For Bars & Restaurants

Give your team the knowledge to help guests choose the right whiskey.

Whiskey consulting and staff training for bar managers and beverage directors. Build or refresh your whiskey program, then equip your staff to guide every guest with confidence, in person or online, anywhere in Canada.

Start a Conversation See Where Programs Go Wrong

Guests don’t want to be sold to. They want help choosing.

The approach

Most whiskey training teaches staff what to say. This program teaches them what to understand: the styles, the differences between them, the right glass for the pour, and how to turn a guest’s own words into a recommendation.

The goal is not to make your team better at selling. It is to make your guests better at buying. A knowledgeable server makes guests feel looked after, and guests who feel looked after order with confidence and come back.

It is about empowerment, for your staff and for the people they serve.

Common problems

Three mistakes that hold whiskey programs back

The same issues show up again and again in bars and restaurants. Each one is fixable, and fixing them changes how guests experience your whiskey.

The wrong glass

The glass changes how a whiskey smells and tastes. The wrong choice flattens the aroma and undersells a pour the guest is paying a premium for.

The fixGlassware recommendations matched to your whiskeys and your style of service.

Staff who don’t know the basics

If your team can’t explain how Scotch, bourbon, rye, Irish and Canadian whiskey differ, guests stop asking questions and fall back on what they already know.

The fixFoundation training on the main types of whiskey and what sets each one apart.

No way to match a whiskey to a guest

A guest says they want something smooth, or a little sweet, or not too smoky. Without the tools to turn that into a bottle on your shelf, the conversation stalls.

The fixA simple method for turning what a guest says into a confident recommendation.

Consulting

Wherever your program is starting from

Some venues are building a whiskey program for the first time. Others have one that needs fresh energy. Either way, the work covers selection, service and the knowledge to back it up.

Starting out

Establish a whiskey program

You have a few standard bottles behind the bar, but no menu space and no dedicated shelf for a well-chosen selection.

A selection chosen to suit your venue and your guests
The right glassware to serve it properly
Menu and shelf space that gives whiskey a place of its own
Knowledge transfer so your staff are ready from the start

Already pouring

Reinvigorate or expand your program

Your whiskey program is there, but it feels tired, or you are ready to grow it.

Selection that builds on what you already pour
A clear theme that gives your offering a point of view
Improvements to how the offering is presented to guests
Education for your team on every new addition

Staff training

Education that empowers your team

A complete whiskey education program built to give staff real knowledge and the confidence to use it. It works for a single venue or a whole group, and it is delivered live to your team.

In person Online Anywhere in Canada

After training, your staff can:

Explain the main types of whiskey and how they differ
Choose the right glass for each pour
Ask the questions that reveal what a guest is looking for
Recommend a whiskey from your list with confidence
Talk about whiskey in a way that makes guests curious, not intimidated

Training from a certified whiskey professional

Led by a Certified Scotch Professional and Certified Whiskey Specialist through the Council of Whiskey Masters, and Smart Serve Ontario certified. Meet your guide →

Let’s talk about your program

Share a bit about your venue and what you hope to achieve, and Ottawa Whiskey will follow up to talk through the best fit, whether that is consulting, staff training, or both.

613-415-5826

ottawawhiskey@gmail.com