The Council of Whiskey Masters

The Leading Education and Certification Programs for Scotch, Bourbon and all Global Whiskeys

A Subsidiary of Sommelier Capital Advisors LLC
Los Angeles, California 

Office@WhiskeyMasters.org

The Council of Whiskey Masters develops, supports and represents the most knowledgeable and impactful experts in whiskey, globally.

As of 2024, the Council consists of 61 members.

Members of the Council are:

(1) the Advisory Board,
(2) Masters of Scotch, Masters of Bourbon, Masters of Whisky/Whiskey named by the Council upon examination,
(3) the Executive Director of the Council.

The Advisory Board of The Council of Whiskey Masters consists of the world’s most respected professionals in all of whisk(e)y.

Advisory Board of The Council of Whiskey Masters:

Steve Beal, Chairman Emeritus, Sr. Master of Whisky and Keeper of the Quaich, is an industry-recognized distilled spirits consultant, international wine and spirits judge, and former brand ambassador for some of the world’s most respected brands. He has several decades of dedication to whiskey. Steve is a 2015 inductee to the Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame. He is based in San Francisco, California.

Dave Broom has been writing, teaching and speaking about spirits for over 30 years and is the author of The World Atlas of Whisky. Dave is a Master of the Quaich, a Kentucky Colonel, and was voted 2013 Communicator of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. Dave resides on the south coast of England.

Lew Bryson is the former long-time managing editor of Whisky Advocate and the author of the books Tasting Whiskey, and the forthcoming Whiskey Master Class. Lew is also the Senior Drinks writer for The Daily Beast and regularly contributes to other publications. Lew is a member of The Order of the Writ, as well as Kentucky Colonel. He lives in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania.

John Campbell is an Islay native and was the Distillery Manager and Master Distiller at Laphroaig for more than 25 years, before he moved to the mainland and became Production Director at Lochlea Distillery, the former home of Robert Burns in the Scottish Lowlands.

Michael D’Souza is the Master Distiller & Master Blender of Paul John, one of the leading whisky brands in India. Michael is entirely responsible for the most awarded Asian whiskies ever made, and named globally.

Patricia Dillon is the managing director of Speyside Distillery and she serves on the board of the Scotch Whisky Association as a council member. Patricia is a Keeper of the Quaich and has served the whisky industry for more than 25 years. Under her direction, Speyside Distillery became the World Whisky Awards winner for its category, in 2019 and 2020.

Martin Duffy is the North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal and is one of the best-connected professionals in the whiskey industry, with past affiliations at Diageo, Bacardi and LVMH. For 14 years, including two years in Ireland, Martin was one of the original Diageo Sr. Masters of Whisky. Mr. Duffy lives in Illinois, where he teaches classes on Irish/Scotch history & production, and for 8 years was the co-producer of the Chicago Independent Spirits Expo. Martin served as the Chairman of the Council’s Board for 2020-2021.

Rick Edwards, Sr. Master of Scotch, was named “Icon of Whisky” by Whisky Magazine in 2015, and “Highly Commended” Scotch Ambassador of the Year at Icons of Whisky 2019. Rick began his career in 1996 with Johnnie Walker & the Classic Malts, and was recently acknowledged with a Lifetime Achievement Award from Pernod-Ricard for his work on The Glenlivet & Chivas Regal where he served as Master of Whisky and National Ambassador for the past 12 years. Rick currently represents Stranahan’s American Single Malt as National Ambassador.

Andrew Faulkner has spent many years with the American Distilling Institute, in his most recent role as a Vice President. He was the architect of ADI’s International Judging of Craft Spirits, the oldest and largest judging devoted to craft producers. For six years, Faulkner was Managing Editor of Distiller magazine — a consumer-facing trade publication promoting the art and commerce of distilling. He has edited numerous books on the distilling process.

