JUNE TASTINGS

Glen Moray Tasting – The Vaults, Mon 6 June More >

Old & dignified Tasting & Dinner – 28 Queen St, Fri 17 June  More >

Jazz & Whisky Tasting – 28 Queen St, Fri 24 June  More >

Edinburgh Whisky Solstice 2 for £40 – Assembly Rooms Edinburgh, Sat 25 June  More >

July Outturn Preview – The Vaults, Thu 30 June  More >

UK-WIDE PREVIEWS WITH UISGE SOURCE

Aberdeen: Taster Menu Whisky Dinner at MUSA – Thu 16 June More >

Our Highlight Whisky Event of the yeart: 5 delicious courses of contemporary food paired with 5 SMWS drams…

Manchester – Malmaison, Fri 24 June  More >

Dundee – Malmaison, Fri 24 June  More >

Melrose – Town House Hotel, Fri 24 June  More >

FREE EVENTS AT THE VAULTS

Leith Jazz & Blues Festival  – Fri 3 June  More > & Sat 4 June  More >

Flavour Behaviour Members’ Experiment – Mon 13 June  More >

Sample rare whiskies and learn something about yourself in the name of scientific research…  

Browse All Events & Tastings >

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Early Bird Tickets for Austin, Houston, and Atlanta on sale NOW from June 1st until June 31st!

Austin: September 29th, 7 PM at the Four Seasons 6 PM – The Bon Vivant Hour. This will be a classroom style event.10 whiskies & 10 bites of food $70 7 PM – General Admission tickets $140 (Early Bird $120)

Houston: October 1st, 3 PM at the Hyatt Regency Downtown 3 PM – VIP $160 (Early Bird $140) 4 PM – General Admission $140 (Early Bird $120)

Atlanta: October 22nd, 6 PM at the Intercontinental Buckhead 6 PM – VIP $160 (Early Bird $140) 7 PM – General Admission $140 (Early Bird $120)

June Dates to Remember

In Austin, June denotes “Whisky Days” at Twin Liquors!

Check out this calendar for a full month of Whiskey Days tastings. Pay special attention to the events in BLUE.  Whiskey Days Calendar

The Inaugural Scottish Summer Ball

June 11 in San Francisco: The Inaugural Scottish Summer Ball will take place at the famous Verdi Club in the Mission. This will be an evening of traditional Scottish Dancing! The five piece traditional string band Border Skirmish will perform and teach you all traditional Scottish dancing. Never tried traditional Scottish dancing before? No worries, they will teach you all you need to know whether you are a beginner or a pro. Your ticket will include whisky tasting, food pairings, dancing, and many other surprises throughout the evening that will make it a night to remember! Dress code is cocktail attire. Kilts should be worn if you have one!  Kilts can be rented from The Whisky Shop at a discounted price of $150 for this event.

PURCHASE TICKETS

WHISKEY FRIED FESTIVAL LAUNCHING IN BROOKLYN – JULY 9, 2016

BROOKLYN, NY – May 26, 2016 – The creators of the highly-acclaimed Bacon and Beer Classic are at it again! Cannonball Productions will introduce a new, all-inclusive food and beverage festival, Whiskey Fried, at Brooklyn Expo Center on Saturday, July 9th.

Classy meets greasy at this mid-summer extravaganza, which will pair 100+ whiskies and handcrafted cocktails with fried and Southern-inspired dishes from 20+ NYC restaurants. Guests can look forward to unlimited bites and sips from local favorites like Bareburger, Jacob’s Pickles, Sweet Chili, Burnside Biscuits and The Donutologist, in addition to live music, horseshoes, a barber bar, photo booth and more.

A panel of judges will also be on site to rate the sips and tastes and award winners in select categories. The panel includes Daily Beast’s Chief Cocktail Correspondent and the author of The Art of American Whiskey, Noah Rothbaum; Yelp Manhattan’s Community Director Ruggy Joesten; author of Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey, Reid Mitenbuler; and Flatiron Room Beverage Director Young Kim.

