LOUISVILLE, KY (Sept 1, 2026) – Three of the biggest names in the American Spirits Industry have joined together to introduce American Whiskey Scholars (AWS), an education and certification program designed for enthusiasts interested in increasing their knowledge about whiskey, as well as for spirits enthusiasts, hospitality professionals in restaurants and bars, and retailers wishing to advance their expertise in bourbon, rye, and other American whiskey styles.

With courses led by Peggy Noe Stevens, Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Member, internationally known speaker who has trained thousands of professionals in the spirits industry and founder of The Bourbon Women Association; Colin Blake, former director of Moonshine University and creator of its Stave and Thief Society, and current Vice President at PNSA; and Susan Reigler, author/co-author of seven American whiskey books and adjunct professor of Bourbon, Beer & Spirits at Eastern Kentucky University, AWS is designed to give its participants the knowledge and confidence they need to become whiskey experts behind the bar, at home, and everywhere in between.

AWS is a self-paced, online program providing not only sensory training and history, but also food pairing, lifestyle, fermentation and distillation basics, and cocktail education in its Level 1 courses, which focus on the science and technology of whiskey flavor creation, the history and preparation of whiskey cocktails, and a culinary component.  Levels 2 and 3 will include a variety of advanced topics including fermentation, distillation, sensory understanding of common flavor profiles and integration into food and cocktail pairing, master taster training, mash bill design, whiskey still design, and much more.  Each level contains both written and video content.  Upon completing the program and passing the final exam, all participants receive a certificate and an AWS lapel pin.  Individual modules in all three levels are also available for purchase on their own for those curious about one particular topic.

The Level 1 program, which is now live, consists of 10 modules, and is designed to build a solid foundation in American Whiskey.

• It covers the flavor board, key bottle profiles, raw materials, distillation, food pairing, and the history of American whiskey from pre-colonial times through Prohibition.
• Participants will learn to execute a standardized tasting protocol, differentiate between Bourbon, Rye, and Tennessee Whiskey, and articulate tasting notes for 30 key bottles.
• The program is ideal for dedicated bourbon enthusiasts, hospitality professionals looking to elevate their service, or individuals entering the whiskey industry seeking a thorough background and credential.

“We designed this three-tier credentialed program to not only be challenging, but fun and approachable,” said Peggy Noe Stevens, one of the creators behind AWS.  “This is the next level and evolution of educational whiskey learning. I’ve watched this industry evolve over the last 30+ years, and our consumers are more educated than ever and craving additional knowledge about spirits.  Instead of offering just hard facts, AWS focuses on the history and lifestyle of the industry. This is an entirely different program from anything else on the market. Consumers have higher expectations, and this program satisfies that need.”

Colin Blake, AWS co-creator and instructor, expands, adding, “We designed this program to fill in the gaps of the other programs in the market.  There are so many programs out there, and they are all good. But we built this for people who are looking to integrate whiskey into their lives, with a focus on sensory, cocktails, food pairing, and menu building, not to mention a much deeper dive into history.  In short, making whiskey knowledge functional instead of academic, even though we cover a lot of academic topics too.”

Susan Reigler, AWS co-creator and instructor, adds, “As a former college biology professor and current college spirits industry professor, it’s been a joy to combine my love of science, bourbon, and teaching into the coursework for AWS.  Even Level 1 science topics are quite detailed.  The importance of limestone filtered water to whisky making is stressed, along with how and when limestone came to be formed geologically. Part of the challenge, and to be honest, the fun, of teaching is to present information in a way that is interesting and memorable, not stuffy and boring, and we feel we’ve achieved that balance in AWS.”

AWS has been in the design stage for more than a year, with its Level 1 recently launching.  Level 2 courses are expected to be ready near the holidays, and Level 3 will launch Spring 2027.  Although all AWS classes are online, the team behind it will also customize in-house seminars for corporate teams.  Office hours will be available for consumers to ask questions about the program once a month online, starting in October.  For more information, visit https://americanwhiskeyscholar.com, follow on Instagram @americanwhiskeyscholar, or email info@americanwhiskeyscholar.com.

About PNSA
Peggy Noe Stevens & Associates is a strategic and brand experiential marketing firm specializing in destination development and professional education and training for the spirits and hospitality industries and is the creator of the three-tiered, credentialed program American Whiskey Scholars.  Peggy Noe Stevens is the world's first female Master Bourbon Taster and she spent 17 years at Brown-Forman, where she helped create the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1999 and led experiential marketing for brands including Jack Daniel's and Woodford Reserve. In 2008 she launched PNSA, which has since executed over 40+ spirit brand destination experiences for clients such as Beam Suntory, Michter's, and Wild Turkey. She is also the author of three books, including “Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon?”