A new online whiskey education program from Peggy Noe Stevens, Colin Blake and Susan Reigler aims to make American whiskey knowledge more practical, from tasting and history to cocktails, food pairing and production.
LOUISVILLE, KY — September 3, 2026 — Whiskey education has become a bigger part of the American spirits landscape, but a new program is taking a broad approach to who that education is for. American Whiskey Scholars (AWS) has launched a three-level online certification program designed for bourbon and whiskey enthusiasts, hospitality professionals, retailers and people looking to build a career in the spirits industry.
The program was created by three longtime figures in American whiskey education and hospitality: Peggy Noe Stevens, Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame member and founder of Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates; Colin Blake, former director of Moonshine University and creator of the Stave & Thief Society; and Susan Reigler, author of multiple American whiskey books and an adjunct professor of Bourbon, Beer & Spirits at Eastern Kentucky University.
Unlike a program focused solely on production or memorizing whiskey facts, AWS is built around the idea that whiskey knowledge should be useful in the real world. Its curriculum combines American whiskey history and production with sensory education, cocktails, food pairing and the broader culture surrounding the category.
What Is American Whiskey Scholar?
American Whiskey Scholars is a self-paced, online education and certification program that will ultimately span three levels. Each level combines written and video instruction, with students receiving a certificate and AWS lapel pin after completing the coursework and passing the final examination.
Level 1 is now available and consists of 10 modules designed to establish a foundation in American whiskey. Topics include the raw materials used to make whiskey, distillation, flavor development, food pairing and American whiskey history from the pre-colonial era through Prohibition.
Students will also learn a standardized tasting protocol, explore the differences between bourbon, rye and Tennessee whiskey, and work through tasting profiles for 30 key bottles.
That combination is important because AWS isn’t positioning whiskey education as something that ends when someone can recite a mash bill or identify the legal definition of bourbon. The stated goal is to help participants actually use what they learn, whether that means evaluating a pour at home, building a cocktail menu, improving whiskey service or developing a retail selection.
“The stated goal is to help participants actually use what they learn…”
Three Levels, With Level 1 Available Now
The first level is intended to provide the foundation. Future levels will move considerably deeper into the technical and sensory side of whiskey.
Level 2, expected around the holidays, will expand into subjects including fermentation, distillation, sensory understanding, food and cocktail pairing, and more advanced whiskey concepts.
Level 3, expected in spring 2027, will go further into areas including master taster training, mash bill design and whiskey still design.
Individual modules will also be available separately, giving people the option to explore a particular subject without committing to the complete certification path.
The program will remain online, but the AWS team says it will also offer customized in-house seminars for corporate groups. Monthly online office hours for participants are expected to begin in October.
Why This Matters
There is no shortage of whiskey education available today. Consumers can learn through distillery tours, tasting groups, books, online courses, certification programs and increasingly sophisticated whiskey communities.
That’s what makes the approach behind American Whiskey Scholar more interesting than the simple existence of another certificate.
AWS is deliberately trying to connect different parts of whiskey knowledge. A participant isn’t only learning how whiskey is produced or how to identify aromas. The curriculum also asks how that whiskey fits into food, cocktails, hospitality and everyday drinking.
That makes the program potentially relevant to two very different groups: people who work with whiskey professionally and enthusiasts who simply want to understand what’s in their glass at a deeper level.
Blake described the goal as making whiskey knowledge “functional instead of academic,” while Stevens frames the program as an evolution of whiskey education for consumers who are increasingly interested in understanding the category.
There is also an interesting piece of industry continuity here. Blake previously created the Stave & Thief Society, giving him considerable experience developing structured whiskey education. AWS therefore enters the market with instructors who have already spent years teaching whiskey rather than approaching certification as an entirely new concept.
“Functional instead of academic”
AWS Co-founder Colin Blake
Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:
The credentials behind American Whiskey Scholar are difficult to dismiss, but the real question with any whiskey certification is what a participant actually gains from it. For hospitality and retail professionals, structured sensory training and a deeper understanding of production, history, cocktails and food pairing could have immediate practical value. For enthusiasts, it offers a more organized way to build on the knowledge many of us accumulate one bottle, tasting and distillery visit at a time.
I’m particularly interested to see where AWS takes the more advanced levels. Master taster training, mash bill design and still design suggest there’s potential for some genuinely worthwhile material beyond the introductory coursework. American whiskey education isn’t exactly lacking in options, but a program that makes that knowledge useful both professionally and at home is worth watching. American Whiskey Scholar has an experienced team behind it and an interesting approach. Now it’s time to see how well the coursework delivers.
How to Learn More
American Whiskey Scholar’s Level 1 program is currently available online, with Levels 2 and 3 planned for later in 2026 and spring 2027, respectively. The program also plans monthly online office hours beginning in October.
For whiskey enthusiasts considering formal education, the program offers another option alongside the growing number of professional and consumer-focused whiskey courses available today.
About Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates
Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates (PNSA) is a strategic and experiential marketing firm specializing in the spirits and hospitality industries, with work spanning destination development, brand experiences, education and professional training. Founded by Peggy Noe Stevens in 2008, the firm has developed more than 40 spirits destination experiences for clients including Beam Suntory, Michter’s and Wild Turkey.
Stevens spent 17 years with Brown-Forman, where she helped create the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999 and worked in experiential marketing for brands including Jack Daniel’s and Woodford Reserve. She is a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, the world’s first female Master Bourbon Taster, founder of the Bourbon Women Association and author of three books. PNSA is also the creator of American Whiskey Scholars, a three-level credentialed education program covering American whiskey history, production, sensory evaluation, cocktails, food pairing and related topics.
Related Articles
New Era launches Marquee Exclusive Bourbon, a $49.99 small-batch blend selected by nine Kentucky bourbon professionals from 30 barrels.
Pursuit Spirits wins North America’s Leading Bourbon Distillery Tour 2026 for The Whole Shebang, a hands-on whiskey experience on Louisville’s Whiskey Row.
Lofted Spirits names Nick Smith Master Distiller, succeeding Steve Nally as Bardstown Bourbon Company celebrates its millionth barrel.
Virginia Distillery Co. expands The Brewer’s Coalition with two limited American Single Malts finished in Black Tuesday stout and Straight Jacket barleywine casks.
Pursuit Spirits launches XS Double Oak Rye, a 126.2-proof, 720-bottle release finished for 20 months in custom Seguin Moreau oak barrels.
Copper & Cask launches “X,” a 10-year barrel proof Bourbon and its first permanent release, alongside two new 9-year Small Batch expressions.
Shortbarrel Cigar Batch #4 blends mature American whiskey finished in 50+ casks, including Armagnac, Cognac, rum, Port and Sherry.