch whisky production process
Make sense of how barley – a cereal packed with starch – is used by distillers in the Scotch whisky production process in this barley explainer video from one of our whisky lecturers, Vic Cameron.
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The importance of copper contact in whisky distillation
All pot stills used in the Scotch whisky industry are made from copper. This easy to shape common metal is an effecti...
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Scotch whisky milling equipment: the 4 roll mill
The 4 roll mill is by far the most commonly used mill in the Scotch whisky industry. Named after their creators, the ...
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Feature
Welsh Whisky Distilleries
1. Penderyn Distillery
Penderyn produces award-winning single malt whiskies and spirits in the foothills of the Breco...
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The Scotch whisky distilleries using worm tub condensers
Our recent blog post on the importance of copper contact in whisky distillation mentioned the two condenser systems c...
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Advertising single malt whisky (1950s to 1980s)
The revival of interest in single malt Scotch whisky in the UK in the late 1950s and early 1960s happened with virtua...
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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
Is the Definition of Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey Changing?
Single Pot Still Whiskey is one of the most iconic styles of whiskey to come from the Emerald Isle, known for its rob...
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Diploma in Single Malt Whisky for The Macallan staff
We’re proud to have delivered another private Diploma in Single Malt Whisky at The Macallan with some of their Senior...
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Diploma courses for Johnnie Walker Princes Street staff
Over the past couple of months, we have been proudly working with Diageo to deliver training to their Johnnie Walker ...
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Opinion
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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Edinburgh Whisky Academy reviews: January 2023 round-up
We love reading your Edinburgh Whisky Academy reviews. This month, we’ve already welcomed 180+ new candidates, with 4...
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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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