The theme of this year’s show is The Art of Whisky, and by the end of this masterclass you’ll have created your own work of art – a map of the whisky flavours and styles you most enjoy.

Becky Paskin, editor of Scotchwhisky.com and whisky expert, will guide you through six whiskies, focusing on the flavours in the glass rather than what’s on the label. Through the tasting you’ll build a personal flavour map to help guide you through the rest of The Whisky Show.

This masterclass promises to give attendees the confidence to explore the fascinating world of whisky further, both during The Whisky Show and beyond.

James J Fox are the oldest cigar store in the world and have been trading for more than 225 years at their home: 19 St James's Street in London. Dalmore is one of the world's most loved whisky and famous for its ability to pair with cigars. We are delighted to have them both join us at the show to teach us about this wonderful tradition. 

There will be three classes on each day, each matching a different cigar with a Dalmore whisky. The pairings have been carefully chosen to best express and complement one another. Nic Barker, cigar expert and one of the few people to hold the prestigious qualification of Master of Havanas, will be on hand to lead us through the pairings:

• 2.00pm – Dalmore 15 Year Old with Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial
• 3.00pm – Dalmore Cigar Malt with Partagas Serie D No 4
• 4.00pm – Dalmore King Alexander III with Sancho Panza Belicosos

Each session will last for approximately 35-45 minutes.

James J Fox are the oldest cigar store in the world and have been trading for more than 225 years at their home: 19 St James's Street in London. Dalmore is one of the world's most loved whisky and famous for its ability to pair with cigars. We are delighted to have them both join us at the show to teach us about this wonderful tradition. 

There will be three classes on each day, each matching a different cigar with a Dalmore whisky. The pairings have been carefully chosen to best express and complement one another. Nic Barker, cigar expert and one of the few people to hold the prestigious qualification of Master of Havanas, will be on hand to lead us through the pairings:

• 2.00pm – Dalmore 15 Year Old with Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure Especial
• 3.00pm – Dalmore Cigar Malt with Partagas Serie D No 4
• 4.00pm – Dalmore King Alexander III with Sancho Panza Belicosos

Each session will last for approximately 35-45 minutes.

Very few distilleries in Scotland have such a diverse and expansive set of tools available to make whisky. At Loch Lomond, the combination of one-of-a-kind stills, and varying distillation strengths and peating levels means it currently produces eight styles of single malt, and that’s on top of a range of grain whiskies it also produces.

To understand just how creative this allows Loch Lomond to be, we have invited master blender Michael Henry to lead a masterclass exploring the distillery alongside writer Charles Maclean. He will show us the different tools he has at his disposal, and how this gives him a flexibility when creating whiskies that is unrivalled in the whisky industry.

During the masterclass we will try six cask samples highlighting the distillery’s unique production methods, and comparing the resulting whiskies:

• unpeated malt, swan-neck pot still, normal collection strength
• unpeated malt, straight-neck pot still, high collection strength
• unpeated malt, straight-neck pot still, low collection strength
• heavily peated malt, swan-neck pot still, normal collection strength
• heavily peated malt, straight-neck pot still, high collection strength
• heavily peated malt, swan-neck pot still, low collection strength

This is a rare chance to learn about whisky making with an expert in modern distillation techniques. A must for both geeks and those who love great-tasting whisky.

The fact that whisky is being made all across the world isn't ground-breaking news – world whisky is now become an accepted part of the whisky world. It is time to take a proper look at the fascinating and diverse way in which distillers in these new areas are answering the question ‘what is whisky?’

Writer and educator Dave Broom, author of The World Atlas of Whisky, has been seeking out whiskies from less well-known corners of the world for years. During this masterclass, he will be showing us the significance of how and where whisky is made, and, most importantly, what makes them different to Scotch whisky.

The line-up includes a selection of whiskies from all over the world covering France, Netherlands, Germnany, Sweden, England, Taiwan and India.

Glendronach has been well known for producing sherry-cask matured whisky for decades. Relaunched in 2009, the distillery's reinvigorated line-up and regular single-cask releases has cemented Glendronach's reputation as a go-to for sherry-matured whisky.

