Taste. Discern. Certify.
A structured, examiner-graded pathway into professional spirits assessment — from single malt fundamentals to cask-strength adjudication, built for hospitality professionals and serious enthusiasts alike.
Every candidate progresses through the same rigorous sequence — each module closes with a graded practicum before advancing.
Grain selection, mashing, fermentation, and the distillation methods that define regional character.
Oak provenance, char levels, warehouse climate, and how time transforms new-make spirit.
Nosing technique, palate mapping, and building a defensible tasting vocabulary.
Comparative tasting across Scotch, Bourbon, Japanese, Irish, and world whiskies.
Glassware selection, dilution ratios, temperature control, and food pairing principles.
Cask investment basics, secondary market pricing, and provenance verification.
Each tier is examiner-graded and stackable — candidates may progress at their own pace.
Formerly a warehouse manager for two Speyside distilleries, Duncan has spent over eighteen years grading spirits for trade competitions and private cask investors. He designed CaskMark's sensory evaluation framework and personally chairs every Tier III capstone panel.
"The sensory module alone changed how I run tastings at our bar. Guests notice the difference in how I talk about the spirit."
"Examiner feedback was specific and firm — exactly what a real certification should feel like. No participation trophies here."
"The cask valuation module gave me the vocabulary to actually evaluate private cask offers instead of guessing."
No. Tier I is designed for enthusiasts and career-changers alike — no prior trade experience is required, only a genuine interest in spirits.
Each module closes with a proctored blind-tasting or written practicum, scored by two independent examiners against a fixed rubric.
CaskMark credentials are recognised by partner hospitality and retail trade bodies across more than 40 countries. See our About page for details.
Tier II requires a passed Tier I practicum or equivalent documented trade experience, reviewed case-by-case by our admissions panel.