WDSC 2008
Scientific and Technical Programme
International experts have been invited to speak on some of the most pressing issues facing the distilled spirits industry. This three-day conference will explore key areas relating to energy, environment and enlightenment of new science, technology and policy as they impact on modern distilling practices.
Monday 8th September 2008
Time / Paper / Title / Presenter / Chair0900-0915 / Opening of WDSC 2008 / Paul Hughes (Chair WDSC 2008) &
Peter Ward (IBD President)
Session 1: Global Opportunities & Threats / Chair: Gordon Steele (SWRI, UK)
0915-1015 / 1 / Scotch Whisky – Opportunities & Threats / Alan Rutherford (Compass Box Whisky, UK)
2 / Gin & Vodka – Opportunities & Threats / Speaker to be announced
1015-1045 / Coffee break
Session 2: Fermentation Raw Materials / Chair: James Brosnan (SWRI, UK)
1045-1115 / 3 / Sugarcane for Potable & Fuel Ethanol / Luiz Basso (UNESP, Brazil)
1115-1145 / 4 / Going Against the Grain – Food v. Fuel Uses for Cereals / Charles Abbas (ADM, USA)
1145-1215 / 5 / Advanced Enzymatic Pre-Treatment for High Gravity Fermentation / Elmar Janser (Novozymes, Switzerland)
1215-1330 / Lunch and Exhibition
Session 3: Fermentation Raw Materials (cont.) / Chair: Robert Fotheringham (Chivas, UK)
1330-1400 / 6 / Growing Sustainability in the Wheat Supply Chain / James Brosnan (SWRI, UK)
1400-1430 / 7 / Genetics of Barley Quality / Robbie Waugh (SCRI, UK)
1430-1500 / 8 / Developments in Vodka Production / Matti Korhola (Alkomohr Biotech Oy Ltd, Finland)
1500-1530 / Tea break
Session 4: Fermentation Raw Materials (cont.) / Chair:Rachel Barrie (Glenmorangie, UK)
1530-1600 / 9 / Use of Aromatising Yeast in Brandy Production / Benoit Colonna-Ceccaldi (Pernod Ricard, France)
1600-1630 / 10 / Tequila: A Peculiar Spirit from a Peculiar Source / Ivan Saldana Oyarzabal (Casa Pedro Domecq, Mexico)
1630-1800 / 11 / Commercial Presenter Workshop / Various Speakers
Tuesday 9th September 2008
Time / Paper / Title / Presenter / ChairSession 5: Yeast & Fermentation Issues / Chair: Graeme Walker (Abertay University, UK)
0900-0930 / 12 / The Microbiology & Biotechnology of Rum Production / Graham Fleet (University of NSW, Australia)
0930-1000 / 13 / Strategies for Optimising Bioethanol Fermentations / Katherine Smart (Nottingham University, UK)
1000-1100 / 14 / Distillers Yeast Discussion Forum
- What does industry need from a ‘good distilling’ yeast?
- What are the opportunities to supply such yeast?
- What are the gaps in our yeast knowledge? / Representatives from Industry & Academia: Robert Piggott (Ethanol Technology), Tony Balzan (AB Mauri); Yves Gosselin (Fermentis); Katherine Smart (Nottingham University); Graham Fleet (NSW University); Derek Jamieson (Heriot-Watt University)
1100-1130 / Coffee break
Session 6: Energy & Environmental Issues / Chair: Andy Watts (Distell, South Africa)
1130-1200 / 15 / New-build Distilleries / Mike Jappy (Diageo, UK)
1200-1230 / 16 / Anaerobic Treatment of Distillery and Brewery Wastewaters / Joe Akunna (Abertay University, UK)
1230-1300 / 17 / Anaerobic Treatment and Biogas Production from Thin Stillage at a Bourbon Whisky Distillery / Kevin Smith (Maker’s Mark, USA) &
Robert Hickey (Ecovation Inc, USA)
1300-1400 / Lunch & Exhibition
Session 7: Energy & Environmental Issues (cont). / Chair: Roy Lindsay (UK)
1400-1430 / 18 / Effective Treatment of Distillery Wastewater Using MBR Technology / Farid Turan (Wehrle Enviromental, UK)
1430-1500 / 19 / Process Developments for Distillery Co-Products / David Scheiby & Heinz Decker (GEA Wiegand, UK)
Co-Authors - George Svonja & Dominique Kuehner (GEA Barr-Rosin Ltd)
1500-1530 / Tea break
Session 8: Flavour Developments / Chair: Brian Eaton (Heriot-Watt University, UK)
1530-1600 / 20 / Emerging Ingredients – Adding Newer Dimensions to Alcoholic Beverages / Binod Maitin (United Spirits Ltd, India)
1600-1630 / 21 / Influence of Wood Species of Cask on Matured Whisky Aroma / Yushi Noguchi (Suntory Ltd, Japan)
1630-1800 / 22 / Poster Presenter Workshop & Exhibition / Various Speakers
Wednesday 10th September 2008
Time / Paper / Title / Presenter / ChairSession 9: Process Efficiencies in Modern Distilling / Chair: Paul Hughes (Heriot Watt University, UK)
0900-0930 / 23 / Energy Savings Using Online Multivariate Distillation Monitoring / Kevin MacNamara (Irish Distillers, Ireland)
0930-1000 / 24 / Fuzzy Logic/Neural Networks / Andrej Rotovnik (Miel Electronika, Slovenia)
1000-1030 / 25 / Requirements and New Developments in Modern Distilled Spirits Filtration / Carsten Nissen (Pall Industrial, France)
1030-1130 / Exhibition & Coffee Break
Session 10: Trends at the Market Interface / Chair: Stephanie Macleod (John DewarSons, UK)
1130-1200 / 26 / Premium Sector Optimisation; How spirits packaging can also reduce environmental impact / Nicola Jenkin (WRAP, UK)
1200-1230 / 27 / Tradition and Authenticity: where marketing and production meet / Ian Buxton (Brollachan Ltd, UK)
1230-1345 / Lunch & Exhibition
Session 11: Consumer-Product Interaction / Chair: Tim Dolan (UK)
