{
  "name": "WhiskeyCask Flavour Scale",
  "version": "1.0",
  "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/learn/flavour",
  "licence": "CC BY 4.0",
  "attribution": "WhiskeyCask Flavour Scale v1.0 — https://www.whiskeycask.org/learn/flavour",
  "scale": {
    "min": 0,
    "max": 10,
    "integer": true
  },
  "axes": [
    {
      "key": "smoke",
      "label": "Peaty",
      "measures": "Peat, tar, bonfire, medicinal iodine",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "No smoke detectable",
        "5": "Clearly present but balanced",
        "10": "Dominant, as in a heavily peated Islay"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "sweetness",
      "label": "Sweet",
      "measures": "Honey, vanilla, toffee, syrup, icing sugar",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "Bone dry",
        "5": "Noticeably sweet",
        "10": "Confectionery"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "fruit",
      "label": "Fruity",
      "measures": "Orchard, citrus, tropical and dried fruit",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "No fruit character",
        "5": "One of several notes",
        "10": "Fruit-led throughout"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "spice",
      "label": "Spicy",
      "measures": "Black pepper, cinnamon, clove, ginger, rye spice",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "None",
        "5": "Warming",
        "10": "Hot and spice-driven"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "oak",
      "label": "Woody",
      "measures": "Wood tannin, char, dryness, sawn timber",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "Barely wooded",
        "5": "Well integrated",
        "10": "Tannic and drying; over-oaked at the top"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "sherry",
      "label": "Sherried",
      "measures": "Oloroso, PX, port and red-wine cask influence",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "None",
        "5": "Clear sherry presence",
        "10": "Sherry-monster territory"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "malt",
      "label": "Cereal",
      "measures": "Biscuit, bread dough, porridge, nuts",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "Absent",
        "5": "A solid malty base",
        "10": "Cereal-forward"
      }
    },
    {
      "key": "body",
      "label": "Oily",
      "measures": "Weight and oiliness in the mouth",
      "anchors": {
        "0": "Thin and watery",
        "5": "Medium",
        "10": "Thick and coating"
      }
    }
  ],
  "provenance": {
    "structure": "Single-word axis names in the arrangement used by the Scotch Whisky Research Institute's flavour wheel, which the Scotch Whisky Association reproduces for consumer education on p.8 of its Tasting Toolkit. That arrangement is the industry-standard neutral structure. We reproduce neither SWRI's artwork nor its roughly 130-term tier-3 descriptor list; copyright in both remains SWRI's.",
    "structureSource": "https://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/media/1714/swa-tasting-toolkit_2020.pdf",
    "deliberatelyNotUsed": [
      "The Wishart/Strathclyde 12-variable dataset — no traceable licence, derives from a copyrighted book.",
      "The Flavour Map axes (vertical Delicate–Smoky, horizontal Light–Rich) and all nine camp names — jointly copyright Dave Broom and Diageo Scotland Ltd, 2010.",
      "All twenty SMWS flavour profile names, both the current eight and the retired twelve.",
      "'Fragrant & Floral' specifically, which is claimed by both Broom and SMWS.",
      "The 'Adjective & Adjective' compound naming form, which is the shared family resemblance of the proprietary systems — every axis here is one plain word."
    ]
  },
  "rubric": [
    "Tasted neat at room temperature in a nosing glass, with water available but added separately.",
    "Each axis scored independently against the published anchors.",
    "Scored against the anchors, not against the flight — a whisky does not become smokier because the one before it was gentle.",
    "Re-tasted on a second occasion before publication; a third time where the two sessions differ by more than two points on any axis.",
    "Price is never an input. A £30 bottle and a £300 bottle are scored on the same scale."
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "These are editorial judgements, not measurements. Two competent tasters will differ by a point or two on most axes; treat one point as noise and three as meaningful.",
    "Batch variation is real and we usually score one batch. Non-age-statement and small-batch bottlings vary most.",
    "Eight axes cannot capture finish length, balance, or texture beyond weight. That is what the tasting note is for.",
    "Palate fatigue is unavoidable. We cap a session at six whiskies, which helps but does not eliminate it."
  ],
  "similarity": {
    "method": "cosine similarity over the raw eight-dimensional vector",
    "range": "0 to 1; 1 is identical",
    "note": "Cosine compares the SHAPE of a profile rather than its intensity, so a gentle sherried malt and a big sherried malt score as similar. That is deliberate — it matches how people actually ask the question. Use Euclidean distance instead if you want intensity to matter.",
    "reference": "similarity(a, b) = sum(a_i * b_i) / (sqrt(sum(a_i^2)) * sqrt(sum(b_i^2)))",
    "javascript": "const keys = ['smoke','sweetness','fruit','spice','oak','sherry','malt','body'];\nfunction similarity(a, b) {\n  let dot = 0, na = 0, nb = 0;\n  for (const k of keys) { dot += a[k]*b[k]; na += a[k]**2; nb += b[k]**2; }\n  return dot / (Math.sqrt(na) * Math.sqrt(nb) + 1e-9);\n}"
  },
  "plannedV2": [
    "Per-stage scoring — the same eight axes captured separately at nose, palate and finish. Nobody currently scores a fixed axis set per stage, and it makes 'long finish' fall out of the data instead of being asserted."
