Freedom and whisky gang thegither wrote Robert Burns over two hundred years
ago. It's a sentiment we uphold.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society began life some twenty years ago when a group
of friends clubbed together to buy a cask of fine malt whisky. It took a few
years before they opened their doors wider and today the Society has three
superb venues and over 20,000 members worldwide.
The Society remains true to its origins in camaraderie, retaining its
personable and companionable atmosphere in its publications, events and
premises. At the Society yours is the freedom to be yourself and make yourself
at home. You don't even have to like malt whisky! Indeed, one of the joys of the
Society is that enthusiasts blend easily with those who simply enjoy good
company.
The Society's traditional home is in one of the oldest commercial buildings
in Scotland - The Vaults in Leith, Edinburgh's bustling old port area. It also
has Members' Rooms at 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh and 19 Greville Street, London,
right in the heart of The City.
The Society also has branches around the world. To find out more about our
friends overseas, please go to SMWS International.
For a club the membership is very reasonable and defies any preconceptions a
whisky club might have. The atmosphere is modern, bright and relaxed. . The
fellows who work there go through 16 year of commando style whisky training. So,
although you may be initially daunted by the rows of unlabelled bottles, your
barman will guide you through. Merely mention how you feel, what you favourite
colour is or your earliest childhood memory and he will bring you the perfect
tipple to compliment your emotions. These whiskies are cask strength. This means
they a super strong, strong enough to lift casks up with one hand.
It is not a cigar divan, it is a whisky duvet. They do allow, or even
encourage, cigar smoking. I have never bought a cigar from behind the bar but I
have been to an excellent evening of cigar and whisky tasting that left me and
my fellow companions feeling like true connoisseurs.
