The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
A private club with a special place in the world of independent bottlers, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has offered its members exclusive access to exceptional bottlings since the 1980s.
Established in 1983
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was founded in 1983 by a group of friends— actor Russel Hunter, entrepreneur David Alison, author W. Gordon Smith, architect Ben Tindall and accountant Philip “Pip” Hills, a passionate whisky enthusiast who had visited countless distilleries. The society was based upon a unique idea, which would become its trademark in the world of spirits: casks were selected from various distilleries and bottled exclusively in cask strength single cask bottlings available only to members who paid an annual membership fee. Its motto: “Seek out whisky in its purest form, prize flavour above everything else and give each bottling a curious name.” As Pip Hills was particularly fond of Glenfarclas matured in sherry quarter casks, which he bought directly from the Grant family, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s first bottling (1.1) was a sherry-cask version of Glenfarclas 8 Year Old 1975.
