Overview: The Council of Whiskey Masters has officially welcomed a new cohort of masters following its annual examinations held at Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry, Scotland. Twelve candidates were granted master status out of twenty-two entrants who completed six months of training and assessment.
The Full Story
Of the twenty-two candidates to undertake the 2026 Annual Master Exams at Atholl Palace Hotel in Pitlochry, twelve have now been granted master status. Candidates received six months of training before being assessed on their knowledge of topics including whisky history, production, major distilleries, trade and regulations. A panel of judges comprising members of the council’s advisory board – along with special guest judge Richard Paterson OBE – assessed each entrant individually before electing the latest masters.
The eight new masters of Scotch for 2026 are Kirsten Bischof, Roger Bischof, Dr Shelly Lorts, Dr Andrew Lui, John McEntire, Elaine Myung, Timothy Odiean and Robert Rowe. Steven Kelley Henderson has been named master of Bourbon. The council awarded its highest designation, master of whisky, to three existing masters of Scotch: Octavio Bernal, Alessandro Di Berardino and Megan Sawkar.
Six industry veterans also joined the Council of Whisky Masters advisory board: Dr Bill Lumsden of The Glenmorangie Company, Lerwick master distiller Ian Millar, Malt Whisky Yearbook editor Ingvar Ronde, Johnnie Walker master blender Dr. Emma Walker and drinks writers Gavin Smith and Ian Wisniewski.
Brand & Industry History
In this 5th year of offering the Master examinations, the Council has expanded its reach beyond Scotland. Last year, the council admitted 16 new members to its ranks after holding entrance exams at Garrison Brothers Distillery in Texas. The program has produced very impressive graduates, and enrolment activity continues strong into 2027.
What This Means
Council president Dr. Jörn Kleinhans noted that the dynamic has evolved further compared to the early years of offering the Master examinations. Leading up to the exams, all candidates were heavily supported and developed by existing graduates. The programme has produced very impressive graduates, and higher knowledge and tasting ability standards are possible than initially thought. Practically all of the candidates stay involved with the programme after they graduate, training the next generation and building a brainpool of best practices and knowledge standards.
Consumer Takeaway
This news release provides insight into the current leadership cohort of the Council of Whiskey Masters and outlines the trajectory for future examinations. Prospective candidates can expect the next master exams to take place in the Southwestern US after summer 2027, following the program’s expansion beyond Scotland.
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