Whisky Talk

Glen Scotia distillery is a favourite of Society members, and we were delighted in early December to welcome distillery manager and master distiller Iain McAlister to The Vaults in December to present a fantastic selection of cask samples, along with an SMWS bottling from distillery 93. Tune in to Whisky Talk to sip along with Iain and Olaf.

At The Vaults recently, we welcomed Brendan McCarron, master distiller at Distell’s Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory distilleries. We recorded Brendan’s tasting, presented in full, with some strong language for good measure alongside strong whisky. Settle down for an illuminating insight into Brendan’s experience, knowledge, and some cracking drams from Deanston, Tobermory and Ledaig.

Karine Polwart is one of Scotland’s most respected singer-songwriters. She sat down at The Vaults with Vic Galloway for our latest episode of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, to find out about her passion for whisky and what songs our selection of Society drams conjured up in her mind.

SMWS whiskies tasted and Karine Polwart’s tunes were:
G10.25: Whisky in a rum glass / Everything is Floating by Laurie Anderson
77.68: Curtain-twitchers teatime / Sarah by Declan O’Rourke
6.56: Tea tree tobacco leaves / Salt by Mugison
135.37: Pickle me timbers! / Apogeuma Sto Dendro by Alkinoos Ioannidis

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

The name Dr Bill Lumsden doesn’t need much of an introduction in the whisky world – the head of distilling and whisky creation at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg has been a constant force of innovation and flavour development over the past 30 years or so.
Members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society were fortunate to attend a tasting conducted by Dr Bill at The Vaults in October, to taste some fantastic whiskies from Glenmorangie, Ardbeg and of course the Society….and also to hear his thoughts on everything in the whisky world from additional maturation, to non-aged statements, the use of sherry casks and a whole lot more in between. Here's part 2 of Dr Bill's presentation to SMWS members.

The name Dr Bill Lumsden doesn’t need much of an introduction in the whisky world – the head of distilling and whisky creation at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg has been a constant force of innovation and flavour development over the past 30 years or so.
Members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society were fortunate to attend a tasting conducted by Dr Bill at The Vaults in October, to taste some fantastic whiskies from Glenmorangie, Ardbeg and of course the Society….and also to hear his thoughts on everything in the whisky world from additional maturation, to non-aged statements, the use of sherry casks and a whole lot more in between.
The Society’s spirits educator Dr Andy Forrester caught up with Bill for a quick chat before the pair of them hosted the tasting together in our Members’ Room.

Vic Galloway catches up with the Whisky Sisters – Inka Larissa and Jennifer Rose – in the latest episode of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, to find out where their passion for whisky came from and what tunes their selection of Scotch Malt Whisky Society drams helped to inspire.

SMWS whiskies tasted and the Whisky Sisters’ tunes were:
Cask No. 41.46: Deep and dynamic / Jen: Mötley Crüe – Doctor Feelgood / Inka: George Michael –Freedom
Cask No. 150.3: Conversation lubrication / Inka; Leonard Cohen – Dance Me to the End of Love / Jen: Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song
Cask No. 108.49: A particular kind of beauty / Inka: Bon Jovi – Bad Medicine / Jen: The Highwaymen – Highwayman
Cask No. 113.60: Sweet Petrichor / Inka: Greta Van Fleet – Heat Above / Jen: Kate Bush – Hounds of Love

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

Writer Doug Johnstone shares four SMWS drams with DJ Vic Galloway in the latest episode of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, with reflections on how his love of whisky inspired his novel Smokeheads and how these Society drams pair perfectly with music from Little Simz to Biffy Clyro.