Kate Levenstien, founder of Cannonball Productions and the Bacon and Beer Classic, is thrilled to launch Whiskey Fried in Brooklyn. “It’s hard to imagine a combination as mouthwatering as bacon and beer, but we’ve found it. There will be something for everyone: whiskey samples, refreshing cocktails, craft beer and of course delicious dishes like fried oysters and Irish whiskey-drizzled donuts. I can’t wait to launch this new concept in our own backyard and the ultimate foodie city!”

Guests can choose from two all-inclusive sessions: afternoon (1:30pm-4pm) or evening (6:30pm-9pm). VIP ticket holders will enjoy half hour early entrance; access to the specialty Prohibition lounge; samples of rare, top shelf spirits; and a digital event bag. General Admission tickets are $85 and VIP tickets are selling at $125, but prices will increase over the next few weeks. All tickets include a souvenir tasting glass.

A nationally-touring event, Whiskey Fried is coming soon to Chicago, Denver, Seattle and Silicon Valley. Cannonball Productions is committed to making the festival personal to each city, and will partner with regional organizations and local food recovery programs to donate leftover food.

For more information about the festival, visit: http://www.whiskeyfried.com

EARLY JUNE TASTINGS

New Outturn Preview Sampling – 28 Queen St, Thu 2 June  More >

New Outturn Tasting – 19 Greville St, Sat 4 June  More >

Glen Moray Tasting – The Vaults, Mon 6 June More >

Aberdeen: Taster Menu Whisky Dinner at MUSA – Thu 16 June, Musa, 33 Exchange St AB11 6PH  More >

FREE EVENTS AT THE VAULTS

Drop-in Theme Night: Islay Lovers – Wed 1 June  More >

Leith Jazz & Blues Festival  – Fri 3 June  More > & Sat 4 June  More >

Browse All Events & Tastings >

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Our 62nd Auction is now live.

This months auction is particularly blessed with amazing bottles with many hailing from the early decades of the 20th Century and 1950s, 60s and 70s are well represented too and Big Peatrie has selected his favourites and you can see his vLog here.

First up we have a simple wonderful Springbank 50 year old distilled in 1919. This lot comes with a letter detailing the distillation and bottling date for this wonderful bottle.

Next up is The Borderers’ Blend. Our second bottle this month from the early 20th Century this was bottled by Berwick Brewery Ltd and was bottled some time between 1899 and 1925.

White Horse canters in third with a bottle from 1922. This iconic blend would have contained a large portion of single malt (a generous amount of this would have been Lagavulin and the fabled Maltmill) and offers a view of a bygone era.

There is quartet of 1930s single malts from Gordon & MacPhail. A Strathisla 1937, Glenlivet, Old Elgin and MacPhail’s from 1938 and a Linkwood from 1939. Gordon & MacPhail are masters of bottlings from this era as they were amongst first independent bottler to lay down stocks with the intention of bottling them at far greater ages than was the fashion at the time.

Glenfarclas brings a 50 year old bottled to celebrate the
Bicentenary Of John Grant’s birth, Jan Timmermans highly regarded 1968 bottling and three independently bottled 40 year olds two from the SMWS,

1.130 & 1.183, and one from Cadenhead’s also make themselves known.

Another great whisky family called Grant bring us a Balvenie Tun 1401 Collection, a Balvenie Vintage Cask 1971, a Glenfiddich 1974 Rare Collection and a Hazelburn Reserve, the bottles of which were never available to the public and only given to family and friends.

The 1960s is our decade of the month with nearly 100 bottles of whisky that were distilled during the decade. Highlights include bottles from Dailuaine bottled by Douglas Laing, Cadenhead’s brings us an Aberlour, a Ben Nevis and an Ord, Glenmorangie’s legendary 1963 joins us as does an Old Malt Cask from Banff and a Glen Mhor from 1969.

