THE WINTER SERIES – CELEBRATE THE SPIRIT OF THE CEILIDH: Whisky is a pleasure year-round, but it has to be said that as the nights draw in, there’s nothing better than cracking open a bottle for a dram or two. Whether you’re going for a bit of cold weather walking, or you’re a fan of an armchair dram by a roaring fire, we have something special for you this season with our new Winter Series.
THE GATHERING: For Society members, few events evoke the same sense of anticipation as the Gathering. Held all over the world during September with special events at all of our Members’ Rooms, the occasion draws members far and wide. Olga Varvarova caught up with some of those lucky enough to win our competition to travel to our HQ in Edinburgh to find out what the Society means to them.
SCOTCH & SHERRY – MEET THE SHERRY MASTERS: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society works with a range of cooperages and bodegas in Spain to source the very best sherry-matured casks for our whisky. Here are some of the suppliers who play a key role in making sure everything we offer is of the highest quality.
SMWS ADVENTURES – AN EMOTIONAL ANNIVERSARY: Society member and lifelong adventurer Nigel Vardy credits a drop of SMWS whisky with lifting his spirits following a near-fatal climb in Alaska. The motivational speaker known as ‘Mr Frostbite’ reflects on the quarter century since that life-changing event, gratitude for his survival and the painful loss of a fellow climbing friend.
UNSUNG HEROES – GLENLOSSIE: As the thirst for blended Scotch whisky grew from the 1870s onwards, so a rash of new malt distilleries sprang up to provide them with spirit. The favoured location for such enterprises was the region we now know as Speyside, which tended to produce less assertive and peaty spirit than other parts of Scotland and was therefore ideal for blending purposes. One of these distilleries was Glenlossie.
SMWS ADVENTURES – ON THE ROAD WITH OLAF: After celebrating 20 years with the Society last year, there wasn’t much Society ambassador and Tasting Panel chairperson Olaf Meier hasn’t done during his time with the SMWS. But despite his travels, it was a surprise to learn that our German-born ambassador hadn’t yet hosted a tasting in his native country! Last month, that changed when he headed on a German road trip with Andrew Park from our UK team to host epic tastings in six cities in six days. Here’s Olaf’s diary of his return to Deutschland.
PARTNER BAR – CAFÉ ZILT, AMSTERDAM: Dive into the world of Café ZILT, Amsterdam’s premier whisky bar, where passion and tradition converge. Discover how owner Michael Bruynse transitioned from a global hospitality journey to crafting a whisky lover’s paradise in the heart of the Netherlands.