MEMBER PROFILE: MICHAEL ASHLEY
Three generations of Society love
For long-standing member Michael Ashley, the Society has now connected his family over three generations, through their shared passion and intrigue for unique Society drams. The Society’s Duncan Gorman caught up for a chat with Michael about his family’s linear love for the Society and its whisky
Michael is a huge fan of Scotch malt and since his wife gifted him a Society membership more than 30 years ago, he’s loved to share a dram with friends, family and wife each weekend. Every month, Michael, 80, takes the time to pick out an intriguing bottle from the Society’s Outturn. But he makes sure not to take too large a tipple, so that he doesn’t spoil his appetite for the next session. Michael says: “We’ve been married for 50 years, and we’ve always been partial to a single malt. My wife bought me membership as a Christmas present around 30 years ago. Now every weekend, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we have a decent portion of malt. We avoid having larger ones too often, on the basis not to be too rough the next day so we can still manage more whisky.”
Michael was delighted when his daughter, Sarah Buckingham, grew to share his love for fine malt. After Sarah graduated from The University of Edinburgh around 23 years ago, the family celebrated by indulging in some Scotch where the Society first began, at The Vaults in Leith. Having shared a lovely memory together appreciating unique single cask whisky, warmed by the open fires in the cosy Members’ Room, Michael later gifted Sarah a membership for her birthday. “My daughter went to Edinburgh University and when it came to her graduation, we stayed in the flats above The Vaults so we could refresh ourselves. She then went to Japan for a couple of years, and we gifted her a membership for her first birthday back. We’re quite lucky, her husband also likes malt whisky so we can all sit around a bottle and appreciate it.”
Now, a third generation of Michael’s family has been baptised at The Vaults. Granddaughter Elizabeth Ashley, who like her aunt is now studying at The University of Edinburgh, celebrated her 21st birthday in the historic Members’ Room in October, where she was gifted with a Society membership. Michael adds: “My son likes whisky, he always has whisky in, but I wouldn’t call him a whisky aficionado. But since then, the genes have been reinforced in his daughter Elizabeth. It must be in the genes I suppose, it’s not that we’ve been persuasive to make them like it.”
PICTURED: Michael Ashley celebrating at The Vaults with his family
Having been separated because of the pandemic, Michael, Sarah, Elizabeth and seven other close family members finally gathered again for a special celebration in Leith. Leading up to the event, Michael said: “We really haven’t all been together in quite some time. I’ll also be celebrating my 80th birthday as well. We’ve missed a lot of birthdays because I had to keep a low profile and shield during Covid. So, it will be quite a celebration, it will be the first time in quite some years that all 10 of us will be there together.”
Having now shared his passion for both Scotch malt whisky and the Society with three generations of his family, Michael’s love for the spirit is flourishing more than ever: “I started off liking the really peated ones like Islay, but as time goes on I favour the Highland ones. To my mind there isn't another drink that has such intrigue and variety. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society are very intelligent in the way they buy barrels and every month there is a bottle that we choose to buy. It’s endlessly fascinating to be a part of the SMWS, almost every cask has something to say. It’s not proprietary bottling and that’s what we appreciate. It’s a very good way of relaxing together. Because we all like whisky we all have something in common.”
PICTURED: Three generations of the Ashley family at The Vaults