The SMWS began life at The Vaults in Leith in 1983, Scotland when a small group of whisky enthusiasts discovered the delights of single cask, single malt. Since then our membership has grown around the world, a society of whisky lovers brought together through their spirit of adventure, curiosity and a passion to enjoy and share the world’s best whisky…
The first members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society were blown away by their discovery of single cask, single malt whisky, bottled without chill-filtration and undiluted from the cask. As word spread across Edinburgh and further afield, demand grew – but the only way to get access to these bottlings was to join the Society’s club of kindred spirits.
That’s still the case 35 years later. We now release a new monthly Outturn of around 12-15 exquisite cask strength, single cask whiskies, with a huge variety of flavour profiles, ages and characters to explore. Because we only bottle from single casks, each cask is unique and by definition a limited edition. That does mean bottles can sell out fast and can never be repeated – but they are only ever available through Society membership.
Bringing whisky to life
Being a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society isn’t only about getting access to amazing whisky – it means bringing it to life through your connection with fellow enthusiasts at our Members’ Rooms, partner bars and tasting events that we hold all over the world.
As a member, you and up to three guests can enjoy the good company of kindred spirits in the best locations with our Members’ Rooms, at our spiritual home at The Vaults in Leith, 28 Queen Street in the heart of Edinburgh’s New Town, 19 Greville Street in Farringdon, London and at Northcote Road south of the River Thames in Clapham. Our Partner Bar network around Australia also carries a diverse and delicious range of casks for you to enjoy by the dram, from Archie Rose in Sydney, to Whisky & Alement in Melbourne, to Bar Lafayette in Perth, see them all here.
Incredible experiences
The most talked-about and praised member nights in Australia are through the Society here in Australia. Events in most capital cities each month that introduce flavour in ways you never thought were possible. From full masterclasses to boilermaker nights to single cask cocktail experiments: there’s something for everyone.
The inside scoop with Unfiltered magazine
You have to be a Society member to receive our specially produced and award-winning magazine, Unfiltered. The magazine includes the best whisky writing from industry insiders and photography delivered in a beautifully designed format to your door four times a year. Just as our whisky will always stand out in a crowd, we believe Unfiltered is the whisky magazine you would choose above all others.
There’s more than whisky on offer…
And although we’re all about whisky at the Society, we appreciate the finer things in life no matter what form they take. That’s why we also go to great lengths to seek out the very best single cask bottlings for our Single Cask Spirits collection, including bourbon, rum, cognac, armagnac and gin. Look out for regular bottlings as we explore the wider world of sublime spirits.
We have a variety of options for signing up as a Society member, with the ability to add Pip’s book, bottles, or whisky sample packs.
Visit www.smws.com.au/whisky-club-membership for more information and to start your single cask journey!
