SMWS Australia 20th Anniversary2022-11-02T10:34:08+11:00

CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF SMWS AUSTRALIA

2022 marks 20 years of SMWS Australia! It was in 2002 that Andre Tammes and John Rourke came together and started something that, as it turns out, would change the whisky landscape in Australia. They brought the world’s leading whisky club, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, to Australia. They toured around the country with a bag of whisky and gauged interest to see whether or not Australians would truly want these rare and delicious malts; these single cask, cask strength expressions that concentrated on flavour above all else. Since then, The Society has grown into an expansive and passionate community where flavour and friendship have blossomed and transcended. This month, we’re throwing parties, dinners and tastings all across the country to say thank you to you, our members, who have made this all possible.

In addition to the range of events we’re hosting, we also have a special 20th-anniversary cask box-set give-away for a new or existing member (who refers a friend to join) plus an exciting silent auction for a one-off special edition handmade myrtle box containing our 10th, 15th and 20th-anniversary bottles. And, of course, we have an incredible Outturn of delicious whiskies on offer that will be on sale in our shop from the 7th of October at midday AEST!

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ANNIVERSARY CASKS GIVEAWAY

20 years is quite a milestone, so we’re celebrating with a massive giveaway for new members and referrers this month.

All new members who join the club in October, and all existing members who refer a friend will automatically go into the draw to win this once-in-a-lifetime triple-bottle boxed set celebrating our 20th anniversary valued at $1,499.

Each triple-bottle set contains the three 20th-anniversary selected casks, an engraved sliding lid, custom joinery, unique wooden wave lip and leather saddle for the bottles to rest in. The perfect showpiece for your whisky collection.

HOW TO WIN

Join the SMWS between the 1st and 31st of October 2022, or refer a friend (your friend needs to write your name in the online referrer box when joining). Entries open on Saturday 1st October and close 31st October at 11:59pm AEDT.

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THE ANNIVERSARY CASKS

In 2017, the Australian branch celebrated its 15th anniversary — it was within the same year that the discussion began with our spirits team in the UK about what the 20th-anniversary cask would be. Obviously, for 20 years, we wanted a 20-year-old single cask to be bottled — an endeavour that becomes more difficult at that age statement. Our local team tasted and trialled over a dozen different samples and landed on an extra-matured sherried cask from distillery 11 as the pick for the ‘anniversary cask’. However, as The Australian branch grew significantly over the last five years, we decided to select two other entire casks to accompany the 11, promising to make this one of the most exciting anniversaries to date!

Tasting Notes

The nose transports us to after-school sparkling lemon spiders and citrus lollies from the local corner store. Iced Vovo biscuits, vanilla and toffee chews. The palate is oddly dry and chalky, yet vibrant and zesty; heather honey, Kirk’s creaming soda and green apple slices sprinkled with lemon juice (preparing an apple pie); the finish warms with light spice, oak, lemon peel and leather. The reduced nose goes from green to yellow – sandalwood, passion fruit sorbet, lime juice over mango and beeswax candles in a cardboard box. The palate becomes juicier – lush grass, Starburst sweets (in wax paper), pineapple fritters with syrup and jasmine rice wrapped in banana leaf.

Tasting Notes

The aroma neat oozed composure and confidence, like a dashing stroke cricket player who had just hit a ball for ‘six’ to reach his double century. The whole dressing room was on the balcony clapping before getting back to eating butterscotch bananas and macadamia baklava. Diluted we felt like walking through a bodega in Jerez, chalky sand on the floor and the open windows covered by straw mats to keep out the sun but to allow in the breeze. Sweet was the victory and the celebration started by drinking Shiraz out of Spanish style leather wine sacks called Bota and churros with a warm chocolate dipping sauce. After eighteen years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this whisky into a 1st fill PX Sherry hogshead.