Serghios Florides is the Editor-in-Chief of Irish Whiskey Magazine which aims to promote Irish whiskey worldwide through collaborations with industry experts and producers. His publication delivers the authentic history and current developments to enthusiasts and those seeking to gain greater insights into the Irish whiskey sector. Serghios is a member of many leading whiskey societies and he currently resides in Dublin, Ireland.

Michael Fraser Milne is a Master of the Quaich, the highest award in the world of Scotch whisky. He has been focused on education through doing over 1200 tastings, consulting globally and started DramFest in 2007, New Zealands premier whisky festival. Michael was born and brought up in Scotland and today lives in Christchurch, New Zealand. He has owned Whisky Galore for 26 years, the premier whisky-specialty importer and distributor of the country.

Dr. Dwight Furrow is the author and editor of “Systematic Spirits Evaluation”, the official study guide to the Certified Sprits Judge qualification of the Council. He designed the Council’s Certified Bourbon Professional examination. Dr. Furrow is a professor of philosophy at Mesa College, where he has studied the ethics and philosophy of flavor appreciation, as well as objectivity in wine and spirits. Dr. Furrow is also a Certified Specialist of Wine and has delivered whiskey and wine tasting seminars on behalf of The Sommelier Company for more than 10 years.

Sebastien Gavillet is the author of Discovering & Mastering Single Malt Scotch Whisky. He serves as the Head of Tasting Panel at the International Whisky Competition, where he designed and developed the current set of judging standards. As COO for Wine Aromas - Le Nez du Vin/Whisky, he oversees US operations and consults internationally. Sebastien resides in Colorado and Nevada.

Tobias Gorn is an award-winning international wine and spirit writer and consultant and also one of the most experienced and in-demand drinks competition judges in the world. Toby is co-founder of the International Drinks Specialists – an acclaimed global consultancy service with a group of top industry specialists working together in order to assist spirits producers and brand owners.

Monique Huston is a Keeper of the Quaich, a WSET Spirits instructor, and panel judge at many national and global whiskey competitions. She currently serves as the Vice President of Spirits for Winebow, one of the leading wine & spirits importers. Monique also ran one of the largest whiskey programs in the world open to the public, at the famous Dundee Dell in Omaha, Nebraska. Monique lives in Chicago, Illinois.

Davin deKergommeaux is the leading voice on Canadian whisky today. He authored the influential book Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert, and the forthcoming Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries. He founded the Canadian Whisky Awards and has been a judge for the Malt Maniacs Awards and the World Whisky Awards for many years. Davin resides in his home country of Canada. 

Charles MacLean has been writing about Scotch whisky for 40 years, and has published 17 books on the subject. He was described by The Times as “Scotland’s leading whisky expert” in 2014. In 2009 he was elected Master of the Quaich, in 2012 won the I.W.S.C.’s ‘Outstanding Achievement Award’ and in 2016 was inducted into the Whisky Hall of Fame. In 2019 he was named ‘International Ambassador of the Year’ at the Spirit of Speyside Festival. He lives in Edinburgh.

Stephanie Macleod is the Director of Blending for Scotch Whisky at Bacardi. For many years she has been the Master Blender at Dewar’s, covering Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, Royal Brackla, and The Deveron. Stephanie is one of the most decorated whisky professionals, named Master Blender of the Year by the International Whisky Competition for several years in a row.

Spike McClure’s family history goes back to the Isle of Skye. Spike was one of the original Masters of Whisky intensively trained by Diageo, dedicated to the New York City market, and he went on to become a Keeper of Quaich. He has worked as a single malt Scotch brand ambassador with global impact, most recently for Torabhaig Distillery, on Skye.

Joseph V. Micallef is a wine and whisky educator and the author of the book Scotch Whisky: Its History, Production and Appreciation. He serves as a judge for various wine and spirit competitions including the IWSC, World Drinks Awards and Irish Whiskey Awards. He is a contributor at Forbes and International Editor of Irish Whiskey Magazine, and has written extensively on wine. Joe lives in Oregon.