  ],
  "scoredWhiskies": 35,
  "data": [
    {
      "slug": "aberlour-abunadh",
      "name": "Aberlour A'bunadh",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/aberlour-abunadh",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 8,
        "fruit": 7,
        "spice": 6,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 9,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 9
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "ardbeg-10",
      "name": "Ardbeg 10 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/ardbeg-10",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 9,
        "sweetness": 3,
        "fruit": 4,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "ardbeg-uigeadail",
      "name": "Ardbeg Uigeadail",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/ardbeg-uigeadail",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 9,
        "sweetness": 5,
        "fruit": 4,
        "spice": 7,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 6,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 9
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "balvenie-doublewood-12",
      "name": "The Balvenie DoubleWood 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/balvenie-doublewood-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 8,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 6,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "bowmore-12",
      "name": "Bowmore 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/bowmore-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 6,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 5,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "bruichladdich-classic-laddie",
      "name": "Bruichladdich The Classic Laddie 10 Aged Years",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/bruichladdich-classic-laddie",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 2,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 7,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 6,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "buffalo-trace",
      "name": "Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/buffalo-trace",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 6,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "chivas-regal-12",
      "name": "Chivas Regal 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/chivas-regal-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 1,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 4,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "compass-box-artist-blend",
      "name": "Compass Box Artist Blend",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/compass-box-artist-blend",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 2,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 7,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 4,
        "malt": 6,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "eagle-rare-10",
      "name": "Eagle Rare 10 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/eagle-rare-10",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 7,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "elijah-craig-small-batch",
      "name": "Elijah Craig Small Batch",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/elijah-craig-small-batch",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 6,
        "oak": 7,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "four-roses-small-batch",
      "name": "Four Roses Small Batch",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/four-roses-small-batch",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 7,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "glendronach-12",
      "name": "The GlenDronach Original 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/glendronach-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 9,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "glenfiddich-12",
      "name": "Glenfiddich 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/glenfiddich-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 7,
        "spice": 3,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 4
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "hibiki-harmony",
      "name": "Hibiki Japanese Harmony",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/hibiki-harmony",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 1,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 7,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 5
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "high-west-double-rye",
      "name": "High West Double Rye!",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/high-west-double-rye",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 1,
        "sweetness": 5,
        "fruit": 4,
        "spice": 9,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 2,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "highland-park-12",
      "name": "Highland Park 12 Year Old Viking Honour",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/highland-park-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 4,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 5,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "johnnie-walker-black-label",
      "name": "Johnnie Walker Black Label 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/johnnie-walker-black-label",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 4,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 4,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "johnnie-walker-blue-label",
      "name": "Johnnie Walker Blue Label",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/johnnie-walker-blue-label",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 3,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 5,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "kavalan-classic",
      "name": "Kavalan Classic Single Malt",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/kavalan-classic",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 8,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "lagavulin-16",
      "name": "Lagavulin 16 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/lagavulin-16",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 8,
        "sweetness": 4,
        "fruit": 3,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 8
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "laphroaig-10",
      "name": "Laphroaig 10 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/laphroaig-10",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 9,
        "sweetness": 2,
        "fruit": 2,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "laphroaig-quarter-cask",
      "name": "Laphroaig Quarter Cask",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/laphroaig-quarter-cask",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 9,
        "sweetness": 4,
        "fruit": 3,
        "spice": 6,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 8
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "macallan-12-double-cask",
      "name": "The Macallan 12 Year Old Double Cask",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/macallan-12-double-cask",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 4,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 7,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "macallan-18-sherry-oak",
      "name": "The Macallan Sherry Oak 18 Years Old (2025 Release)",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/macallan-18-sherry-oak",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 7,
        "sherry": 9,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 8
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "michters-us1-bourbon",
      "name": "Michter's US*1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/michters-us1-bourbon",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 6,
        "oak": 7,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "monkey-shoulder",
      "name": "Monkey Shoulder",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/monkey-shoulder",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 1,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 6,
        "body": 6
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "nikka-from-the-barrel",
      "name": "Nikka From The Barrel",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/nikka-from-the-barrel",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 2,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 7,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 4,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 8
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "redbreast-12",
      "name": "Redbreast 12 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/redbreast-12",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 7,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 6,
        "malt": 7,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "rittenhouse-rye",
      "name": "Rittenhouse Straight Rye Bottled-in-Bond",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/rittenhouse-rye",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 5,
        "fruit": 4,
        "spice": 9,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "starward-nova",
      "name": "Starward Nova",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/starward-nova",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 8,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 6,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "talisker-10",
      "name": "Talisker 10 Year Old",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/talisker-10",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 6,
        "sweetness": 4,
        "fruit": 4,
        "spice": 7,
        "oak": 5,
        "sherry": 2,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "teeling-small-batch",
      "name": "Teeling Small Batch",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/teeling-small-batch",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 7,
        "fruit": 6,
        "spice": 5,
        "oak": 4,
        "sherry": 3,
        "malt": 5,
        "body": 7
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "wild-turkey-101",
      "name": "Wild Turkey 101",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/wild-turkey-101",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 4,
        "spice": 8,
        "oak": 7,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 8
      }
    },
    {
      "slug": "woodford-reserve",
      "name": "Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select",
      "url": "https://www.whiskeycask.org/whiskies/woodford-reserve",
      "flavour": {
        "smoke": 0,
        "sweetness": 6,
        "fruit": 5,
        "spice": 6,
        "oak": 6,
        "sherry": 1,
        "malt": 4,
        "body": 6
      }
    }
  ]
}