2026 July: Sommer School ’26

Name: 2026 July: Sommer School '26
SKU: 18054
Availability: InStock

$4,000.00

On Campus

July 8 - 9 (2 days)

Instructors: Daniel Whittington

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Bringing your partner?

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We want to make sure we get everyone on the roster.

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We encourage you to bring your life partner with you to class.

This avoids you going home and then trying to explain what you learned (and sounding a bit like a crazy-person).

We've found it's just easier to let them attend and experience for themselves.

You need only one tuition for both of you. If staying on campus, you will share a room, of course.

There is one exception: and that is Whiskey Classes. For Whiskey Classes, your spouse may attend at no additional cost, but must pay their own tuition if they want to test and earn the Certification.

This courtesy is not meant to allow colleagues to split tuition.

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Day One – Magic or Miracle, eh?

We decided to attempt our own personal Mount Everest summit. Mostly because we don’t know how long they will let us keep doing this.

In just one day we will convince you that Canadian Whisky is amazing.

Who could perform this feat? Do we have a Hercules waiting in the wings?

Why yes.
Yes we do.
Not just one.
We have four.

Entering stage door left, Dr. Don Livermore, Master Blender of Hiram Walker & Sons and one of the sharpest scientific minds in whiskey today.

Entering stage door right, Davin de Kergommeaux, author, leading authority, chronicler and defender of the rye.

Entering from the escape roof hatch, we have Reece Sims, founder of Flavor Camp, owner of SIP Spirits Consulting, and winner of the 2025 IWSC Emerging Talent in Spirits Communications, and named “Best Whisky & Spirits Writer” in the 2026 Canadian Whisky Awards.

Entering from the secret Wizard Academy catacombs, Theresa Smith, aka Canadian Whisky Smith. Our very own level four whisky sommelier and expert based in Canada, recognized for her extensive knowledge, tasting notes, and judging expertise in the spirits industry

That evening, having broken bread on the summit, we will descend to the valleys to unwind with a light mix of unicorn hunting, solving world hunger, and writing apology notes to Steve Rae while Melissa Scarborough makes us tamales. If time allows, we may even locate those missing cases of Canadian Club.

Day Two – Say Hello to my Lil’ Friend

“Build a man a fire, and he’ll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he’ll be warm for the rest of his life.” – Terry Pratchett

Naturally, we decided the best idea for Day Two, in a small, enclosed tower surrounded by thousands of bottles of alcohol, was to set dry vegetation on fire.

Yes, cigars.

We’ll explore the history, science, and industry of cigars along with pairing them with whiskey and food – all in preparation for the Certified Cigar Sommelier Tobacconist (CCST) exam from Tobacconist University and become Somms².

We’ll spend the second half of the day in the presence of a cigar roller showing us how to roll cigars while walking us through the process and choices. Then we’ll be tasked with making a pairing choice between a whisky and cigar of our choosing.

In a team.

Because IT MAKES THE DREAM WORK.

By the end of the day, you’ll master the art of burning leaves* so elegantly your HOA will file a complaint out of pure jealousy.

Whose idea was it to teach people how to set things on fire after drinking large amounts of Canadian whisky?

It was Sowder.

So Somm, do the impossible.
Somm, do the extreme.
Somm now…because there is no chance we’re getting away with this again.
Sommer School 2026

Somm Harder…eh?

*The classroom instruction will be academic and theoretical with some demonstrations like cigar rolling. As always, there will be no smoking in the classroom or the vault.

Price – $4,000
2 days, 3 nights.
*important* This is NOT A CERTIFICATION, so spouses and partners attend free like they would in a normal WA class.
returning alumni receive a 50 percent discount, as always. (Just make sure to enter your code in the box at checkout.)