If whisky is your passion you should not miss this training!

During 3 days in March 2023, the first official International Whisky School of the Netherlands will again discuss all aspects of producing whisky. During the fascinating, in-depth and often technical classes, various topics such as malting, mashing, brewing, fermenting, distilling and aging will be covered. There are also "behind the scenes" visits to production facilities to see the theory learned in practice.

After its successful start in 2016 and courses in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2022, the school will again be organized in Groningen.

And after a successful pilot in 2022, we have now also been able to attach the internationally recognized certification of The Whisky Ambassador Advanced to our school.

As of 2023, thanks to the partnership with The Grain Republic, we will have access to a fully operating distillery for the first time.

This non-commercial Whisky School is the first of its kind in the Netherlands and each year teachers from the international top in the whisky field are invited for the lectures.

In previous years these have included Vic Cameron, Peter MacKay, Gordon Muir, Patrick van Zuidam, Marie-Viva Lenoir, Martine Nouet, Hans Offringa, Greame Mackay and Greame Macaloney.

All teachers and trainers will be happy and enthusiastic to share their knowledge with the students and answer all questions. Apart from the lessons, on-site visits and workshops, the course program has made a lot of room for personal interaction with the teachers and fellow students, and culinary and social aspects are also widely covered.

The International Whisky School Netherlands focuses not only on the whisky lover but also on the professional who wants to increase his/her knowledge about the technical aspects of the whisky production process. After this course you will know all the ins and outs of the whisky production process, for example maturation: what is the exact influence of wood on whisky? And many other topics.

The International Whisky School Netherlands has a limited capacity and a maximum of 15 participants. This is the only way we can guarantee the personal touch. The program focuses mainly on the technical aspects, with plenty of time and space for individual attention.

 Costs

Participation in the International Whisky School Netherlands 2023 costs € 999.00 per course participant.

What does the course entail?

For this, in addition to a 3-day course guided by instructors from the whisky industry, you will also receive a very comprehensive course package worth several hundred euros:

• the comprehensive and specially compiled set of documentation on all topics of the course

• the course book by Inge Russell & Stewart Graham (Whisky: Technology, Production and Marketing)

• the book by Robin Brilleman (The chemistry of Scotch malt whisky)

• participation in the renowned WFNN whisky dinner on Thursday, March 23, 2023 at Restaurant Blumé

• access to all sessions of the Whisky Festival Noord Nederland 2023

• access to the opening of the festival and participation in the dinner at the festival location De Suiker on Friday 24 March and Saturday 25 March 2023 with the exhibitors, speakers, fellow course participants and the school teachers

• a comprehensive food and beverage package each course day, including a full lunch

• on-site practical visits and various workshops during the course:

  • malting (workshop)

  • malting (hands-on visit to a malting plant - Subject to approval!)

  • brewing (hands-on visit to a brewery)

  • distilling (field visit to a distillery)

  • aromas (workshop on detecting and naming)

  • blending (workshop on aging and blending using specially selected whiskies and/or barrel samples)

  • extensive tastings during the course sessions led by our instructors 

• the official certificate of participation in the only official International Whisky School Netherlands

• the official certification of The Whisky Ambassador Advanced (of course only after passing the exam)

• The course tutors are internationally renowned trainers from the international whisky industry and are  selected especially for this course and have included tutors from the famous Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Malt Whisky School in previous years.

In 2022, these were:

• Dr. Graeme Macaloney MSc., BSc., FIChemE (founder and Whiskymaker at Macaloney's award winning single malt distillery in Victoria on Vancouver Island, Canada)

• Bob Wenting (The Whisky Ambassador, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Maltstock)

• Graeme Mackay (Ardnamurchan Distillery, Adelphi Distillers)

• Marie-Viva Lenoir (Editions Lenoir, Le Nez du Whisky, Le Nez du Vin, Le Nez du Café)

• Martine Nouet (Master of the Quaich, author of several whisky books, whisky journalist, internationally recognized expert on whisky & food combinations, La Reine de L'Alambic/Queen of the Still)

• Hans Offringa (Keeper of the Quaich, Writer, Whisky Consultant, International Whisky Ambassador, Kentucky Colonel)

For whom is this course intended?

• For people who really want to know everything about whisky

• For the true connoisseur who wants to know how this water of life is made

• For people who want to gain professional technical knowledge about the whisky product

• For (beginning) whisky writers, bloggers and people who want to work in the whisky industry and want to gather more technical background information.

• For people working at wholesalers and retailers who want to know everything about the product in order to give better advice to their customers.
  
  

 For more information and application, please go to:

https://wfnn.nl/whiskyschool-2/