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Scotch and Bourbon certification programme launches

Two separate level 1 tracks- Certified Scotch Professional (CSP) and Certified Bourbon Professional (CBP), have been launched.

The council said that while several organisations offered credentialing programs for spirits, no “specialised and rigorous self-study programme” had been available globally for Scotch or Bourbon, nor for whiskey in general.

“The new whiskey credentialing programme provides a value that was missing so far, and adds to the range of already well-known and respected wine specialist and sommelier credentials.

“With growing interest in Scotch and Bourbon, beverage professionals and hobbyists can demonstrate their dedication to and expertise in whiskey through a demanding course of study and examination, from anywhere in the world,” said the Los Angeles-based business.

To prepare for the exam, candidates enrolled in the CSP or CBP programs (Level 1) receive a detailed 100-page study guide. The exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, with an exam time of one hour. To pass the exam, candidates must achieve a score of 80% or above.

Exam dates are offered weekly via an online process.

Passing either Level 1 exam (Scotch track or Bourbon track) allows candidates to register for the comprehensive Certified Whiskey Specialist (CWS; Level 2) exam, and they can later proceed to the Master of Scotch (SM, Level 3) and Master of Whiskey (WM, Level 4) levels.

Program and registration information as well as curriculum overview and sample exam questions can be found at www.WhiskeyMasters.org.