Flavour Is a Lie - A Sensory Whisky Experience

Information

Flavour doesn’t live in the glass.
It lives in your brain.

This immersive sensory whisky experience explores how sound, sight, touch, smell, and expectation shape the way we perceive flavour — often far more than the whisky itself.

Hosted by Mitch Bechard, Keeper of the Quaich and owner of CopperCairn, alongside sensory specialist Kami Newton, owner of the Sensory Advantage, and sound healer Joanne Bechard, this session blends whisky, sensory science, and live sound into a guided, interactive tasting experience.
This is not a traditional whisky masterclass.

There are no slides, no technical breakdowns, and no tasting-note jargon.
Instead, you are guided through a step-by-step sensory journey, tasting whisky under changing conditions to experience how dramatically perception can shift — even when the liquid in the glass remains exactly the same.

What Will Actually Happen

You will taste four carefully selected Scotch whiskies, chosen for their contrast and sensory clarity, allowing changes in perception to be experienced clearly and confidently.

Rather than racing through drams, this session is deliberately designed to slow tasting down. Some whiskies will be re-tasted as new sensory elements are introduced, giving you the rare opportunity to experience how dramatically flavour perception can change — even when the whisky itself remains unchanged.

Throughout the session, the following sensory elements will be explored and layered:

-Sound – live crystal singing bowls played by Joanne influence focus, calm, and sensory awareness while tasting

-Sight & colour – lighting and visual cues subtly reshape expectation and perceived flavour

-Touch – texture and glassware influence mouthfeel and balance

-Smell – additional aromas demonstrate how closely scent and taste are linked

-Taste – techniques such as miracle berries may be used to shift perceived sweetness and balance

-As these elements combine, guests experience first-hand how multiple senses work together to create what we casually call “flavour”.

The Whiskies
The line-up spans a broad flavour spectrum — from bright and fresh, through fruity and textural, to deeper, more intense styles — ensuring each sensory shift has a noticeable and often surprising effect.

Who This Is For
-Whisky fans who think they’ve seen it all
-Curious minds interested in psychology, sound, and perception
-People who don’t normally enjoy traditional tastings
-Anyone who wants to understand why whisky tastes the way it does

No whisky knowledge is required — just curiosity.

This session is designed to do two things at once:

In the moment: gently mess with your senses and quietly blow your mind

Afterwards: permanently change how you taste whisky

Once you’ve experienced how sound, sight, and expectation influence flavour, you can’t un-know it. Every dram you drink afterwards — at home, in a bar, or on a distillery visit — comes with a new level of awareness.

By the end of the session, you will leave with the same realisation:
You weren’t tasting the whisky.
The whisky was tasting you.

Tickets: £49 per person
Includes four drams carefully selected to mess with your senses.

Refund Policy: Request must be received 24 hours before event.

Getting here: Public service transport is available to Aberlour and then it is a 10 minute walk to the venue. Please check the Stagecoach website for timing and details.

Taxis are recommended to be booked in advance.

Our Distillery Map helps you get a sense of the Speyside region when planning your visit.