FYI, this is your FAQ to SMWS.

What’s new with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society?

2017 was a good year: SMWS was named Independent Bottler of The Year by Whisky Magazine’s Independent Bottlers’ Challenge competition.

What exactly is the SMWS?

Like Gordon & MacPhail or Samaroli, Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an independent bottler, and membership has its privileges: Join the society that celebrates the flavours of whiskies (rates below). They release a monthly outturn of 20 limited edition bottles, only available to members. And since it’s now launched in Singapore, you’d be able to become a member and be invited to upcoming tasting events.

Whisky enthusiasts can also sample the Society’s ever-changing selection of single cask, single malt whiskies in Malaysia and Thailand, at partner bars the Whisky Bar KL in Kuala Lumpur and at both the Cohiba Atmosphere and the P&L Club at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Erawan, in Bangkok.

And if I just want to sample it first?

You can go to their Partner Bars to check out a range of releases.

And the partner bars in Singapore are…?

The Single Cask, #01-25 Chijmes Caldwell House, 30 Victoria Street.
Tel: 6837-0953.

The Wall, 76 Tanjong Pagar Road, Singapore 088497, Tel: 6225-7988.

What’s in the swag bag for members?

What are the extras?

The exclusive welcome pack for Pioneers include three limited release 10cl SMWS bottles, SMWS journal plus a club lapel badge.

A badge! Where do I–

Sign up here.

So what’s with the numbers on the bottles?

SMWS doesn’t print the distillery name on the bottles; the first number on SMWS bottles is actually a code for the distillery that made the spirit: 1 is Glenfarclas (the first to be bottled); 7 is Longmorn distillery; 69 is Glen Albyn Distillery; and 132 is Karuizawa Distillery. Here’s a translator. Your next party trick is memorising all the distilleries.

So is it all just whiskies then?

No. They also have a Single Cask Spirits collection, where they have cask bottlings of bourbon, rum, cognac, armagnac and gin. 

More info here.

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