Whisky Culture Institute Holds "Whisky Lecturer" Program for the First Time in 3 Years in 2026

The Whisky Culture Institute Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Mamoru Tsuchiya) held the "Whisky Seminar Instructor Training Course," a training program for instructors of whisky seminars and whisky schools, on Sunday, March 29, 2026.

This course was held for the first time in three years since 2023, with a total of 190 participants, including both in-person and online attendees, targeting those qualified as "Whisky Professional" or higher. Those who complete this course will be officially certified as "Whisky Lecturers (WL)," instructors for whisky seminars and whisky schools. Certified individuals are expected to be active in holding their own seminars and schools, disseminating information through various media, and serving as judges for the "Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition" hosted by our company.

For those who were unable to attend on the day, an archive will be distributed in April, and the final number of certified "Whisky Lecturers" is expected to be close to 200.

We look forward to the further success of the newly certified Whisky Lecturers.

## What is a Whisky Lecturer (WL)?

We conduct a whisky seminar instructor training course for those qualified as "Whisky Professional" or higher, which is one of the three levels of specialized Whisky Connoisseur qualifications, having passed both written and tasting skill examinations. After completing the examination and curriculum, individuals are officially certified as "Whisky Lecturers (WL)," instructors for whisky seminars and whisky schools. While a Whisky Connoisseur qualification is mandatory, it is positioned entirely separately from the three-level qualification system, and the quality of instructors is maintained through a required renewal every three years.

Many individuals active in various fields acquire this qualification. Their activities are diverse, including those who continuously disseminate information through YouTube and social media, those who widely convey the appeal of whisky through media such as television and radio, and those who communicate the charm and knowledge of whisky through customer service in liquor stores and bars, interacting with customers daily. Although their means of communication and fields of activity differ, they all share the common goal of correctly conveying the value of whisky and spreading it as a culture.

This qualification system was created to support such diverse individuals, and its origin was a question from highly specialized individuals asking, "Are we suitable to be in a position to teach others?" In response to this sentiment, the Whisky Lecturer system was established as a system to certify individuals equipped with the ability to convey information correctly.