As it is the Feis Ile this month we bring you the
Port Ellen Feis Ile 2008, a Bowmore 1965 bottled for the Prestonfield Hotel and a
Laphroaig 1968 26 Year Old Hart Brothers. There is also a Lagavulin bottled by the SMWS, 111.2, a 35 Year Old Bruichladdich, a Bunnahabhain from 1965.

Phew, ladies and gentlemen this is but a fraction of the amazing bottle that are in this months auction so please feel free to peruse the auction and you are sure to find some real gems.

Kind regards from Glasgow

The SWA Team

Fort McMurray Macallan Dinner 

Hosted by Dan Volway, Wednesday June 8, 7PM $200, Proceeds to the Red Cross 

We have also teamed up with the Edrington Group, Macallan, Brand Ambassador Dan Volway and Buchanan’s Chop House to put on a very special whisky tasting dinner.  Dan Volway is providing an amazing range of whiskies at his expense, and Buchanan is putting on a great meal at a discounted price so that we can raise some funds for the Red Cross Fort McMurray Fire Relief. Tickets are $200+GST, include a three course meal, canapes and a great range of whiskies. We will start the event with Macallan Edition No.1. Then we will put Macallan 18 Year head to head with Macallan 1824 Series Ruby while enjoying the 1^st Course. The 2^nd Course will pit the Macallan Rare Cask against Macallan Rare Cask Black travel retail bottling. And the 3^rd Course will see Macallan 25 Year faceoff with Macallan 1824 Series Reflexion. $150 per ticket will be donated to the Red Cross, and the Edrington Group, Macallan’s parent company will be matching the total raised up to $5000. This will be a very memorable event for a great cause, please help us make it a success!

The price to attend the event is $200+GST. Up to $150 per ticket will be donated to the Red Cross. It is limited to just 26 participants. Call 403-283-8000 to register or visit our website.

The Virginia Whisky Experience: Tours Launching!

We are excited to announce the launch of the Virginia Whisky Experience on Saturday, June 11th. The Virginia Whisky Experience is a one-of-a-kind tour program which will include an interactive museum and video experience highlighting the origins of single malt whisky in Scotland and how whisky-making made its way to central Virginia, specifically Nelson County. In addition to a guided museum tour, guests will also have the chance to enjoy a special behind-the-scenes walking tour of our world-class distillery while taking in the sights and smells of Virginia single malt whisky-making in action. Tours will culminate with a special whisky tasting of our award winning Virginia Highland Malt Whisky in the cask house and cocktail samples in the Visitors Center.

Tours will be offered daily with, with three to four tours offered per day. Tickets are $18 per person with two tastings included, $24 per person with four tastings included, and $12 for children 12 and older or for adults who would like to tour but not taste. Valid ID is required for adults 21 and older wishing to sample. Tours may be booked online by visiting our website, www.vadistillery.com, and clicking on ‘Book Tours’ in the upper right hand corner.   Be one of the first to attend the Virginia Whisky Experience! Bookings for tours on June 11th and June 12th will include a commemorative item from the team at Virginia Distillery Company to help celebrate this momentous occasion. For questions please email whiskyexperience@vadistillery.com. We look forward to sharing the history and present-day experience of whisky-making in Virginia. Per Virginia State law, no more than four (1/2) ounce tastings per person per day may be given.

Our mailing address is:

Virginia Distillery Company

299 Eades Lane

Lovingston, VA 22949

 Fort McMurray Compass Box Tasting 

Thursday June 2, 7PM, $75, Hosted by Chris Maybin, Proceeds to the Red Cross 

Compass Box Brand Ambassador Chris Maybin is swinging through Calgary early next month, and that seemed like a perfect opportunity to put on a tasting for a good cause. We have partnered with Compass Box, Authentic Wine & Spirits and Peasant Cheese to put on a special Compass Box event, the proceeds of which will go to the Red Cross Fort McMurray Fire Relief. Authentic and Compass Box are supplying the whisky, so 100% of the ticket price will go to the Red Cross. We have a great range, and Crystal, owner of Peasant Cheese will be doing special pairings with each whisky. Our range will consist of eight whiskies including the new Flaming Heart, This is Not a Luxury Whisky and the two soon to arrive new releases: Compass Box Enlightenment and Compass Box The Circus.  

