FROM SCIENCE TO SENSORY DELIGHT: As an SMWS Tasting Panel chair, Kami Newton understands the need to assess each whisky as objectively as possible, while also embracing the flights of imagination and wonder that they can provoke. As he explains, it’s a fine line between sensory science and the poetry of flavour hedonism – all while celebrating the curveballs, unpredictabilities and unchartered territories that come from our single casks.
SUMMER COCKTAILS: Head to any of our Members’ Rooms and you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to whisky. But what about for those times when you want something a bit different? You’re in luck, our Members’ Rooms have a brand-new cocktail menu — ready to be stirred, shaken and poured just for you, as Mads Schmoll finds out.
SCOTCH & SHERRY – MADE TO ORDER: Since legislation changed in Spain in the 1980s to determine that all sherry had to be bottled there before it was exported, there’s now no such thing as a sherry ‘transport’ cask. That has led to a whole industry dedicated to building and seasoning casks with sherry, specifically for the whisky industry, as Richard Goslanreports.
FLAVOUR FOCUS – THE MAGIC OF MATURATION, PART TWO: It depends on who you ask, but a general consensus says that somewhere between 60 and 80 per cent of the character of the whisky we drink may be due to the influence of casks during maturation. ‘You can make good spirit,’ the old saying goes, ‘but if you don’t fill it into good wood, you won’t get good whisky.’ Gavin D Smith wraps up his series on whisky’s production with part two of his look at the magic of maturation.
DISTILLERY PROFILE – WOODINVILLE: This distillery in Washington State was founded in 2010 by friends Orlin Sorensen and Brett Carlile, and mentored by US distilling royalty Dave Pickerell. SMWS ambassador Lee ‘Connas’ Conner continues his North American distilling deep dive with a look at Woodinville distillery and their meticulous approach to production.
SMWS ALUMNUS – GEORGIE CRAWFORD: Georgie Crawford has come a long way in the whisky world since starting out pouring drams for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society at The Vaults in Leith. SMWS ambassador Lee ‘Connas’ Connor recently caught up with her to find out more about her whisky journey and her current role with Elixir Distillers.
SMWS GATHERING: September is approaching and that only means one thing at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – it’s time for our annual Gathering celebrations to get into full swing. Mhairi Mitchell has the lowdown on what to expect this year!
SMWS DISCOVERY – A NIGHT OUT IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Combine K-POP, karaoke and Society whisky on a night out in vibrant Seoul, home to four outstanding SMWS partner bars across this fascinating city. Join Bon Kim from the Society’s team in South Korea as he takes us on an unforgettable evening tour.