Founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is a membership organization that bottles and sells single malt whisky from Scotland and throughout the world, directly to its members. The SMWS started when Pip Hills stumbled upon the delights of whisky drawn straight from the cask – undiluted and unadulterated. That was in the 1970s, when the whisky industry establishment considered such a spirit too quirky and challenging for delicate palates. Overlooked and unappreciated, it had been left to languish in warehouses across the country, unknown to the wider public. Today, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has evolved from a small group of friends into an international club made up of nearly 40,000 members from around the world. They specialize in single-cask, cask-strength whiskies that are bottled without dilution, coloring, or chill-filtration, allowing members to experience the spirit exactly as it comes out of the barrel. To avoid brand bias, the SMWS intentionally removes all distillery names from their iconic green bottles, replacing them with a clever, proprietary coding system. 

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expressions

1. 9.282 - Glen Grant, 19 Year Old, First-fill barrel (Speyside) 54.3% ABV

2. 19.87 - Glen Garoich, 19 Year Old, First-fill barrel (Highland) 53.5% ABV

3. 122.66 - Croftengea (Loch Lomond Distillery), 10 Year Old, Unpeated, Refill hogshead, heavy toast/medium char (Highland) 60.7% ABV

4. Batch 30 - 11 Year Old, Speyside blend, Refill hogsheads & First-fill European oak PX butts (Blend) 50% ABV

5. 48.176 - Balmenach, 14 Year Old, First-fill STR American oak barrique (Speyside) 57.4% ABV

6. 53.488 - Caol Ila, 13 Year Old, First-fill American oak Oloroso sherry hogshead (Islay), 56.9% ABV

7. 10.285 -  Bunnahabhain, 11 Year Old, ex-bourbon/finished first-fill PX sherry hogshead, "Hefty Peat Smoke" (Islay) 52.3% ABV   

8. 78.86 - Ben Nevis, 10 Year Old, ex-bourbon/finished first-fill Oloroso sherry hogshead, "Bobbing for Baked Goods" (Highland) 58.4% ABV

​​​+ #SecretStash

 

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membership special at the event:

When you buy a bottle, you’ll get a free Scotch Malt Whisky Society membership. Plus, we’ll be giving out some special gifts to the first few new members who sign up.

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How the SMWS Coding System Works

Every bottle features a two-part code (e.g., 7.12)

• The First Number: Represents the source distillery. The SMWS has partnered with over 140 distilleries across Scotland and the globe. For example, number 7 represents Longmorn, 10 is Bunnahabhain, and 24 is Macallan. 

• The Second Number: Indicates which specific cask from that distillery they have bottled. So, 7.12 is the twelfth unique cask the society has bottled from the Longmorn distillery. 

 

membership & benefits

Joining the society gives whisky lovers access to an ever-changing lineup of exclusive monthly releases. Members also enjoy: 

• Exclusive Venues: Privileged access to private Society Members' Rooms and partner bars globally (including cities in the UK, US, Japan, and Australia).

• Tasting Events: Access to member-only tastings and masterclasses.

• Publications: A subscription to the society’s digital magazine, Unfiltered.

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To explore membership options or view the latest cask releases, you can visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America or the SMWS Global Site.

 

 

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about the presenter

Mayur Bhatia is the West Coast Society Member Ambassador and has had his finger on the pulse of both Scotch and international whisky for some time. Besides being innovative IT leader for a non profit, he organizes the Bay Area’s best tasting, Fog City Social. [link]