Whisky Talk - Episodes Tagged with “Single Malt Whisky”

Getting 'fleeing' filming Still Game & ELEVEN year old whisky | Greg Hemphill & Rab Florence

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 20:00:00 +0100

Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
UK: https://smws.io/wm8
EU: https://smws.io/gzj

Become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society:
UK: https://smws.io/3gu
EU: https://smws.io/mp1

Settle down and enjoy some quality drams and craic with these three legends of Scottish comedy; Greg Hemphill, Rab Florence, and Michael Hines.

Known for their roles in creating iconic Scottish comedies like Still Game, Chewin’ the Fat and Burnistoun, there was no shortage of laughs in this episode.

This isn’t one you want to miss!

Distilleries with massive variety & whiskies that look insane | April Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 15:00:00 +0100

This this month Duncan is joined by brand ambassador Francesco Ramella and assistant Queen Street manager Logan Shaw. The trio get stuck into some of the most exciting casks coming out in April and say farewell to Logan as he counts down his final days with the Society.

Peated lowlands & new wave distilleries | March Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

This month Calum and Duncan are joined by Anna Grahn where the trio uncover our latest Creators Collection, uncork a brand new 'Heresy' release, and get stuck into the Society's third year of partnership with the OurWhisky Foundation.

Women in whisky & The OurWhisky Foundation | Becky Paskin

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:00:00 +0000

OurWhisky Foundation is a non-profit organisation that seeks to recognise, support and empower women working in the whisky industry. The Society’s Julie Roberts has been both a mentee and mentor for OurWhisky Foundation. She sat down for a catch up at The Vaults with founder Becky Paskin, where the pair sampled our latest release of special bottlings for International Women’s Day in support of the programme.

Traumatising first drams & debunking tasting myths | Brendan McCarron

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 15:00:00 +0000

In this episode we're joined by whisky expert and master distiller Brendan McCarron. Having spent time with Diageo, Distell, and Glenmorangie, Brendan has worked with some of the biggest names in Scotch whisky, and is no stranger to us here at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Listen in as he recounts his horrific first dram, offers up a whisky masterclass, and analyses today's industry.

Unconventional drams & insanely long fermentation times | February Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 11:00:00 +0000

This month love is in the air as Calum and Duncan unpack some of the Society's most scintillating Valentine's Day bottlings. With plenty of cheeky names along the way the pair dive into an unconventional Speyside, a distillery with a staggeringly long fermentation and a popular Islay dram.

Industry secrets & custom made casks | January Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 13:00:00 +0000

This month Calum and Duncan welcome in the new year by covering a great range of Society offerings. They uncloak a lesser-known industry secret with our two new 'Heresy' bottlings, get a taste for life down under with our latest Creators Collection, Fortified, and get stuck into some custom casks from a peculiar distillery.

Solera systems & unique distilling techniques | December Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This month Duncan and Calum are joined by the Society's head of whisky creation Euan Campbell where the trio get stuck into all the best drams in the December Outturn. In this Christmas special we embrace the festivities, uncover some unsung heroes, and taste the first bottling to come from the Society's very own solera system.

The man who brought The Macallan to the world stage | Willie Phillips

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 18 Nov 2025 11:00:00 +0000

As managing director of The Macallan in the 1970s, Willie Phillips helped to build its reputation at a time when the industry was in the doldrums and the market for single malts was still miniscule. After bringing The Macallan to the world stage, Willie went on to become chairman of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, collecting plenty of stories along the way.

The biggest Outturn of the year & Edinburgh whisky festival | November Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 12:00:00 +0000

This month Calum and Duncan head out to Edinburgh Whisky Festival where they get stuck in to the biggest Outturn of the year. Tune in to hear them chat with some familiar Society faces, uncover an entirely new cask type and get into the Christmas spirit with the perfect stocking filler.

The founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society | Pip Hills

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:00:00 +0100

In this episode Richard Goslan sits down with Pip Hills, the founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Pip lost contact with the Society in the 1990s, and didn't rekindle his relationship with the SMWS until Richard tracked him down in 2018. Here the pair reflect on Pip's return to the Society, his health at the age of 85 and how the Society became a force for good with more than 40,000 members across the world.

