FLAVOUR ADVENTURES: Whether it’s taking your drams outdoors, brushing up on your whisky knowledge or exploring flavour from the comfort of your couch – get 2025 off to a great start with a variety of whisky adventures, whether you’re new to the Society or a seasoned flavour hunter. Mads Schmoll has some suggestions to get your year underway.
TRIP OF A LIFETIME: Tom Smith from SMWS America recounts an epic whisky tour with 13 members from across the United States who experienced the best of Scotland on their visit in late 2024.
WHISKY FOR EVERYONE: How can you convert non-believers onto the path of whisky passion? The Society’s Duncan Gorman explains.
CREATORS COLLECTION – HOMECOMING: The Creators Collection Homecoming series celebrates our heritage and spiritual home, The Vaults, with Leith-based artist Shona Hardie bringing these whiskies to life through four special labels. Mads Schmoll caught up with Shona to find out more about The Vaults, Leith’s whisky history and the inspiration behind her artwork.
NEW DISTILLERY RELEASE – NC’NEAN: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is kicking off 2025 with its first release of a bottling from another relatively new kid on the Scottish whisky scene. Nc’nean is the vision of distillery founder Annabel Thomas, who has been on quite a journey in the wilds of Scotland’s Morvern peninsula. Sarah Gillespie caught up with her to find out more about her conversion to loving Scotch, her vision for an organic net-zero distillery, and why the world of whisky has to change or be left behind.
‘HERESY’ SMALL BATCH DELIGHTS – SKOOSHY STROOPWAFEL: We’re starting the year with a new release from our ‘Heresy’ small-batch series, Batch 30: Skooshy Stroopwafel. As Julien Willems reports, it’s a beautiful marriage of ex-bourbon hogsheads and European oak sherry butts that brings to mind a squirt of whipped cream on a Dutch (or even Belgian) caramel waffle.
UNSUNG HERO – GLENBURGIE: In our last three issues of Unfiltered we have explored a trio of ‘unsung hero’ distilleries that contribute to Diageo’s family of blends. This time it’s the turn of Glenburgie, one of the ‘heart malts’ of Ballantine’s blended Scotch, as Gavin D Smith reports.
THE VAULTS COLLECTION – A TASTE OF SOCIETY HISTORY: What is The Vaults Collection? While the ribbon on the bottle neck might identify these releases visually, the liquid inside is the true badge of excellence. But what makes one of these bottlings so special when all of our whisky is already unique? Mads Schmoll has the answer to that one.
FOCUS ON FLAVOUR EDUCATION PROGRAMME: Ever wanted to take your love for whisky to the next level? Whether you’re a complete novice or a veteran member who’s keen to learn more, the Society’s Focus on Flavour education pack could be for you, as Duncan Gorman writes.
WHISKY HISTORY – ROBERT BURNS: January in Scotland and around the world means the celebration of the country’s national poet, Robert Burns. Gavin D Smith reports on how Burns experienced huge changes in the production of whisky during his comparatively short life, and how he used it as a subject in his poetry.