The price to attend the event is $75+GST, 100% of which will be donated to the Red Cross. It is limited to just 20 participants. Call 403-283-8000 to register or visit our website.

Eric at Fets writes; Compass Box is our favourite blender, always pushing the boundaries and antagonizing The Scotch Whisky Association. Chris Maybin, the Commercial Director for The Compass Box Whisky Company will be here for his first visit to The Kitchen. Compass Box is a boutique blending company producing some of the finest and interesting blends on the market.

Join us and Chris for a great cause and great entertaining whiskies here at The Kitchen and hear about their latest releases.

There will be light fare prepared by our culinary team to accompoany these wonderful whiskies.

So grab one of our limited tickets and join us and Chris on Monday May 30th for this fundraising whisky tasting here at The Kitchen.

There are only 30 tickets available and I can assure you they sell out fast.

Be sure to plan for a safe ride home!

The cost for this event is only $60 plus GST and is open to only 30 people!  click here to register

Learn More Here

Fets Whisky Kitchen, 1230 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia V5L 3X4 Canada

Hi everyone, as you are all aware the residents of Fort McMurray and the surrounding area were evacuated as the massive fire razed their city. With nearly 90,000 people being forced to flee their homes and the uncertainty of when and in some cases if they will be returning, we wanted to do something for them. These are our men, women and children and they need our help.

We are partnering with our food and whisky providers to raise money for the Canadian Red Cross’ Alberta Fire Appeal. The Canadian Red Cross is, along with other agencies, assisting our displaced citizens with food, clothing, necessities, lodging and counselling. The federal government has offered to match all donations made the the Canadian Red Cross for the victims of this catastrophic event.

Fet’s Whisky Kitchen will be hosting a series of 5 Whisky events to raise money for our fellow Canadians, our goal is $10,000 with the fed matchup we can raise $20,000. Why the Canadian Red Cross? We looked at all the agencies fundraising and the Red Cross has the lowest administration costs with 91% of all money raised going to support those in need.

In addition to the generous support from our whisky partners we would also like to thank our food partners for their generous donations as well:

Gordon Food Service

Cioffi’s Meats

Hallmark Poultry

D’Original Sausage Company

Finest at Sea

Click here to donate directly to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Fires Appeal

!!!Ardbeg Day/Night is This Weekend!!! 

KWM is Hosting Three Master Classes Featuring the new Dark Cove

Join us Saturday May 28th at the Kensington Wine Market for 3 back to back Ardbeg Master Classes celebrating the launch of Ardbeg Dark Cove, billed as the Darkest Ardbeg ever! We will be sampling the core range of Ardbeg 10, Corryvreck and Uigeadail, as well as the new and soon to be released Dark Cove, Perpetuum, and Supernova 2014. The Master Classes are $25+GST. Ardbeg night festivities will follow just down the street at a location to be announced. The Master Class sessions at KWM are as follows:

1. Ardbeg Master Class 1 – 1-2PM
2. Ardbeg Master Class 2 – 3-4PM
3. Ardbeg Master Class 3 – 5-6PM

Ardbeg Night Festivities take place at PRLR Lounge, 124 10th Street NW between 7 and 11PM. Tickets are $25 and include: a sample of the new Ardbeg Dark Cove, the remainder of the Ardbeg range and Ardbeg themed: games, prizes and appetizers. Access to the party is through a hidden door on the south side of the building. Email ardbegdayab@gmail.com by Tuesday May 24 to RSVP.

You can register for the Ardbeg Day Master Classes in store, by phone (403-283-8000) and online: https://kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/tasting-schedule/.