Scotch Malt Whisky Society Arrives in Canada

Calgary – Calgarians and whisky enthusiasts Rob and Kelly Carpenter are launching the Canadian branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at an invitation-only event at Calgary’s Kensington Wine Market October 17, 2011. The member’s only society originated in Scotland a quarter century ago, and now has 26,000 members in 15 countries around the world. The Society bottles only single cask, single malt whisky from over 125 distilleries. Since single casks are unique, so are the whiskies they produce making each bottling unique. Each cask is limited in supply, with some casks producing upwards of 500 bottles and others fewer than 100; once a particular bottling is sold out it’s gone forever never to be replicated. Bottlings are chosen by a Tasting Panel made up of industry experts and enthusiasts, and each bottling is given clever and informative tasting notes to help Society members select their preferred single malt.

The Society is partnering with Kensington Wine Market as its exclusive retailer. Kensington Wine Market will also be hosting “First Fridays,” where members and those interested in joining can sample The Society’s new monthly releases. First Fridays happen on the first Friday of every month beginning in November. Private tastings are also available.

Kelly Carpenter explains why she and husband Rob Carpenter felt so passionate in bringing The Society to Canada, “When we lived in Edinburgh we discovered The Society and we fell in love with the product from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to share it. Before we decided to bring The Society to Canada, we would visit Edinburgh at least once a year and stock up on their unique bottlings to bring home as gifts for our family and friends. This is really just an extension of that.”

Membership for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is $230 to sign up, with $120 yearly renewal. Membership grants exclusive access to the very best single cask, single malt whisky available anywhere in the world. The Society recently won 12 awards in Whisky Magazine’s 2011 Independent Bottler’s Challenge, including the overall title of Independent Bottler of the Year. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is owned by luxury brand world leader LVMH. Membership information can be found at www.smws.ca , or by emailing curious@smws.ca.

Spirit of dogged curiosity

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a curious and unique fellowship of whisky lovers, who like to do things in a very particular way. Members come together to share and explore the exceptional quality and endless variety of Scotch malt whisky. It’s the Society’s mission to intrigue, entertain and delight with the very best single cask, single malt whisky available anywhere in the world.

The Society isn’t interested in brands or labels. It’s all about how the whisky tastes. It seeks textures that challenge and excite; aromas that thrill and surprise. Most important of all, each Society bottling only ever comes from a single cask. That means there is only a limited opportunity to sample each rare find before it’s gone forever.

Where it all began

Over a quarter of a century ago a group of friends met in a private house in Edinburgh to find out what malt whisky would taste like straight from the cask. The contents of a cask obtained from a Speyside distillery were filtered through muslin cloths into old lemonade and whisky bottles.

It was nothing like they had experienced before; stronger and more flavoursome with the influence of the wood particularly notable. Intrigued, they went on to investigate more single cask whiskies and discovered that the same spirit from the same run in different casks had different characteristics. They realised that each cask was unique and that once consumed it would be gone forever.

As tempting as it would be to keep their discovery to themselves they knew there were others around the world who’d appreciate being let in on the secret. In 1983 they formed a limited company, bought the premises at The Vaults in Leith and began inviting people to join.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Key Facts

 Rather than naming distilleries, the Society numbers them and gives clues to their identity in The Tasting Panel’s entertaining tasting notes.
 The Scotch Malt Whisky Society recently scooped 12 awards in the 2011 Whisky Magazine Independent Bottler’s Challenge including the overall Icon of Whisky title for the Independent Bottler of the Year.
 The single cask single malts are presented in identical dark green bottles, specially commissioned for the Society. Individual tasting notes are presented on each Society bottle, alongside the whisky’s name and the Society’s unique cask and distillery coding.
 Every Society bottle is at cask strength (around 57%). The higher the strength, the better the whisky holds its flavour. Many members like to add water to their glass, opening up the different flavours and aromas
 No two casks are the same and no two whiskies will develop in the same way. The type of oak, the size of the barrel, what it was used for before (usually American bourbon or Oloroso sherry) and how many times all influence character of the whisky.
 An average outturn is about 250 bottles but can be as many as 900 or as few as 15. Once they sell out Society staff can assist in finding a similar (but never identical) whisky.
 The Society doesn’t just bottle whisky from Scotland. Occasionally single cask bourbon or Welsh and Japanese whiskies have made it on to the list. On even rarer occasions other single cask spirits such as Somerset Cider Apple Brandy and rum are included.
Individual Membership costs $250 for the first year and annual a renewal cost of $120 yearly. Membership can be bought online at www.smws.ca .
 The Society is partnering with Calgary’s Kensington Wine Market as its exclusive retailer.
 The Society is hosting “First Fridays” on the first Friday of every month beginning in November at the Kensington Wine Market. The Society also does private tastings.
 International branches in Australia, Benelux and Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and the USA.