Whiskies tasted and Doug’s tunes were:
Cask No. 12.48: Hoppy madness / The Avalanches, Since I Left You
Cask No. 38.31: The magic is so strong / Little Simz, Point And Kill featuring Obongjayar
Cask No. 44.154: Terra Firma / Spoon, Held
Cask No. 138.12: Spice wreck / Biffy Clyro, Living Is A Problem Because Everything Dies

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

Whisky writer Dave Broom has an endless curiosity and fascination for whisky, and in his latest book he has set out to explore the story of Scotland’s whisky history, the spirit’s importance within the country’s culture and the diverse landscapes that it comes from.
In "A Sense of Place" he takes the reader on a journey across the country, with pictures by photographer Christina Kernohan.
Mads Schmoll sat down with Dave to find out more about the book.

Depending on who you speak to, the cask that you put your whisky into to mature can contribute anything from 50 to more than 70 per cent of its final flavour. Whatever figure you land on, it plays a crucial role. One person who knows more about the impact of various forms of oak on whisky – and especially from sherry influenced casks – is Stuart MacPherson, until very recently Macallan’s Master of Wood. Stuart has now retired from the role, but Whisky Talk caught up with him to find out all about his life’s work in the world of wood – which goes all the way back to his schooldays in the late 1970s.

Musician, writer and whisky fan James Yorkston shares four SMWS drams with DJ Vic Galloway in the latest episode of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, with an eclectic mix of music inspired by a wide range of Society whiskies. James and Vic reflect on their musical journeys, their passion for whisky and why you can’t beat exploring music with an SMWS single cask dram in your glass.

Whiskies tasted and James's tunes were:
74.73.128: Flowers crushed by a falling oak tree + Ted Lucas / It’s so easy (when you know what you’re doing)
68.49: A day at the funfair + Elizabeth Cronin / The little pack of tailors
39.242: A curious concatenation + Philip Tabane / Dithabeng
16.50: Tar in the night + Susan Bear / M6

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

Ever wondered about the origin of a whisky's place-name? Jake King, a Gaelic researcher from the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig campus of the University of the Islands and Highlands on the Isle of Skye, certainly has. He is the author of a new book, The A to Z of Whisky Place-Names: Landscape, Language & Invention, which explores the place-names found on whisky bottles, provides both their identity and their origin and explodes a few myths along the way. Mads Schmoll caught up with Jake at The Vaults to find out more.

Broadcaster Gemma Cairney sits down at The Vaults with DJ and writer Vic Galloway in the new episode of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, to chat about her creative world, her move to Edinburgh, and memories of childhood holidays in Scotland. Gemma also finds the Society’s selection of single cask whiskies bringing up associations with the music of Erykah Badu, George Benson and more.

Whiskies tasted and Gemma's tunes were:
Cask No. 2.132: Taking the pith / Erykah Badu, On & On
Cask No. 72.108: Gobstopper / The Langan Band, Winter Song
Cask No. 73.130: Sticks and stones / George Benson, Give Me The Night
Cask No. 108.50: Mountain bothy morning / PJ Morton & Yebba, How Deep is your Love

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

The SMWS returned to Islay for the first in-person festival since 2019, with an Open Day at Islay House to share drams, the Society's festival Rare Release bottlings, tastings and good times. We caught up with members from near and far to find out about their combined passions for Islay and whisky.

DJ and writer Vic Galloway is back with a new series of Malts & Music, where he invites guests from across Scotland’s creative landscape to share Scotch Malt Whisky Society drams and find out what musical choices they inspire. In the new episode, Vic sits down to share four SMWS whiskies with Olaf Furniss, long-term Society member, journalist and founder of Born To Be Wide organisation that hosts music business seminars such as Wide Days in Edinburgh, to explore his twin passions for music and whisky.

TUNES and DRAMS
5.81: A Fruity Prescription with Soup Dragons, Whole Wide World
G10.33: Co-Co Nut with The Upsetters, Return of Django
112.90: A Fruit Alloy with Annie, Chewing Gum
24.153: Midsummer Night’s Dream with Plastilina Mosh, Paso Fino

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

In this episode we dig into the rich tradition of whisky storytelling, with contributions from two Scottish musicians, storytellers and whisky lovers. First up is Hamish Napier, a musician from Strathspey in the heart of Scotland’s whisky country. From Speyside, we travel to Islay to hear from Whisky Bard, musician and SMWS Tasting Panel chair, Robin Laing – with music supplied by Robin himself.