Sleeping in the maltings & whisky goosebumps | Stewart Buchanan Benriach distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 07 Oct 2025 15:00:00 +0100

Global Malts Ambassador for Brown-Forman, Stewart Buchanan stepped into Queen Street earlier this year to talk about his whisky adventures with Mads Schmoll. From his early days on the island of Mull to travelling the world to talk all about all things BenRiach today, he’s worked in nearly every part of the industry.

Tune in to hear more and watch as Stewart and Mads try The Vaults Collection, Cask No. 12.80: Heaven in a leather hammock.

Eight new flavour profiles & local whisky heroes | October Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:00:00 +0100

This month Calum and Duncan are joined by Mads Schmoll to uncover the Society's eight new flavour profiles. Working their way through each of the new profiles, the trio reveal what members can expect from this evolution and shine a light on a new Winter Series.

The perfect pairing & whisky that makes you go mad | September Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 03 Sep 2025 16:00:00 +0100

Scotch, Whisky Talk, Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Single Malt Whisky, Whisky,

Taiwanese whisky & worm tub condensers | August Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 11:00:00 +0100

This month Calum and Duncan tuck into some unusual cask types, taste whisky from Taiwan and find the perfect introduction to peat. Our latest Creators Collection, Tales of the Worm Tub, transports the duo back in time as they experience a different era of Scotch whisky distillation.

Episode 77: Brutal Islay weather, direct fired stills & peated Lowland whisky | July Outturn Podcast

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 13:00:00 +0100

This month Duncan and Calum are joined by Society brand ambassador and member services executive, Francesco Ramella. While finding out what's on offer in the July Outturn, the trio remember their favourite outdoor adventures and discuss Francesco's whisky journey.

Episode 76: Logan Shaw and SMWS June Outturn

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 13:00:00 +0100

This month Calum and Duncan are joined by Logan Shaw, the assistant venue manager at our Queen Street Members’ Room. With hip flasks in hand, the three get stuck into this month’s Outturn with plenty of adventures, stories and drams along the way.

Episode 75: Anthony Delcros and SMWS April Outturn

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 11:00:00 +0100

This month Calum and Richard are joined by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Anthony Delcros as the trio prepare for this year’s whisky festivals. Anthony reveals his own whisky journey while covering all the adventures he has planned to take the Society’s tastings off the beaten track at the Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay festivals.

Episode 74: Lucy Connor and SMWS March Outturn

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 10:00:00 +0000

This month Calum and Richard get zen as they’re guided through a ‘dramaste’ styled tasting by Lucy Connor. Lucy took a day out from her time behind the bar at The Vaults to chat through this year’s International Women’s Day bottlings, discuss some of her maverick tasting ideas, and share her own whisky journey.

Episode 73: Matt Bailey and SMWS February Outturn

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 04 Feb 2025 13:00:00 +0000

Richard and Calum catch up with Matt Bailey, who recently joined The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s European team as managing director. The trio discuss Tasmanian whisky, psychotic dram decisions and delve into some of the Society bottlings coming out in the UK and Europe in February.

Episode 72: Olaf Meier

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 15 May 2024 11:00:00 +0100

Scotch Malt Whisky Society ambassador and Tasting Panel chairperson Olaf Meier is a fountain of knowledge, driven by a limitless number of whisky stories and a huge passion for the Society and the wider whisky world. Olaf now finds himself celebrating his 20th year representing the Society. Despite having more than two decades of whisky experience, Olaf started his journey with humble beginnings, as Duncan Gorman finds out.

Episode 71: Scotch & Sherry

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 02 May 2024 15:00:00 +0100

In this episode we’re going on a special journey across Spain, to tell the story of whisky and sherry and the wonderful synergy between the two worlds when it comes to sherry cask matured whisky.
We travel to the oak forests of Galicia in the far northwest of Spain to take the creation of Spanish oak casks right back to the beginning, in the Cantabrian forest, before heading south to Jerez and the Sherry Triangle, to visit the cooperages and bodegas where the casks are built and then seasoned with different styles of sherry wine.

