ABSTRACT - GfKl 2003, Thursday 13th March at 1800, Audimax TU Cottbus

Classification of Single Malt Whiskies

by Flavour

David Wishart
Department of Management, University of St. Andrews
St. Katharine's West, The Scores, St. Andrews KY16 9AL, Scotland

Email: d.wishart@st-andrews.ac.uk  Website: www.whiskyclassified.com

The talk describes the cardinal flavours that can be found in single malt whiskies, and explains how the production and maturation processes develop these flavours. To simplify the comparison of malt whiskies, a standardized profile of 12 flavour features was developed from around 1000 tasting notes and over 500 whisky terms. The principal malt whiskies from all the Scottish distilleries were then profiled and clustered by flavour.

This helps answer questions like – (1) My store offers a bewildering selection of malt whiskies, so what should I buy? (2) Dad drinks Macallan but I want to give him another malt that's similar in flavour which he will also enjoy? (3) Can you suggest six malts for my cabinet that illustrate the full range of single malt whiskies? 

Whisky Classified: Choosing Single Malts by Flavour is the first book to classify single malt whiskies by flavour. It does not rate whiskies by marks-out-of-ten for quality, or describe them by regional styles. It is a consumer–friendly guide that takes the confusion and guesswork out of whisky–buying, and aims to help the novice or present–buyer make the right purchase of Scotland's national drink. It is also an interesting application of classification methodology for a non-technical readership.

The talk concludes with a taste of Aberfeldy, Ardbeg, Isle of Arran, Balblair, Balvenie, Balvenie DoubleWood, Ben Nevis, Benromach, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, Glengoyne, Glenmorangie, Glenmorangie Madeira Finish, Glen Moray, Glenrothes, Glenturret, Highland Park, Loch Lomond, Macallan, Old Pulteney, Speyburn, Springbank and Tomatin.

References
LAPOINTE, F-J., and LEGENDRE, P. (1994): A Classification of Pure Malt Scotch Whiskies, J. App. Stats, 43, 237-257.
WISHART, D. (2000): Classification of Single Malt Whiskies. In: H. A. L. Kiers, J-P. Rasson, P. J. F. Groenen, and M. Schader (Eds.): Data Analysis, Classification and Related Methods. Springer, Berlin, 89-94.
WISHART, D. (2002): Whisky Classified: Choosing Single Malts by Flavour. Pavilion Books, London:

Keywords
CLUSTERING WHISKIES, FLAVOUR PROFILING, MARKETING, SEGMENTATION, WHISKY CLASSIFIED