Andrew Moldenhauer is a director at the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago. He has worked for Remy-Cointreau as a Beverage Development Manager, he is also an Independent Whisky Consultant & Educator. Andrew was a former Ambassador for Pernod Ricard and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Andrew is know for advanced competence in spirits, wine, and coffee. He currently resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Peter Mulryan is an author and broadcaster whose most recent book is The Whiskeys of Ireland. He has published and spoken on Irish whiskey extensively around the world, he also blogs on the subject. Peter also serves as the CEO of Blackwater Distillery, which started production of Irish whisky in the year 2019. 

Arthur Nägele is a respected spirits expert and highly-demanded trainer and advisor for alcoholic beverages. His Spirituosenakademie is one of the leading learning centers on whiskey in continental Europe. He’s a member of the technical Spirits Judging Committee and Chair Judge at the International Wine & Spirits Competition. Based in Switzerland, covering all German language areas of Europe.

Eddie Nara is a renowned spirits industry leader and Whisky Ambassador lead tutor for HK, Macau and China. He is a Certified Spirits Educator accredited by the Society of Wine Educators, an International Spirits judge for IWSC and HKIWSC and an esteemed cocktail judge. Eddie’s commitment to education is invaluable to the industry and he is a mentor and inspiration to many aspiring professionals across Asia.

Fionnán O’Connor is the author of A Glass Apart: Irish Single Pot Still Whiskey. He has served as a consultant and lecturer for distilleries across Ireland and was the recipient of a 2018 research PhD grant to investigate the history of lost Irish mash bills. He lives in Dublin and continues to contribute articles to books and magazines within the trade.  

Hans Offringa is the author of more than 40 books about whisky, among which the bestseller A Field Guide to Whisky, and has been contributing editor of Whisky Magazine for many years. He is a Keeper of the Quaich, a Kentucky Colonel, Lifetime International Ambassador of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Co-founder of International Whisky Day and Honorary Ambassador of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Furthermore Hans is the only Dutchman and one of only three writers to have been inducted into the international Whisky Hall of Fame. He resides in The Netherlands and in South Carolina.

Rebecca (Becky) Offringa was named a Keeper of the Quaich in 2022. She and her husband Hans are known internationally as The Whisky Couple. Becky is one of the most prolific female writers, photographers and researchers on whiskey. She has assisted and consulted for many of the leading distillery firms, including Diageo, Pernod-Ricard, Beam Suntory and Edrington; also appointed international ambassador for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and co-founder of International Whisky Day. Becky resides in the Netherlands and South Carolina.

Paul Pacult is one of the greatest authorities on spirits alive today. He is the author of “The New Kindred Spirits”, one of the two leading books on the topic. He is a Master of the Quaich, a member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame and has earned countless additional awards in the world of distilled spirits. Paul is the judging chairman of the Ultimate Beverage Challenge spirits competition.

Josh Peters is the author of The Whiskey Jug, one of the top websites in the world focusing on whiskey reviews and whiskey commentary. He’s one of the featured narrators in the forthcoming Water Of Life documentary, author of a forthcoming book on American Whiskey and co-organizer for the largest whiskey club in California: the Southern California Whiskey Club.

Susan Reigler is a national authority on Bourbon whiskey and has written many books on the topic. She is a contributor to American Whiskey Magazine and the past president of the Bourbon Women Association. She’s a member of the Order of the Writ, the leading society dedicated to the future of Bourbon. Ms Reigler is also a graduate of Indiana and Oxford Universities and has hosted Bourbon tastings in front of thousands of whiskey lovers, in the United States and overseas.

Liz Rhoades is a technical distiller with over a decade’s experience, working across a variety of spirits, and sites spanning Europe and the Americas. Having spent the majority of her career at Diageo, Liz is now the Principal at Spirit Safe Consulting LLC, specializing in distillery technical process support, innovation, and education. Liz holds her Diploma Distiller through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and has served in organizations such as the American Malting Barley Association and the Society of Distilling Scientists and Technologists.  