Join us and global ambassador Stewart Buchanan for a journey through the history of Glendronach.

We'll jump from the the classic sherried releases of the 1980s to the 18-year-old Allardice and discontinued 15-year-old Revival, and take in a bourbon-matured single cask. To top the tasting we'll try something old and something new: the legendary 1971 33 Year Old from 2004 and the brand-new 1991-vintage Kingsman bottling.

A range of great whiskies and one the whisky world's top storytellers – a must for sherry fans.

Many distilleries experiment with wood, but few actually release the results for the world to see. Back in the early 1990’s, Glenmorangie did exactly this, releasing a range of whiskies matured in brand-new casks made from different varieties of oak. Dr Bill Lumsden, the mastermind of the experiment, will be joining us to lead this class, giving us a chance to try these long-sold-out whiskies.

Starting from The Glenmorangie Original 10 Year Old, the class will jump into the effect of different types of oak on whisky, ending with an unreleased experimental dram, specially selected by Bill Lumsden for the class.

This is a rare chance not only to try a range of rare whiskies from Glenmorangie, but also hear about their creation from the man behind the drams.

While Scotland is home to many master blenders, Japanese whisky makers have honed the skill even further and Shinji Fukuyo is one of the masters of the craft. Having travelled to Scotland to learn from the best, he took his skills back to Japan to direct the whisky blending department at Suntory. His work has not gone unnoticed and his creations have been at the forefront of the rise of Japanese whisky over the past 10 years.

Shinji has chosen a selection of cask samples for us, highlighting the different styles of whisky available to the team at the Yamazaki distillery. Not only will these show the different types of wood being used at the distillery, but there will also be a rare chance to try whisky matured in Japanese oak – Mizunara – on its own. Bottlings of Mizunara-matured whisky from the distillery now sell for thousands of pounds and are becoming even more scarce by the day. The tasting will finish with a secret whisky, specially selected for this masterclass.

The line-up will be:

• Yamazaki Spanish oak cask sample - unseasoned
• Yamazaki Spanish oak cask sample - seasoned
• Yamazaki Japanese Mizunara oak ‘young’ cask sample
• Yamazaki Japanese Mizunara oak ‘reasonable age’ cask sample
• Yamazaki Japanese Mizunara oak ‘very old’ cask sample
• A Secret Bottling...

While the chance to try three Mizunara-matured whiskies and compare them to both Spanish and American oak matured drams, this is also an incredible opportunity to learn about blending from one of the true masters of the art.

Over his years as master blender for Whyte & Mackay, Richard Paterson has built up an encyclopedic knowledge of the casks in the company's warehouses. For this tasting, he's dug deep into the racks to reveal a selection of long-aged gems from interesting casks.

While Whyte & Mackay is best known for owning Dalmore and Jura distilleries, it also has Tamnavulin and Fettercairn in its portfolio. With only a small number of official single malt releases to their names, these two distilleries aren't well known, and long-aged examples from their warehouses are rare.

Richard has selected whiskies from the 1960s, 1970s and 1990s to show a range of flavours from across all four distilleries – all specially drawn from the cask for this masterclass.

This is a class not to miss, with rare whiskies and a truly legendary presenter with more than five decades of experience in the whisky industry.

Hidden away in the west of the Isle of Skye, Talisker is one of the most remote distilleries in Scotland. In spite of this, it has grown to be one of the world's favourite single malt whiskies. With a range of gently smoky whiskies that span a spectrum of flavour from the zesty and briny to the rich, complex and delicate, the distillery leads Diageo's single malt portfolio.

We are very pleased to welcome Diageo's Colin Dunn to the show to lead us through a selection of drams that show off the versatility of Talisker over the years.

We will dip into Talisker's history, drawing on Colin's extensive knowledge of the subject, as well as taste whiskies produced over the past five decades. From Talisker new-make, we will move on to comparing 8-year-old whiskies from the present day and 1970s, before delving back through time to try whiskies distilled in the 1990s, 1980s and 1970s. We will also be trying a mystery cask sample, specially selected for the class.

Not only is this a chance to try a range of incredible whiskies, it's also an opportunity to pick the brains of one of the industry's most knowledgeable historians while he talks about one of his favourite distilleries.