Episode 70: Paul John

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 13:00:00 +0100

Regular listeners will know that we are fortunate at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society to welcome representatives from distilleries, who visit us in our Members’ Rooms, share some special samples of their whiskies with our members, and give us their insights and knowledge about their distilleries.
In March we had a visit to the Vaults by Heemanshu Ashar from Paul John, the pioneering Indian distillery based in Goa on the country’s tropical west coast.
Before enjoying the tasting, we took the chance to find out more about Paul John distillery, India’s whisky journey since independence in 1947 and what tropical maturation brings to this spirit.

Episode 69: Flavour Journey with Kami Newton

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 03 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0100

In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the flavour journey that takes place every time we uncork a bottle of whisky and then nose and taste it. It’s a process that the Tasting Panel at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society goes through with every sample that is presented for possible inclusion in a Society bottling. So we caught up with Tasting Panel chair Kami Newton, to find out more about the different steps on this flavour journey and why we should take time to appreciate the complexities of what’s in our glass.

Episode 68: Blair Athol

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 10:00:00 +0000

We were fortunate to have a visit from two of the team from Blair Athol distillery to The Vaults in February, for a special tasting of four expressions of Blair Athol whisky, along with a sample of one of the Society’s own single cask offerings. Blair Athol distillery manager Derek Younie was joined by Peter Milne from Diageo’s Whisky Specialist Team to talk members through the samples and provide insight into the history and working of the distillery, what to expect from Blair Athol’s spirit character, and how it works with different casks and forms of maturation.

Episode 67: Springbank

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 11:00:00 +0000

In February, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society paid host to Melanie Stanger from Springbank distillery in Campbeltown, who visited our Members’ Room at The Vaults in Leith to tell us more about this legendary distillery and share a few special drams.

Episode 66: Pip's Prague Adventure

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 12:00:00 +0000

The vintage Lagonda belonging to Society founder Pip Hills played an instrumental part in our whisky club’s foundation, carrying the first precious cargo of single casks from Speyside back to his Scotland Street home in Edinburgh to share with friends. In 1990, Pip Hills and his brother-in-law Dick Pountain decided to take a road trip to Prague in the Lagonda, to witness Václav Havel’s inauguration as president of the Czech Republic. The magazine The Classic Motoring Review subsequently commissioned Pip and Dick to write a piece about the journey – and how Society whisky helped to make it a success. We asked Pip and Dick to tell us that story in their own words.

Episode 65: Matugga Rum

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 11:45:00 +0100

A taste of rum at a family gathering led husband-and-wife team Jacine and Paul Rutasikwa on the path to setting up their own distillery in the town of Livingston, near Edinburgh. Mads Schmoll paid a visit to uncover the fascinating story behind Matugga Rum and how it blends elements of African, Caribbean and Scottish cultures and heritage

Episode 64: Val McDermid

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 12:00:00 +0100

Crime writer and whisky enthusiast Val has been a fan of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society since its early days, after receiving an educational journey across the whisky regions from a friend’s father who was something of an aficionado. Whisky Talk caught up with Val in an Edinburgh coffee shop to find out more about her whisky passion, her writing career and who would be her fantasy whisky-drinking companion.

Episode 63: Maverick - The Founder's Tale with Pip Hills

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 01:00:00 +0100

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is marking its 40th anniversary with an updated and revised edition of Pip Hills' memoir, "Maverick – The Founder’s Tale", which now includes the story of 'coming in from the cold' after leaving the whisky club in the 1990s. Pip tells Richard Goslan about reconnecting with the Society and what we can expect from the new version of his book.

Episode 62: The sound of Glen Scotia

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 31 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

How do you capture the sense of sound in a distillery and its location – and then incorporate that into a song? That’s what the team at Glen Scotia set out to do, with a whisky and music collaboration in its Campbeltown home. Whisky Talk caught up with the contributors to find out more.

Episode 61: Denis Lesgourgues

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 31 May 2023 09:00:00 +0100

In this episode of Whisky Talk the Society strays from the familiarity of Scotland's malt whisky to the south of France for an insight into the world of Armagnac.

Denis Lesgourgues, a third-generation owner of armagnac house Château de Laubade, paid a recent visit to The Vaults to tell a packed Members’ Room about the beauty of this underappreciated spirit.