From studying engineering, Pete Begg found himself drawn to the world of cooking, working in various restaurants before becoming friends and subsequently colleague of Jamie Oliver. Now Head of Food Development with Jamie’s organisation, Pete is also a devoted member of the SMWS. Our master brand ambassador John McCheyne caught up with him for a dram in our London Members’ Room at 19 Greville Street to find out more about his journey and whisky passion.

This farm distillery in Ayrshire has quietly started producing whisky and lured John Campbell away from Laphroaig in Islay in the process. Whisky Talk's Richard Goslan paid a visit to find out more and hear about the distillery’s ambitions.

Writer Val McDermid joins BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway for Episode 6 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Val describes her early introduction to whisky, her life and work and how these SMWS drams transported her to different times and places throughout her life.

TUNES and DRAMS
Cask No. 73.121: Meemaw’s Moonpie / Aztec Camera, Somewhere in my Heart
Cask No. 39.209: Apple aperitif / Mungo Jerry, In the Summertime
Cask No. 35:269: Banana balaclava / Nitin Sawhney, Nadia
Cask No. 36.164: Bittersweet Xmas stocking treat / Alison Moyet, The Coventry Carol
Cask No. 10.204: Pineapples ahoy / Mike Vass, Settled in Clay

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here

Spotify link can be found here

Special Guest: Val McDermid .

Music and arts broadcaster and writer Nicola Meighan joins BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway for Episode 5 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Whiskies tasted and Nicola's tunes were:
Cask No. 1.245: Pour it around midnight / My Baby Just Cares For Me by Nina Simone
Cask No. 5.81: A fruity prescription / Feed the Tree by Belly
Cask No. 24.153: Midsummer night’s dream / Utopia by Goldfrapp

Cask No. G10.33: Co-co-nut / Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton
Cask No. 112.90: Fruit alloy / January February by Barbara Dickson

Justin Currie, founder and frontman of Del Amitri, joins BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway for Episode 4 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Justin discusses his career and musical passions over five Society drams with Vic, with the single cask whiskies inspiring his choice of music from Cat Power, Gillian Welch, James Brown, Pulp and Prefab Sprout.

Special Guest: Justin Currie.

Episode 3 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, finds BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway deep into conversation over a few Society drams with Stina Tweeddale. The Honeyblood singer-songwriter has a combined passion for whisky and music and pairs up her five SMWS whiskies with music from The Slits, Soccer Mommy, The B-52s, Dream Wife and Mazzy Star.

Special Guest: Stina Tweeddale.

Charlie MacLean is one of the whisky world’s leading writers and experts, and this year saw him honoured as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – better known as an MBE – in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Whisky Talk caught up with Charlie at 28 Queen Street to find out about the award and his long-term connection with the SMWS.

In Episode 2 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway sits down with Norman Blake, co-founder of Scottish indie rock legends Teenage Fanclub. Vic pours a few Society drams and finds out why the whiskies get Norman thinking about Gang of Four, Captain Beefheart, The Kinks, Ennio Morricone and the Wicker Man.
Tune in to the SMWS Malts & Music playlist at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75sE4HLHMMwlcECyNB8ryz

Special Guest: Norman Blake.

BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway presents the first in our special series of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music podcasts, for a whisky-fuelled chat with creative personalities from across Scotland’s cultural life. From the Tasting Room at The Vaults, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s spiritual home in Leith, Vic shares five SMWS drams with writer Ian Rankin, who pairs his whiskies with tunes from John Martyn, James Yorkston, Karine Polwart, The Skids and The Blue Nile.

Special Guest: Ian Rankin.

