Hans Offringa
Inductee: 86
Whiskies - 2023
Netherlands
Despite being the son of medical professionals, it was clear from a young age that Hans Offringa would be a writer; he was editor of his high school newspaper and worked as a copy editor at a local newspaper company. He also had a keen interest in whisky, giving his first tutored tastings in his home country of the Netherlands in 1984. These interests collided in 1990 when he began writing articles about whisky – around the same time he helped to develop a ‘publishing and printing on demand’ model for book printing and distribution.
Hans’ first whisky book was published in 1998. Since then, he has written 40 books on the subject, contributed to 16 books by other whisky writers, and translated nine whisky books into Dutch. His own books have been translated into five languages. His wife Becky has worked with him since 2006 as research manager, contributing editor and/or co-author of his books; together, they are known as The Whisky Couple.
Among his most remarkable books are A Field Guide to Whisky (100,000 copies sold to date), the autobiographical The Road to Craigellachie, and 2007’s A Taste of Whisky, one of the earliest food and whisky pairing books. He also writes about whisky for 11 magazines and newspapers on a regular basis and is European contributing editor for Whisky Magazine.
Since 2002, Hans has been presenting and judging for national and international whisky competitions including the World Whiskies Awards. He was co-founder and patron of the Whisky Festival Noord Nederland (WFNN) from 2006–2022. It was at this festival in 2009 that International Whisk(e)y Day – which he co-founded in honour of British whisky writer Michael Jackson – was launched.
Hans was made a Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky in 2014 for his contributions to bourbon history and was made a Keeper of the Quaich in 2016 for his dedicated promotion of Scotch whisky. He is a lifetime international ambassador for the Spirit of Speyside Festival, an honorary ambassador of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and a board member of US organisation the Council of Whiskey Masters.