It’s that time of year again when we take a deep breath…pour ourselves a favoured dram…and take a moment to reflect on the year that we’re about to bid farewell to, and look forward to a new chapter in 2024.

And what a year it’s been. From a personal point of view, it’s been a huge pleasure to be at the heart of the Society’s 40th anniversary celebrations. We began by heading back to the Aberdeenshire farm where it all started, in the company of Society founder and ‘maverick-in-chief’ Pip Hills. To be able to take the SMWS story back to its origins, and with Pip having reconnected with the Society after his years ‘out in the cold’, has been a real privilege.

Along the way we’ve gained a Guinness World Record for the biggest online whisky tasting, renovated our spiritual home at The Vaults, officially opened our very own maturation warehouse and bottling plant, and most importantly we’ve offered up a wider range of whisky and ways to enjoy it than ever before.

As we head into the new year, I’m especially excited to unveil a feature-length documentary about the relationship between Scotch and sherry that we’ve been working on, and which a select group of members were lucky enough to preview in a special screening in Edinburgh last month. Look out for that coming your way in the new year, along with our focus on sherry-matured whiskies from the SMWS. Elsewhere this month, we’re hoping to help you get ready for Christmas with our focus on the Old & Dignified flavour profile, our special Winter Series of bottlings, and a round-up of events and activities across our Members’ Rooms.

Thanks for making our 40th anniversary so special, and here’s to a fantastic year of Society whisky-fuelled adventures ahead in 2024.

Cheers,