Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Whisky bottles on display

For the drenched hillwalker. Pie eyed. Flamenco dancer’s coffee break.

All three have something in common – any guesses? No? They’re names of the whiskies at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) – all unique, memorable, a nod to the society’s aim of doing things differently.

SMWS was formed in 1983 by a group of friends who enjoyed trying whisky straight from the cask – an unconventional move at the time. As, slowly, more people joined this burgeoning community, founder Pip Hills decided they needed a venue to gather. Strolling through Leith one day, he came across The Vaults, a beautiful building dating back to the 12th century and modernised in the 18th century, and which was, over the years, an import-export company for wine and spirits. Essentially, the perfect place to centre his new society. Today, the building is pictured as part of their logo – which, incidentally, can also be found on their bottles. 

Since then, they’ve grown to include members’ rooms on 28 Queen Street. Which is precisely where you’ll find us one Wednesday evening: drinking highballs, expertly created with ‘Pie eyed’, at their Kaleidoscope Bar. Aside from the quirky name, it’s the bottle’s label that draws my attention. There are tasting notes – this particular label includes mention of “Mississippi mud pie” and “tangy, zesty sweetness” – plus, for example, which region it’s from and the cask info. “The tasting note itself comes from the panel having a discussion about the whisky,” says Robin Laing, tasting panel chair, in a video on bottle names and tasting notes, “so it’s supposed to be informative and tell you about the types of aromas and flavours you may expect to find. So it’s helpful, but we also try to be entertaining.”

Cheese-and-whisky pairing

Look a bit more closely, however, and you won’t find mention of the brand. Instead, there's a number in the corner (the first is the distillery and the second is the number of the cask bought from said distillery) – this is so we’re focused on the whisky’s flavour, rather than where the spirit comes from. When tasting, “there is no right or wrong,” says John McCheyne, master brand ambassador. “Some of these flavours may be something you remember.” 

In fact, the SMWS has a range of tastings across their UK venues (they’ve since expanded outside Edinburgh, including Harrogate, Durham and Bristol). These include, for example, whisky paired with steak or cheese, burgers and drams, and music and malts. For the full set of events, visit the SMWS’ events page – and listen to John’s tips on tasting here. Sláinte!

Contact details 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JX 0131 220 2044 queenstreet@smws.com

Opening hours – 28 Queen Street Tuesday and Wednesday 11am to 11pm Thursday 11am to midnight Friday and Saturday 12pm to 12am Sunday 12pm to 10pm