With a new owner, a new look – and even a new date of birth – Glenturret distillery is emerging from the shadows to take its place in the single malt spotlight. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society paid a visit for Whisky Talk to find out more.

Dennis Malcolm started out at Glen Grant distillery in Speyside as a 15-year-old apprentice cooper. He worked his way up through different roles in the distillery, and 60 years later he is now Scotland’s long-serving distiller. He tells Whisky Talk about his life, career and the momentous changes he has witnessed in an incredible six decades of life in distilleries.

Ardnamurchan distillery is tucked away at the end of Scotland’s most westerly peninsula, where the natural environment is playing a major role in both fuelling and flavouring the spirit. Alex Bruce, managing director of distillery owner Adelphi, tells Whisky Talk all about it.

Imogen Russon-Taylor started out working in whisky before her nose led her to explore the possibility of creating her own perfumes, and after a period of in-depth research she launched Scotland’s first perfume house, known as Kingdom Scotland.
Madeleine Schmoll from the SMWS caught up with Imogen to explore the subject of scent memories, being inspired by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and why a splash of perfume can enhance our mood, whether we’re able to leave the house or not.

Special Guest: Madeleine Schmoll.

His ground-breaking 1993 novel Trainspotting centered on a bunch of heroin addicts in Leith, but these days whisky is more likely to be a plot point in author Irvine Welsh's work. He’s now a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and sat down with Unfiltered editor Richard Goslan at The Vaults over a few drams to discuss his whisky journey, the influence of mind-altering drugs on the work of Robert Burns and why Scotland in general and Leith in particular will always be an exotic location for his fiction.

Pip Hills, the founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, tells Whisky Talk the remarkable and unlikely story of how The Vaults in Leith became the Society's spiritual home.

With thousands of whisky podcasts to choose from, we put out a call to our members and the SMWS team to ask them for their top picks. The Society's Mads Schmoll compiled her list and found out more from the top podcasters about who they are and how they started out.

Special Guest: Madeleine Schmoll.

The first of England's new distilleries to set up was at St George's in Norfolk, where Andrew Nelstrop helped his father realise a long-held dream of opening his own whisky distillery in 2006. He tells Whisky Talk all about it.

Traceability is at the heart of Spirit of Yorkshire distillery's operations, which started distilling in 2016, explains co-founder and crop scientist David Thompson.

The Lakes Distillery started operations in December 2014 and recruited Dhavall Gandhi in 2016. Since then he has brought a whole world of inspiration and creativity to whisky making and maturation.

Bimber Distillery was founded in London in 2015 and laid down its first casks in May 2016. In this episode of Whisky Talk, we talk to the distillery's Matt McKay about the distillery's origins, what it does differently, and the future of the English whisky scene in general.

Daniel Szor, founder of the Cotswolds distillery, tells Whisky Talk about how he turned his passion for single malt whisky into a radical career change, from working in finance to setting up his own distillery in the English countryside in 2014.

The SMWS paid a visit in early 2019 to the Isle of Arran to check on the progress of the new Lagg distillery on the south of the island, which will be the 'peated' sister to Lochranza distillery in the north.

Ardmore distillery is nestled in a remote corner of Aberdeenshire, and isn't usually open to visitors. Thankfully, distillery manager George Forsyth and the team threw wide its doors to the team from Unfiltered on a memorable visit we made in 2018.

Making whisky on the Isle of Raasay is a modern success story that is down to determination and hard work, but it's also bringing new life to an island that has seen more than its share of hardship in the past, as Richard Goslan discovers.

With demand for hand-sanitiser outstripping supply, distilleries big and small have been playing a key role in providing frontline care workers with essential supplies. Richard Goslan caught up with the team at the Glasgow Distillery Company to find out about how they’ve been able to help out.

Its construction has been delayed because of archeological finds and it finally started distilling as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in the UK. But the stills are running at Bonnington distillery in Leith, and the team are looking to a bright future.

