Episode 96

Society’s whisky director Kai Ivalo on retirement, his whisky journey & the growth of the SMWS

22 June 2026

39 mins 58 secs

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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society wishes its whisky director Kai Ivalo a long and healthy retirement, after 22 years of overseeing our stocks of whisky – along with various other roles with the world’s leading whisky club. Before he heads off, Richard Goslan caught up with Kai to reflect on his time with the Society, the changes he’s seen and been part of over the past two decades and what he’s planning to do with his newfound spare time.