Episode 60: Kythe Distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 14:00:00 +0100

With so many new distilleries coming online across Scotland, it’s sometimes hard to keep track. But when Angus MacRaild dropped the news at the start of April about his plans for Kythe distillery, it felt like time to sit up and pay attention. Angus has teamed up with partners Jonny McMillan and Aaron Chan to bring their vision for a new distillery that produces an old-style, traditional Highland style of whisky to life – complete with a fermentation of more than two weeks, a wood-fired wash still and worm-tub condensers. In their own words, efficiency is the enemy of character when it comes to their mission. Richard Goslan caught up with both Angus and Jonny to find out more about their mission.

Episode 58: Falkirk Distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 09:30:00 +0100

Stray just a few moments from the M9 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh and you will discover Falkirk Distillery, a grand whitewashed building, complete with twin copper pagodas. Duncan Gorman sat down for a chat with co-founders George and Fiona Stewart, to discuss some of the bizarre obstacles they have had to overcome building the distillery from scratch - including complications from a certain Roman wall just a stone's throw from the site.

Episode 59: Craig Johnstone

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 09:30:00 +0100

From East Lothian to Tasmania and back to Scotland, Craig Johnstone has worked across the whisky industry for the past 20 years. Today he works for Edrington as master blender for The Famous Grouse, a role he came to via a stint as a distillery tour guide, a distillery manager and a few years behind the bar at the Society’s Members’ Room at 28 Queen Street. Mads Schmoll caught up with Craig at the 106 Sample Room to find out more about his whisky journey.

Episode 57: Richard Paterson

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 22 Mar 2023 09:00:00 +0000

Our guest on this edition needs little in the way of introduction to any whisky fan. Richard Paterson has been working in the whisky industry for the past 57 years, with more than half a century of his career spent with Whyte & Mackay Distillers.
We were delighted to welcome Richard to the Society’s spiritual home at The Vaults in Leith recently, where one of the whisky industry’s biggest entertainers put on a special show for a room full of lucky members – taking us on a tour that included his stories and memories about Tamnavulin, Fettercairn, Jura and Dalmore.

Whatever’s in your glass…settle back for a 90-minute epic in the company of the one and only Richard Paterson.

Episode 56: SMWS Women

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Women have been instrumental in making the Society what it is today. The three As of Anne Dana, Anne Griffiths and Annabel Meikle came from different backgrounds and hadn’t planned to have a career in whisky. But driven by a thirst for knowledge, an encouraging environment and an openness to new ventures, these women ended up shaping some of the most recognisable parts of the Society. Who better to speak to them than three women shaping the future of the Society today?

Tune in to Whisky Talk to hear their stories.

Anne Dana meets Mads Schmoll, Social Media & Community Manager for the Society
Anne Griffiths meets Monique Ten Kortenaar, Society Ambassador for Benelux
Annabel Meikle meets Rebecca Hamilton, Group Marketing Director

Episode 55: Port of Leith

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 10:00:00 +0000

Port of Leith is Scotland's first vertical distillery, founded by Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher. Standing nine storeys tall, it’s just next door to the Royal Yacht Britannia and a stone's throw away from our spiritual home, The Vaults. As the distillery nears completion, the spirit of innovation continues in the development of their new Scotch, a process that Ian and Paddy began long before the distillery broke ground in Leith with research and experimentation on the role of yeast and fermentation. Mads Schmoll sat down with Ian and Paddy to find out more about what's ahead.

Episode 54: Malts & Music with Sam Heughan

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 13:00:00 +0000

Outlander star and whisky fanatic Sam Heughan joins Vic Galloway in our latest episode of Whisky Talk Malts & Music. Sam discusses his passion for whisky, his appreciation of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and his own plans for whisky and the wider spirits world. Tune in as Sam shares his thoughts along with both Society and his own Sassenach whisky, all paired with a suitable choice of music.