Few would argue Macallan's status as the Rolls-Royce of single malts. A pioneer of the art of the sherry cask in the 1960s, the distillery continues to produce some of the most sought-after sherry-matured whiskies in the world. This masterclass offers a chance to try whiskies from the past six decades with the current curator of casks, master of wood Stuart MacPherson.

Stuart will be leading us through a range of Macallans, from the more recent Double Cask 12 Year Old, Rare Cask and Edition No.2 to whiskies distilled in the 1960s and 1970s, with a taste of the iconic 25 Year Old along the way.

This is a rare chance to chart the evolution of Macallan's current line-up by delving into its legendary past.

American whiskey is awash with tales of the people who started it all, larger than life figures who defined today’s whiskey.

William Larue Weller – a pioneer of the whiskey industry in the 1800s. Maker of ‘Honest whiskey at an honest price’, his company merged with Pappy van Winkle’s A Ph Stitzel Distillery to form the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery.

George T Stagg – one of the great whiskey salesman of all time. The distillery he helped build was renamed the George T Stagg distillery in 1904. It changed its name again twenty years ago – it is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Thomas H Handy – the Sazerac is a cocktail with a muddled history, but in the 1870s the owner of The Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans starting making them with rye whiskey instead of Cognac. His name: Thomas H Handy.

Three names that shaped American whiskey more than a century ago. To this day, Buffalo Trace still honours these legendary figures with its annual Antique Collection.

Join Drew Mayville, master blender at Buffalo Trace as he guides you through the history of this great distillery, while tasting some of his favourite whiskeys since starting at the distillery. The line up includes the first bottling of William Larue Weller that the distillery bottled and Jim Murray's Whisky of the Year 2013 - Thomas H Handy 2011.

Scotchwhisky.com is offering the chance to get to know some of the most-loved and experienced whisky heroes in an intimate, yet fast-paced speed dating session. Each presenter will bring along one exceptional, rare dram with which they hope to win your heart, though they will have just 10 minutes to put their charms to the test. With only six people at each table, it’ll be an intimate affair with time to get to know both your date and their whisky.

All proceeds from this masterclass will be donated to five charities nominated by our presenters.

Becky Paskin, editor of Scotchwhisky.com, will host the session while acting as stern timekeeper.

Five distillers. Five whiskies. 

Shinji Fukuyo, master blender, Suntory
Yamazaki 25yo First Release

Blending whisky since 1992, Shinji Fukuyo has risen through the ranks at Suntory to be chief blender for the entire company. He has created more incredible whiskies than almost any other blender in the industry and has access to incredible stocks of whisky across Suntory's portfolio. 

David Turner, distillery manager, Bowmore

David Turner is not only the distillery manager of Bowmore, but also a born and bred Islay native. Brought up around whisky and a life-long Bowmore fanatic, he started work at the distillery at the age of 16 and hasn't looked back. With more than two decades of whisky collecting behind him, David knows how to choose a good bottle of whisky to try.

Billy Leighton, head blender, Irish Distillers
Redbreast Dream Cask 31yo Sherry Finish

For more than 10 years Billy Leighton has led the blending team at Irish Distillers, responsible for creating Jameson, Redbreast and many other excellent whiskies. He's an expert in all aspects of whiskey production and knows loads about the history of whiskey, but most importantly he has access to some of Ireland's best casks.

George Grant, sales director, Glenfarclas
Glenfarclas 1954 Single Cask bottled for Luc Timmermans

Not only is George the sales director for one of Speyside's best-loved distilleries, he's also the fifth generation of the family who have owned it for more than 125 years. Having grown up steeped in whisky heritage, there are few people who know more about Glenfarclas or his family's whisky than George Grant.

Ian Logan, international brand ambassador, The Glenlivet
Glenburgie 1976 First-fill Bourbon Hogshead

After almost thirty years of working in the whisky industry, Ian is a familiar face to whisky lovers around the world. A regular at whisky shows and tastings from London to China, he's poured some incredible drams. We look forward to seeing what he'll be bringing to the Whisky Show.