Whisky Ambassador expands training scheme in Asia

Staff at one of the world's busiest international airports have been trained in the art of choosing the right whisky.

DFS staff at Changi Airport have become accredited whisky ambassadors

Twenty employees from the DFS duty-free store at Changi Airport in Singapore – the fourth-largest market for Scotch exports in terms of value – were taught the secrets behind the perfect dram through a programme run by The Whisky Ambassador, the Glasgow-based firm that is the UK’s only accredited whisky training provider.

Run in partnership with Fife-based branding consultancy 15PL, the scheme gave the trainees a grounding in how whisky is made and the economic impact of Scotland’s national drink, as well as training in customer service, tasting and nosing. DFS now plans to roll out The Whisky Ambassador programme across all of its duty free shops in Asia.

Exports of Scotch to Singapore were worth more than £200 million in 2014, according to the Scotch Whisky Association. That ranked it behind only the US, France and Taiwan in value terms.

Jo Graham, managing director of The Whisky Ambassador, said: “The thirst for whisky in Asia is getting greater and greater. Our partnership will help sales associates in DFS stores in Asia provide whisky that suits their customers’ needs and it also means that Scotland can continue to export the highest quality of whisky into the Asian markets with confidence.”