MANIFESTO
All together unique
A fireman in fishnets. An angel in a sauna wearing wellies. A real charmer. A bittersweet eccentric character. We’re manly and medicinal. Perfumed, sweet and summery. Lip-smacking and cockle-warming. Sumptuously simple but far from dull. Distinctive and delectable. A haven in a heartless world. Like our intriguingly named whiskies, we’re all different, and we all have our own personality…
MAIN PHOTOS: PETER SANDGROUND AND MIKE WILKINSON
We are united and constant in our passion – to share the world’s best whiskies, and to make you proud to belong to the world’s most colourful whisky club. Like our whiskies, our members are all together unique.
DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY
Since we were formed in 1983, we’ve believed in doing things differently. As unconventional whisky experts we seek out whisky in its purest form, prize flavour above everything else and give each bottling a curious name.
We discovered the delights of whisky drawn straight from the cask – undiluted and unadulterated – when it was considered too quirky and challenging. Overlooked and unappreciated, it had been left to languish in warehouses across the country, unknown to the wider public.
THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND
We shared our discovery when industry experts said there was no demand for it. As our founder Pip Hills has written: “The people who said it couldn’t be done were so dull!”
Pip and his pals watched word of mouth spread, unearthed ever more treasures, and then opened a club to unite people with a passion for flavour, for variety and for fun.
A NEVER-ENDING FLAVOUR JOURNEY
You’re cooried in to the fireplace with the one you love on a chilly winter’s night. You’re surrounded by the sweet aroma of gorse bushes on a springtime stroll. You’re toasting a marshmallow over the embers of a mid-summer campfire at the beach. You’re walking through a pine forest after an autumnal rain shower, with the smell of petrichor in the air.
At the Society we love to explore flavours and share our discoveries throughout the year, with a new Outturn for members every month of whiskies hand-picked by our expert Tasting Panel.
Our members enjoy exclusive access to whiskies from more than 140 distilleries in Scotland and beyond. We (usually) bottle them at cask strength and offer a constant variety. How you drink them is entirely up to you. And you never quite know what might be coming next.
A PASSION SHARED
We don't just bring you amazing whisky – we bring our members together to share their passion, at our Members’ Rooms, tasting events, festivals, and our network of partner bars around the world.
Ever tried whisky with a beer chaser, with an unusual food pairing, the perfect hot toddy, cocktail or a custom cask-matured dram?
We’re constantly serving up not only stunning whisky, but intriguing ways to enjoy the experience, where you can both learn more about our latest bottlings and share the love with your fellow members.
That makes the SMWS the perfect place to start out on your whisky journey, or take it to the next level.