THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY
The SMWS is the world’s largest whisky club. Since we were formed in 1983, we’ve believed in doing things differently. As unconventional whisky experts we seek out whisky in its purest form, prize flavour above everything else and give each bottling a curious name. We’re united and constant in our passion – to share the world’s best whiskies, to bring them to life, and to make you proud to belong to the world’s most entertaining whisky club.
© 2022 Scotch Malt Whisky Society Limited. All rights reserved.
We’re bringing together Society members from across Europe as we host our second Virtual Tasting, streamed live from the Ardshiel Hotel at the Campbeltown Malts festival. John McCheyne will be joined by his glamourous assistant Matt Bailey – all the way from our Australian branch – to host a tasting of five exclusive festival bottlings from Speyside, Islay and, of course, Campbeltown.
Join in on the festival celebrations at home, buy our Festival Discovery Pack and tune into the tasting. Or better still, gather friends at home and hold your own event. We’ll be streaming live on our Facebook page on the night and posting videos to follow along with afterwards.
Join our Flavour Hunters Festival at home with our virtual tasting event – the grand finale of what is sure to be an outstanding month of whisky discovery. We’ll taste and explore five festival bottles from this year’s Rare Releases.
Simply purchase our Flavour Hunters virtual tasting pack (UK shop | EU shop – only available to members) and join us online for some festival frolics. We’ll be live on the SMWS UK Facebook page or on SMWSSilverscreen, our YouTube channel on Tuesday 31 May, 8pm (UK Time).
FLAVOUR HUNTERS GLOBAL VIRTUAL TASTING EVENT
Livestream starts 8pm, Tuesday 31 May – save the date!
JOIN THE SOCIETY AND OTHER MEMBERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
MEMBERSHIP + FESTIVAL TASTING PACK FOR £89 / €99
SMWS Membership allow you access to:
- Monthly releases of new and unique bottlings
- Online themed events with like-minded enthusiasts
- Indulgent tutored tastings and fun whisky experiences
- Access to limited edition single casks from 150 distilleries
- Our Unfiltered magazine subscription
- Our sumptuous SMWS venues as well as our partner venues around the world.
And for just £89/€99 you can enjoy our Flavour Hunters Festival Pack and virtual tasting alongside your membership.
BECOME A MEMBER TODAY
DISCOVER THE THRILL OF THE TASTE
Become a SMWS member and enjoy our exclusive May offer – one year’s membership to the world’s most entertaining whisky club AND our Flavour Hunters Festival Pack and virtual tasting, with five Rare Releases from across the whisky regions (see above).
Flavour Hunters Global Virtual Tasting Event
Don’t forget, we’ll be live on the SMWS UK Facebook page or on SMWSSilverscreen (our YouTube channel) on Tuesday 31 May, 8pm BST.
DISCOVER THE THRILL OF THE TASTE
This May we’re following our noses to hunt down an incredible range of flavours – and the associations they bring – across Scotland’s whisky regions.
SCOTTISH WHISKY FESTIVALS
ISLAY ( Fri 27 May – Sat 4 June )
Fri 27 May
FLAVOUR HUNTERS FESTIVAL FINALE
Download Islay Festival Programme PDF for full details.
From 1:00pm till late – Islay House Open Day (Free entry)
From 1:00pm – Whisky Bar (drams available)
From 4:00pm – BBQ
2:30pm to 4:00pm and 4:00pm to 6:00pm – Islay House Games (2 sessions)
2:00pm to 3:00pm (Tickets £35.00)
Flavour Hunter Exploration:
Festival Rare Releases
6:30pm to 7:30pm (Tickets £50.00)
SMWS Masterclasses – Memorable
Malts: Old & Rare
Wed 1 June
1:00pm to 3:00pm (Free entry / informal drop-in)
SMWS Pop-up – Flavour Hunter Session
Come join us on our flavour hunt during whisky festival month where we’ll either be attending or hosting the following events.
LOWLAND ( 2-8 May )
A celebration of an understated region at our Edinburgh and Glasgow Members’ Room with some of our Lowland friends.
Sat 7 May
National Whisky Festival, Glasgow SWG3
We’re taking over the Poetry Club at the National Whisky Festival in Glasgow's SWG3 venue where you can sample all 6 of our 2022 May festival Rare Release bottlings – alongside our world's first memory boxes. (Scroll down to read more about our Rare Releases.)
SMWS Venues
See what’s on at the Glasgow Members’ Rooms,
The Vaults and 28 Queen Street.
HIGHLAND ( 9-15 May )
Sadly, not happening this year – but we’re keeping the spirit alive with our rare Festival Bottling (see announcement below).
14-15 May
Lyon Whisky Festival
Our international branch team members will be attending festivals around Europe during May, so if you’re visiting, come say hello and meet the team.
14-15 May
London Whisky Weekender
21-22 May
Toulouse Whisky Festival
INTERNATIONAL WHISKY FESTIVALS
Check out what’s happening in our Member’s Rooms and partner bars.
PARTNER BARS
SMWS VENUES & MEMBERS’ ROOMS
SMWS is taking our passion for flavour to the next level with our very own ‘Rare Releases’ festival bottlings, a series of six small batch single malts carefully crafted by our Spirits Team.
Distillery 36 – Speyside Rare
A REWARD FOR PATIENCE
In celebration of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2022.
Released – Friday 29 April
UK Sold Out | EU Sold Out
Distillery 5 – Lowland Rare
LIME AND THYME
In celebration of the Lowland Spirit 2022.
Release Date – Friday 6 May
View UK Release | View EU Release
Distillery 19 – Highland Rare
HAZELNUT AND BUBBLEGUM
In celebration of the Highland Whisky Festival 2022.
Release Date – Friday 13 May
View UK Release | View EU Release
Distillery 93 – Campbeltown Rare
CHANGES FASTER THAN A CHAMELEON
In celebration of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2022.
Release Date Friday 20 May
UK Preview | EU Preview
Distillery 3 – Islay Rare
FRUITY TIME TRAVEL
In celebration of the Islay Whisky Festival 2022.
Release Date – Friday 27 May
UK Preview | EU Preview
Distillery 53 – Islay Rare
THROW THE CORK AWAY!
In celebration of the Islay Whisky Festival 2022.
Release Date – Friday 27 May
UK Preview | EU Preview
S M W S R A R E R E L E A S E S
2022 WHISKY FESTIVAL RANGE
Flavour hunters in the wild
Keep up-to-date with all of our festival coverage on Instagram and Facebook.
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT
REFER A FRIEND & RECEIVE £20 VOUCHER
Members receive a £20 voucher when you refer a friend, and your friend will receive 20% off membership.
(Offer only applicable to members.)
Heading to Speyside, Campbeltown
or Islay?
If you’re fortunate enough to be travelling to this month’s festivals across Scotland, be sure to visit the Society’s fantastic partner bars for a warm welcome and discounted drams.
