The Council of Whiskey Masters Welcomes 12 New Masters After 2026 Exams in the Scottish Highlands

Nine candidates earn Master of Scotch and Master of Bourbon titles; three advance to Master of Whisky

PITLOCHRY, Scotland, October 2026. The Council of Whiskey Masters, a global body dedicated to whisk(e)y education, has named 12 professionals as new Masters following its 2026 Annual Master Exams, held at Atholl Palace near Blair Athol Distillery. Of the 22 candidates who sat the exams, 12 passed.

Photo caption: Members and candidates of the Council of Whiskey Masters at Atholl Palace in the Scottish Highlands, 2026.

12 New Masters

Master of Scotch

• Kirsten Bischof
• Roger Bischof
• Dr Shelly Lorts
• Dr Andrew Lui
• John McEntire
• Elaine Myung
• Timothy Odiean
• Robert Rowe

Master of Bourbon

• Steven Kelley Henderson

Master of Whisky (the Council’s highest designation, awarded to 3 existing Masters of Scotch for global whisky knowledge)

• Octavio Bernal
• Alessandro Di Berardino
• Megan Sawkar

Candidates who did not pass are encouraged to continue their studies and can be supported and mentored by the Council toward future examinations.

About the 2026 Exams

More than 65 members and candidates attended. The exams included blind tastings, in-depth oral theory exams, and essays on a wide range of topics. Candidates were assessed on history, production, major distilleries, trade knowledge, tasting competence, and regulations and standards of identity. Each received individual and group training from current Masters of Whisky for more than six months.

Judges evaluated every candidate independently and elected new Masters based on standards set and consistently upheld by the Council. Richard Paterson served as special guest judge. The judging panels also included current Masters and members of the Council’s board of advisors.

Advisory Board and Keepers of the Quaich

Six industry figures joined the Advisory Board in 2026: Dr Bill Lumsden, Ian Millar, Ingvar Ronde, Gavin Smith, Dr. Emma Walker, and Jan Wisniewski. They join a board that includes many actively participating industry experts, among them Dave Broom, Lew Bryson, John Campbell, Alasdair Day, Michael D’Souza, Martin Duffy, Stefan van Eycken, Nancy Fraley, Michael Frazer Milne, Sébastien Gavillet, Tobias Gorn, Davin de Kergommeaux, Charles MacLean, Stephanie Macleod, Joseph Micallef, Arthur Nägele, Fionnán O’Connor, Becky Offringa, Hans Offringa, Paul Pacult, Susan Reigler, Clay Risen, Bernhard Schäfer, Peggy Noe Stevens, and Andy Watts, with Monique Huston serving as the 2026 Council chair.

Council members Andy Westley MoW and Dr Jörn Kleinhans were named Keepers of the Quaich during the examination week, joining more than 20 Keepers and Masters of the Quaich already involved with the Council.

How to Become a Master and Gain Council Membership

Candidates must first pass the first and second levels of the program through remote study, which is open to individuals worldwide. Enrollment details are at www.WhiskeyMasters.org. The next Master exams are expected to take place in the Southwestern United States, sometime between Summer of 2027 and Spring 2028.

About the Council of Whiskey Masters

Founded in 2019, the Council of Whiskey Masters is a global body of 80 full members dedicated to whisk(e)y education. It has supported thousands of certification examinees from more than 60 countries. The full member list is at www.whiskeymasters.org/whiskey-masters.