WELCOME
Dive right in
You have taken the first step into what we hope will be an amazing experience for you
Firstly, a warm welcome from myself, the Society team and your fellow members in the club. You have taken the first step into what we hope will be an amazing experience for you. We are all here to help you get the most from the club and experience all it has to offer. Ready to immerse yourself?
You never quite know what you’re going to encounter when you join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. But we can guarantee it’s going to be an adventure, with a celebration of sharing incredible whisky at the heart of everything that we do. That sense of adventure goes back to the foundation of the Society and the group of friends in Edinburgh who discovered single cask whisky as the ideal reason to get together and enjoy each other’s company.
As word of mouth spread about how exceptional this unadulterated whisky was, friends of friends started to get involved. That circle grew to become a community, and then a club of kindred spirits. And I’m delighted that our founder, Pip Hills, told me recently how he can see that our sense of camaraderie – and fun – is as central to the SMWS today as it was when he kicked things off with his pals almost 40 years ago.
We’ve always done things a little differently, so we wanted to bring together an overview of what the Society is all about and how to get the most out of your membership, whether you’re a newcomer or whatever stage you’re at on your whisky journey.
“We’re a club of people who want to share their passion for a fantastic dram”
David Ridley
This special issue of Unfiltered is the place to find out everything you need to know – from where we come from to where we’re going, how to decipher the information on a Society bottling, add to your understanding and appreciation of whisky and even host your own tasting with friends or family at home.
You should find the answers within these pages, and we also have a wealth of information about everything to do with the Society and the whisky world online, including an exclusive members-only edition of Unfiltered every month.
Jump in and I hope what you see helps motivate you to get involved not only with the most exceptional whiskies, but with all the opportunities for exploration and adventure that your membership brings.
We like to think of ourselves as the “all together unique” whisky club, and that’s down to the curiosity, diversity and warmth of our members.
So whether you’re a new friend or a long-standing member, it’s great to have you on-board and I hope you immerse yourself in an experience that’s as rich, fulfilling and intriguing as our endless variety of single malt whiskies. Slàinte!
David Ridley , MD and Chief Member Champion
Explore intriguing pairings at our tasting evenings
A Society Single Cask Spirits event in London
“This special issue of Unfiltered is the place to find out everything you need to know – from where we come from to where we’re going…”
David Ridley