SMWS Tasting: The Women of the Society

21:00
mars 7, 2024

PR invite // All thoughts and opinions are, of course, my own.

I was invited to go along to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society down at The Vaults venue in Leith to attend a tasting ahead of International Women’s Day. The Society had invited four female members who all had picked a whisky each and told their story of how they got into whisky. The first dram of the evening was also presented by one of the Society Ambassadors that work at the second Edinburgh Venue at Queen Street.

To read more about my previous tastings and events with SMWS – click here!

SMWS is also working with the OurWhisky Foundation, with whom I’m currently doing my mentorship, and part of the profits go to support this charity organisation. OurWhisky is doing important work to improve the drinks industry from women and other minority groups and have started a free image bank with a wider representation than you usually see in marketing for whisky and also offer the OurWhisky mentorship program where 25 women get the chance to be paired with a mentor who during 6 months help them work toward a set goal. They are definitely an organisation that needs the support so that they can continue operating and doing their important work. The first whisky of the evening was 35.382 “A humble mountain feast” which is one of the bottles where 5% of the proceeds goes to OurWhisky. This 20 year old sherried Speyside is a real treat of a whisky and was one of my favourites of the tasting! Distillery 35 also happens to be one of my absolute favourite distilleries for SMWS bottlings. We also tried the following whiskies:

94.46 Scotch bonnet-flavoured toothpaste

This was the most interesting whisky of the evening. Every time I came back to it for a nose and a taste it had changed. Going from pure milk chocolate, to bubblegum and old attic. I really enjoyed this one.

41.165 Funky bookshops and rose gardens

Definitely got the rose character on this whisky, but also toffee and sweet floral notes.

77.69 Getting high on your own supply

This was a fairly funky one as I got both custard tart and vegetables. The latter might sound bad, but it was still an enjoyable whisky which I just couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was trying to be.

6.72 Fruitful mellifluosity

Some lovely apricot mixing with lemon drizzle cake on this last whisky, which was the perfect dessert-y dram to finish the evening on!

In spite of all whiskies being unheated there was a wonderful contrast of flavours between them all, which showcases what SMWS do so well. It was also so fun to try whiskies chosen by other members, as it felt as if they were friends who selected their favourites for you to try. The selection as a result, ended up being quite different to what I tend to see at SMWS tastings and events, which was a fun difference on this occasion!