Clay Risen, a reporter and editor at The New York Times, is the author of The Impossible Collection of Whiskey and Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland. He is also the author of the spirits bestseller American Whiskey, Bourbon & Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Favorite Spirit, it is widely considered the bible on American whiskey and placed Risen among the leading authorities on the history, business, and diversity of U.S. spirits. Risen has served as a judge on multiple spirit award committees, including the prestigious Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

Dominic Roskrow (†2022) was a professional whisky writer from 1982 on, and he edited drinks magazines for nearly 30 years. He authored 16 books, the majority about whisky. He was a Drinks Writer of The Year, and received awards from The Press Gazette, The Beerwriters’ Guild, and Gourmand. He specialized in whiskies from non-traditional regions, and he helds his own ‘New World' whisky awards to promote them. Dominic was a Keeper of the Quaich and a Kentucky Colonel. 

Marcy Rudershausen, one of the original Diageo Sr. Masters of Whisky, Marcy was inducted into the Keepers of the Quaich in Scotland in 2010. Active in whiskey judging and conducting educational whisky seminars, Marcy has worked around the world as the principal of her whiskey-specialized consulting firm. She lives in South Florida.

Bernhard Schäfer, Chairman of the Board 2024-2025 and Master of the Quaich, is a whiskey journalist, industry consultant, and panel member of various whiskey competitions across Europe as well as the United States, including the International Wine & Spirits Competition and the World Whisky Awards. He is a co-founder of the European Network of Spirit Experts and resides in his native Germany, where he also lectures on spirits extensively. Bernhard is also the Council’s official speaker on whisky for the region Germany.

Jack W. Smith, Jr., Keeper of the Quaich, is the founding President of the Metro Atlanta Scotch Club. He is an experienced seminar leader on whiskey and holds the Certified Spirits Specialist designation. Jack leads aficionado groups on full-immersion tours to Scotland annually.

Peggy Noe Stevens was inducted into the 2019 Bourbon Hall of Fame and 2020 Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame, recognizing a remarkable 30-year career in the whiskey industry. While working at Brown-Forman, she worked with iconic brands like Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve. Peggy became the world’s first female Master Bourbon Taster and can trace her lineage back to some of the great bourbon families in Kentucky.

Michael Veach is the foremost authority on bourbon history today. Michael was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2006. He has written and contributed to five books, including the widely acclaimed Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage. His career’s achievements have been featured in publications such as The Bourbon Review and The Louisville Encyclopedia.

Andy Watts was inducted in the World Whisky Hall of Fame in 2021, named by Whisky Magazine. As the most decorated whisky professional based in Africa, his international awards include three World’s Best Whisky titles, World Whisky Ambassador of the Year, and Global Icon of Whisky, in addition to many trophies, gold and double gold medals for the whiskies he produced.

Monica Wolf is the Founder and CEO of The Spirits Group, a distilled spirits consulting firm, focused on whiskey related business strategy and operations, quality control and distillery engineering. Monica serves as a whiskey judge at the American Distilling Institute and American Craft Spirits Association and is a board member for Bourbon Women and Historic Locust Grove where she lives in Louisville, Kentucky.

THE COUNCIL OF WHISKEY MASTERS recognizes the following 32 individuals as Masters:

Steve Beal, Master of Whisky
James Ball, Master of Scotch
Alessandro Di Berardino, Master of Scotch
Justin Boyer, Master of Scotch
Will Breslaw, Master of Scotch
Dan Crowell, Master of Whisky
Bruce Deng, Master of Scotch
Martin Duffy, Master of Whisky
Adam Edmonsond, Master of Whisky
Rick Edwards, Master of Scotch
Mark Griffith, Master of Scotch
Chase Henry, Master of Bourbon
Carmen Hartwich, Master of Bourbon
Michael Hitchcock, Master of Scotch
Brad Jarvis, Master of Whisky
Jay Jordan, Master of Bourbon