Whiskies tasted and Sam Heughan’s tunes were:

SMWS Cask No. 112.39: Tractors and old medicine / Toby Keith – I Love This Bar
SMWS Cask 35.251: Elgin Marvels / Paolo Nutini – Through the Echoes
Sassenach / Martyn Bennett – Blackbird
SMWS Cask 53.318: Entropy meridian / Tears for Fears – Pale Shelter

You can watch a video of the conversation on the SMWS YouTube channel here
Spotify link can be found here
Find out more about The Scotch Malt Whisky Society here

Episode 53: Pip Hills and his whisky epiphany

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 03 Jan 2023 08:00:00 +0000

The origin of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society can be traced back to the founder, Pip Hills, visiting his friends at a farmhouse in deepest rural Aberdeenshire, where he first experienced single cask, cask strength whisky, served up from a lemonade bottle by a neighbouring farmer. Richard Goslan returned with Pip to his friends' farmhouse to hear them tell the story in their own words.

Episode 52: Iain McAlister

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 07:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 51: Brendan McCarron

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 26 Dec 2022 04:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 50: Malts & Music with Karine Polwart

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 10 Nov 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 49: Dr Bill Lumsden Part 2

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 08:15:00 +0100

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.

Episode 48: Dr Bill Lumsden Part 1

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 08:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 47: Malts & Music with The Whisky Sisters

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 12:00:00 +0100

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

Episode 46: Malts & Music with Doug Johnstone

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 07 Sep 2022 15:00:00 +0100

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

Episode 45: Dave Broom and A Sense of Place

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 31 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 44: Stuart MacPherson Master of Wood

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 30 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 43: Malts & Music with James Yorkston

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 08:00:00 +0100

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

Episode 42: Jake King and Whisky Place-Names

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 41: Malts & Music with Gemma Cairney

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 15 Jun 2022 10:00:00 +0100

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

Episode 40: The Islay Festival

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 30 May 2022 14:45:00 +0100

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.

Episode 39: Malts & Music with Olaf Furniss

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 20 May 2022 10:00:00 +0100

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

Episode 38: Whisky Storytellers

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 22 Apr 2022 14:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 37: SMWS member Pete Begg

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 36: Lochlea with John Campbell

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 16:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 35: Malts & Music with Val McDermid

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 10:00:00 +0000

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 .

Episode 34: Malts & Music with Nicola Meighan

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000

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

Episode 33: Malts & Music with Justin Currie

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 09:00:00 +0000

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 32: Malts & Music with Stina Tweeddale

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 31: Charlie MacLean MBE

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 15:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 30: Malts & Music with Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 10 Nov 2021 10:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 29: Malts & Music with Ian Rankin

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 06 Oct 2021 01:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 28: Glenturret Distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 21 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 27: Dennis Malcolm and Glen Grant Distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 27 May 2021 10:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 26: Ardnamurchan distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 25: Whisky and perfume

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 10:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 24: Irvine Welsh

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 11 Jan 2021 09:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 23: Pip Hills and The Vaults

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 02 Sep 2020 09:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 22: Meet the whisky podcasters

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 15:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 21: The English Whisky Company with Andrew Nelstrop

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 04 Aug 2020 13:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 20: Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery with David Thompson

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 15 Jul 2020 13:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 19: Lakes Distillery with Dhavall Gandhi

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 14 Jul 2020 13:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 18: Bimber Distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 24 Jun 2020 15:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 17: Cotswolds distillery with Daniel Szor

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 16 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 16: Lagg Distillery on Arran

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 18 May 2020 15:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 15: Ardmore distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 05 May 2020 10:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 14: Raasay distillery and island tour

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Tue, 28 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 13: From filling casks to fighting coronavirus

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 15 Apr 2020 09:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 12: The birth of Leith's Bonnington Distillery

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 08 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 11: Charlie MacLean's SMWS whisky masterclass

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 10: Masataka and Rita Taketsuru, A Whisky Love Story

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 13:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 9: Sam Heughan

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 07 Nov 2019 15:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 8: Jerez

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 15:00:00 +0000

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.

Episode 7: Leith's whisky history, Tomatin and Tamdhu

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 6: From Glen Scotia to Jura and Islay's Ardnahoe

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Thu, 20 Jun 2019 11:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 5: Whisky pilgrims at the Islay Festival

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Wed, 29 May 2019 11:00:00 +0100

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 .

Episode 4: Tobermory, The Golden Dram and the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Sat, 18 May 2019 08:00:00 +0100

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.

Episode 3: Sandy Hyslop

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:15:00 +0100

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.