Charlie MacLean is not only a leading authority on all things whisky, he's also a long-standing member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Tasting Panel. In this episode of Whisky Talk, he describes his role on the Society's Tasting Panel and provides a masterclass in the appreciation and evaluation of single malt whisky.

It's 100 years since Rita Cowan fell in love with her family's Japanese lodger, Masataka Taketsuru, when he stayed with her family while studying Organic Chemistry at Glasgow University. They were married in January 1920 and by the end of the year they had spent time at Hazelburn Distillery in Campbeltown before setting sail for Japan, where Rita supported Masataka's dream of creating a little bit of Scotland in Japan. Whisky Talk tells their story, with the help of Scottish Distillers Association chairman Professor Alan Wolstenholme, whisky writer Dave Broom, co-ordinator of Mandarin Chinese at Imperial College London Ruth Herd, chief blender at Nikka Distillery Tadashi Sakuma and Dr Niall Mackenzie from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow.

Whisky Talk travels to Glencoe to catch up with Scottish actor Sam Heughan, otherwise known as Jamie Fraser in the historical time travel series Outlander. We find out about his passion for Scotch, his own new whisky project, as well as the travel and history documentary he’s shooting around Scotland with Outlander co-star Graham McTavish – who plays the role of Dougal McKenzie.

Join us on a journey to Jerez, to immerse ourselves in Spain’s Sherry Triangle and explore the synergy between the worlds of whisky and sherry. We visit cooperages to find out about the booming industry to build and season casks for the Scotch whisky world, tour the region’s bodegas to sample an astonishing range of sherries, and talk to the characters working in partnership with the world of Scotch to help bring us the sherried whisky style loved by so many.

Join us to find out more about Leith's whisky history with a walking tour of the area, with the Society's Vaults members' room at the heart of it. Then we'll head north to visit Tomatin distillery and general manager Graham Eunson, before travelling into the heart of Speyside to catch up with Tamdhu's manager, Sandy McIntyre, to hear about that distillery's change in fortunes.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society travels from Glen Scotia in Campbeltown, where Iain McAlister explains why there's a new buzz around the distillery, to Jura to meet distillery manager Graham Logan and finally on to Islay to chat to Stewart Laing, who has recently realised his dream of opening Hunter Laing's new distillery on the island, Ardnahoe.

Join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in the splendid surroundings of Islay House, where members and whisky pilgrims have gathered for the Islay Whisky Festival and the Society’s Open Day. Whisky Talk meets members who have travelled from around the world, and catches up with SMWS ambassador Matt Bailey before he presents a sensational ‘Old & Rare’ masterclass.

Special Guest: Matt Bailey .

In this episode, we catch up with Tobermory distillery’s master blender Kirstie McCallum, find out about the documentary Scotch – The Golden Dram from its director Andrew Peat, and hear from an adventurous Scotch Malt Whisky Society member about his preparations to walk to the as-yet-unreached Northern Pole of Inaccessibility. From the Scottish islands to the Arctic Circle, pour yourself a dram and settle down for the latest episode of Whisky Talk.

Sandy Hyslop, director of blending at Chivas Brothers talks to our Spirits Manager, Euan Campbell from his sample room in Dumbarton near Glasgow. Hyslop has spent a lifetime working in whisky and is responsible for some of the most iconic names in the whisky world from Chivas Regal to Ballantine's and Aberlour A'Bunadh. But how did his whisky journey begin? Tune in to find out.

Welcome to the first ever podcast of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Hosted by Unfiltered editor Richard Goslan, we'll be introducing you to some of the people who make whisky, the places it comes from and the characters who bring it to life. This is Whisky Talk.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society founder Pip Hills talks about the early rebellious days of the Society. Recorded at The Vaults in Edinburgh on Monday 18th February 2019, the talk was part of Pip Hills & The Flavour Revolution, a special event where the first ever Society bottling, 1.1 was opened and tasted. Pour yourself a dram and have a listen!