Tasting Notes

A dense and powerfully peaty nose that just screamed ‘ISLAY!’ to us straight away. A Bondi beach Surf ’N’ Turf with Moreton Bay Bugs & BBQ steak with sand between your toes. All manner of sooty fabrics, oily mechanical rags, sheep wool doused in petrol and pure, dense, foggy peat smoke. Water brought unexpected subtleties such as fragrant sandalwood, smoked pink sea salt, creosote, and marinated mussels with parsley and white wine. Wee touches of tarragon and rubber fishing wellies too. The neat palate was pure and unequivocally direct on lemon juice, tar, medicines, gauze, shucked oysters and motor oil. A fresh forecourt at your local servo with a smoky bacon sandwich. Water gave us smoked meats, salt baked cod, puffer fumes, soy sauce and thrilling vivid coastal freshness. A blinder!

Tasting Notes

The nose transports us to after-school sparkling lemon spiders and citrus lollies from the local corner store. Iced Vovo biscuits, vanilla and toffee chews. The palate is oddly dry and chalky, yet vibrant and zesty; heather honey, Kirk’s creaming soda and green apple slices sprinkled with lemon juice (preparing an apple pie); the finish warms with light spice, oak, lemon peel and leather. The reduced nose goes from green to yellow – sandalwood, passion fruit sorbet, lime juice over mango and beeswax candles in a cardboard box. The palate becomes juicier – lush grass, Starburst sweets (in wax paper), pineapple fritters with syrup and jasmine rice wrapped in banana leaf.

The aroma neat oozed composure and confidence, like a dashing stroke cricket player who had just hit a ball for ‘six’ to reach his double century. The whole dressing room was on the balcony clapping before getting back to eating butterscotch bananas and macadamia baklava. Diluted we felt like walking through a bodega in Jerez, chalky sand on the floor and the open windows covered by straw mats to keep out the sun but to allow in the breeze. Sweet was the victory and the celebration started by drinking Shiraz out of Spanish style leather wine sacks called Bota and churros with a warm chocolate dipping sauce. After eighteen years in an ex-bourbon barrel, we transferred this whisky into a 1st fill PX Sherry hogshead.

A dense and powerfully peaty nose that just screamed ‘ISLAY!’ to us straight away. A Bondi beach Surf ’N’ Turf with Moreton Bay Bugs & BBQ steak with sand between your toes. All manner of sooty fabrics, oily mechanical rags, sheep wool doused in petrol and pure, dense, foggy peat smoke. Water brought unexpected subtleties such as fragrant sandalwood, smoked pink sea salt, creosote, and marinated mussels with parsley and white wine. Wee touches of tarragon and rubber fishing wellies too. The neat palate was pure and unequivocally direct on lemon juice, tar, medicines, gauze, shucked oysters and motor oil. A fresh forecourt at your local servo with a smoky bacon sandwich. Water gave us smoked meats, salt baked cod, puffer fumes, soy sauce and thrilling vivid coastal freshness. A blinder!

20TH ANNIVERSARY TRIPLE-CASK SILENT AUCTION

To celebrate all three milestone anniversaries in Australia, we’ve worked with a custom woodworker in Tasmania to produce this one-off, one of one, triple bottle set handcrafted in myrtle wood with a bottle of each anniversary cask included.

The 10-year anniversary was celebrated with a 10-year-old whisky, Cask 33.119 A gumtree bonfire barbecue on the beach. The 15-year anniversary was celebrated with a 15 year-old whisky, Cask 73.83 Anzac Biscuits and Cricket Bats, and our 20-year anniversary will be celebrated with a 20-year-old whisky, Cask 11.42 20(0) not out!

This set has been specially created to celebrate our 10th, 15th and 20th anniversary in one unique set and will be offered up via a silent auction in October.

This one-off, only one-in-existence set, will feature all three bottlings from decades long gone. Presented in a bespoke hardwood triple set with leather saddle and lid, this triple set will go to one lucky member’s collection to be savoured and enjoyed with friends. The auction will close at midday AEDT on Friday the 21st of October — the successful bidder will be notified on the 24th of October.

BIDDING NOW CLOSED

20TH ANNIVERSARY EXPERIENCES

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