Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) Distillery Bottle Codes

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is an independent bottler and membership club based in Edinburgh that specializes in single malt whiskies from various distilleries in Scotland and other countries. It is known for bottling unique and rare expressions that are not available elsewhere.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was started by Phillip “Pip” Hills. In the early 1980s, after experiencing the joy of tasting single cask whiskies directly from a distillery, Pip Hills decided to share this experience with friends. He initially bought a cask and bottled it for a group of enthusiasts. The interest and demand grew, leading to the formal establishment of the SMWS in 1983. It quickly gained a reputation for bottling high-quality single cask whiskies, and it expanded its reach both within Scotland and internationally.

The SMWS selects exceptional casks from various distilleries and bottles them under their own label. These bottlings are usually single cask, meaning they come from a specific barrel. Each bottle is identified by a unique number, which represents the cask’s content.

A distillery code is a unique identifier assigned to each distillery from which the Scotch Malt Whisky Society sources its whiskies. The code helps members identify the origin of the whisky and provides insights into the distillery’s characteristics.

Each SMWS cask is given a unique, two-part numerical identifier. The first number is the originating distillery, the second number is the individual cask from which the bottle was taken. For example, 1.24 is the 24th cask from distillery number one, in this case Glenfarclas.

The SMWS groups its bottlings into 12 different flavour profiles, each represented by a different colour.

Yes, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society offers membership to whisky enthusiasts worldwide. By joining, members gain access to exclusive bottlings, tasting events, and other benefits.