MEMBERSHIP
Set sail for adventure
Being a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society means having an open mind, a thirst for knowledge, and a spirit of adventure and curiosity. We are here to satisfy all of those personality traits. Membership opens the door to a unique circle of friends around the world, kindred spirits united by a love of exploring the finest single cask whiskies. Here’s everything you need to know to get your whisky adventures underway
MAIN PHOTOS: MIKE WILKINSON AND PETER SANDGROUND
THE SINGLE CASK
We do whisky a little differently. Most of what we offer members is whisky taken from a single cask, so each bottling is unique and by definition a limited edition. The whisky is also out-of-this-world fantastic, with a kaleidoscope of flavours for you to taste and explore. This does mean bottles can sell out fast and can never be repeated, so be sure to order quickly to avoid disappointment. Look out for some of our other intriguing bottlings along the way, as we’re a curious bunch and you never know what else might be coming your way.
MONTHLY OUTTURNS
Every first Friday of the month we release our Outturn bottling list with details of our new whiskies. Typically, we release around 20 new single casks every month. As well as a new release of incredible whisky every month, we’re constantly serving up different ways to enjoy the experience, where you can discover a different side to our whiskies, learn more about our latest bottlings and suggestions on how to share them with your fellow members.
TASTING & EVENTS
What better way to get to know whisky – and to meet your fellow members – than by attending one of our tastings? The Society hosts an adventurous programme of tastings and events, where you can get together with fellow members and enjoy a dram (or more) in the company of one of our knowledgeable ambassadors. Members can buy discounted tickets for themselves and all their guests. Check your branch website for an up-to-date listing of all our events.
HOW TO PLACE AN ORDER
Order online at www.smws.com or call + 44 (0) 131 555 2929 Monday-Friday, 9am-4.45pm (UK time).
If you need any help choosing your whisky or have any questions, email us any time at memberservices@smws.com. International members should check their local websites for up-to-date information on bottlings, events and tastings
MEMBERS' ROOMS & PARTNER BARS
If you’re in town, come and see us at one of our exclusive Members’ Rooms or partner bars. The Society has Members’ Rooms at our spiritual home of The Vaults in Leith, as well as 28 Queen Street in Edinburgh, 19 Greville Street in London and 38 Bath Street in Glasgow. You can sign in up to three guests at each location. We also have partner bars around the world that have exclusive selections of our single cask whisky. You’ll find a list of these on our website.
A WORLD OF WHISKY KNOWLEDGE
Our members magazine, Unfiltered, has been maturing nicely over the years, just like a beautifully balanced single cask bottling. Since we started out, Unfiltered has developed from a brief newsletter to a publication in its own right, produced exclusively for members four times a year. Now we send out a new issue of Unfiltered every month, in a digital format that allows us to include video interviews, podcasts and stunning photography. You can also dig into our extensive archive of magazines, dating back to the first issue of Unfiltered in 2008. If you’re looking for any topic in particular, use the search function to look through every issue.
DIVE IN TO DIGITAL HUB
We also produce a regular podcast, Whisky Talk, which features interviews with distillers, our founder Pip Hills, and visits further afield to explore the world of sherry casks in Jerez. Look out for regular updates at www.whiskytalk.fireside.com
On YouTube we bring our whisky adventures alive at SMWS Silverscreen, including a range of distillery visits, whisky adventures around the world and regular bottle reviews and ambassadors sharing their Society whisky knowledge.