1345-1415 / 28 / The New American Craft Distiller / Bill Owens (American Distiller, USA)
1415-1445 / 29 / Structure of Ethanol-Water Systems and its Consequences for Flavour / John Piggott (Strathclyde University, UK)
1445-1515 / 30 / Alcohol and Cardiovascular Health / Arthur Klatsky (Kaiser Permanente Medical, USA)
1515-1545 / Tea break
Session 12: Looking to the Future / Chair: Gordon Steele (SWRI, UK)
1545-1715 / 31 / “Visions of the Future” - CEO Presentations / Paul Walsh (Diageo, UK) &
Ian Curle (Edrington, UK) &
Mike Keiller (Morrison Bowmore, UK)
1715-1730 / Conference Close – Closing Remarks / Paul Hughes (WDSC 2008 Chair) &
Peter Ward (IBD President)
Social Programme/Events
For further information on any of our evening venues, please visit their websites:-
Sunday 7th September – Welcome Reception
kindly sponsored by Briggs of Burton Plc as Gold Sponsor
The Welcome Reception will take place at the conference hotel, the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa (
Starting at 1900 hours and finishing around 2300 hours, this event will be held in the Banqueting Foyer and the Edinburgh Suite, and you will be able to catch up with past attendees and get to know some new delegates.....perhaps see their competitive sides.
Dress code: Smart casual
Monday 8th September – “Tutored Tasting” and Free Evening
There will be an opportunity to taste spirits from around the world between 1800 – 1930 hours. After this event, the evening has been left free for you to make your own arrangements.
Dress code: Smart casual or whatever you have worn to the last Technical Session!
Tuesday 9th September – EdinburghCastle Evening
kindly sponsored by AB Maurias Platinum Sponsor
The evening event at EdinburghCastle ( will be your opportunity to experience one of Scotlands greatest tourist attractions. Coaches will leave the Sheraton Grand Hotel to take you to the Castle from 1920 hours and the evening will finish at midnight. During the evening you will be able to visit the Scottish Crown Jewels and take a stroll around the Castle, appreciating the fantastic views of Edinburgh.
Dress code: Smart casual
Wednesday 10th September – Gala Dinner at Prestonfield
kindly sponsored by Krones as Gold Sponsor
The Gala Dinner at Prestonfield ( built in 1687 by Sir William Bruce, this 5* venue defines opulence and glamour. The location is the Georgian stables, where you will have an opportunity to challenge Lady Luck?!? Coaches will depart from the Sheraton Grand at 1900 hours, to arrive at Prestonfield at 1915 hours. The evening will finish at 0030 hours.
Dress code: Lounge suite or National dress
Technical Tours
Held on Sunday 7th September 2008, the Technical Tours will depart from the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa at 11.30am sharp. If you have booked to go on one of the tours, please meet at the Registration Desk in the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa by 11.15am at the latest.
A lunch/snack will be provided on both Technical Visits.
Tour 1: Grain Distillery/Blending/Bottling
A tour of North British Grain distillery located in the heart of Edinburgh, followed a short coach trip to Glenmorangie's bottling facilities, with a tutored tasting by Glenmorangie's Master Blender, Rachel Barrie.
1130 Depart Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa, and tour on arrival at North British Distillery.
1330 Glenmorangie
1700 Arrive back at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
North British Distillery:
Glenmorangie Website :
Tour 2: Malt Distilleries
A trip to two distilleries located in Highlands of Scotland: Blair Athol Distillery for an insight into the production of Scotch Malt Whisky, followed by Aberfeldy Distillery for a tour of Dewar's World of Whisky, an award winning visitor attraction.
1130 Depart Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
1330 Tour of Blair Athol, Pitlochry
1530 Tour of Dewar's World of Whisky, Aberfeldy Distillery, Aberfeldy
1830 Arrive back at the Sheraton Grand Hotel & Spa
Blair Athol Distillery website:
Dewar’s World of Whisky website:
Technical Tours are available to IBD members at £25.00* and Non-IBD Members at £30.00*.
*All cost are subject to 17.5% UK VAT.
If you would like to book one of the Technical Tours, please email , with your credit card details, stating which tour (Tour 1 Grain Distillery/Blending/Bottling or Tour 2 Malt Distilleries) you would like to book.
Downloadable posters
The following posters are now available for download.
Generic Posters
Poster Title / Author(s) / CompanyWhisk(e)y / Ian C Goodall / The Scotch Whisky Research Institute
Gin and Vodka / Ross Aylott / Diageo plc
Shochu / Kazuya Hashimoto and Shinichiro Matsumoto / Sanwa Shurui Co Ltd
Cognac / Gerald Ferrari, B Galy, V Dumot, R Cantagrel / Station Viticole due Bureau National Interprofessionnel du Cognac
Grappa / C Da Porto and M Longo / Università di Udine
Ouzo and Raki / L Margomenou, Ioannis Zabetakis and Andreas Varvegrannis / University of Athens
Rum and Cachaça / João B Faria / Sào Paulo State University, Universidade Estadual Paulista-UNESP