The post The Scotch Malt Whisky Society appeared first on NC Whiskey.
]]>This whole NC Whiskey thing came about because I was getting really into bourbon. And there’s a lot of bourbon — bourbon should be enough! But, times change and new adventures beckon. Scotch was always sitting there on NC ABC shelves tempting and taunting, but it was an entire world away. Different rules and criteria, different age statements, cask types, mash bills, and flavor profiles — where do you even start?
My initial foray into the world of Scotch whisky was similar to that of bourbon: a shared pour at the recommendation of a friend. There’s a lot of variation in Scotch, though, so it’s always been hard to pinpoint what I like and why I like it. And buying dozens of expensive bottles to try everything and seek out my palate seemed like more work then was worth.
Enter The Scotch Malt Whisky Society: a casual, accessible scotch whisky club with a highbrow name. Whether you’re like me and really want to dip your toes into the deep ocean of Scotch for the first time, or if you’re a seasoned veteran of the spirit, I’ve got to recommend Scotch Malt Whisky Society as a solid springboard.
Why Is The Whisky Good?
Look, I’m the first to admit I know very little about scotch (for now). But applying what I know about bourbon, here’s what stands out to me about the scotch from The Scotch Malt Whiskey Society:
First, it’s all single-cask scotch. Each bottle or run comes from one cask that their experts have specifically selected and bottled exclusively for members. This means every bottle is, in bourbon terms, a Single Barrel Select pick. And, it’s all cask-strength, so no dilution, only flavor.
Second, it’s not all mass-produced scotch. A lot of what we get in the United States is from a handful of big scotch distilleries. But just like distilleries in the U.S., some of the best scotch is actually produced at smaller operations. Tariffs, trade, and demand all make it difficult for these smaller distilleries to distribute product to the United States. Many of the casks that SMWS selects for their members come from these small distilleries, so we get access to rare scotch we’d have a hard time coming across otherwise.
Third, there’s a lot of transparency in the way they bottle that gives great information about the whisky in the bottle. I’ll talk in a minute about their labels and tasting kits, suffice to say that their packaging instills confidence that the product inside is worth it.
Making Scotch Accessible
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society makes the world of scotch far more accessible to United States consumers through a program that’s much more membership than subscription. As a member of the society, you get access to a vast community of Scotch enthusiasts. Looking for something new, or nervous about buying something you might not like? Members have access to a great concierge service to help field all their questions.
It also makes the spirit more accessible by labeling things in an organized way that’s easy to read and understand. For instance, each bottle is color-coded based on the flavor profile of the scotch whisky inside. As you start to refine your palate, you may learn you gravitate towards certain “colors” or flavor profiles. Or, maybe you’re adventurous and want to try something new, now you know where to look.
The labels are also super clear about other key vitals. Proof/ABV, age statements, regions, and even the type of cask it was aged in are all vital. Each bottle also has a code that corresponds to the specific distillery where the scotch inside was produced, and the specific cask itself.
Tasting Kit
So yes, as a member you have access to all the exclusive monthly releases of single cask, cask-strength whiskies. But let’s take a look at this tasting kit that’s also available. Talk about a great way to dive into Scotch!
The beautiful presentation of these bottles, notebook, and glassware is unbelievable. They highlight a few different flavor profiles so you can quickly start to place you palate. Take notes on what you like and why you like it, all while doing it in style. I actually appreciate the standardized labels, because it takes the guess work and bias out the equation and lets you evaluate each whisky in it’s most raw form.
If you can believe it, one of the scotches that came in my tasting kit rings in at over 130 proof! Personally, I don’t mind the heat, but it’s nice to have the dropper and be able to add a bit of water. Rather than diluting the whisky, it actually ends up opening the aromas and flavor for a different experience. As I went through the whiskies in the tasting kit and started taking notes, I actually felt like scotch wasn’t so foreign to me. All the notes they provide and the details felt accurate to the taste. Maybe eventually I’ll develop a liking for peated whisky, but for now I know there are easier, sweeter scotches, and I’ll look for those when I’m out hunting.
Is The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Worth The Money?
So, in full transparency, the goods in the box were a gift for me. But I would 100% pay the full price to do it in the future and remain a member. Memberships are just $99 per year, but you can get them with a first bottle or the aforementioned tasting kit and save about $50 on the bottle or the kit. I don’t endorse products on here lightly, but I wanted to do a real post for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society because I think it’s actually a really great program with good value.
How To Join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
To take advantage of the great offerings that The Scotch Malt Whisky Society offers, you need to be a member. When you join the club, you’ll get a packet with a membership card and a fancy pin for your drinking jacket (if that’s a thing?). You can join straight-up for $99, or you can join with a bundle and save about $50, all told. Here are a few bundles they offer:
Tasting Kit + Annual Membership
The Tasting Kit Bundle is awesome. It comes with three 100mL bottles of their exclusive cask-strength scotch whisky so you can try and compare a few different flavor profiles of scotch. The kit also boasts a pretty fancy glassware set that includes two branded snifters, a pitcher, and a water dropper. You also get the little notebook for jotting down you tasting notes. It’s all packages really well in a nice box.
The kit, by itself, is valued at $145, and the membership is $99. When you order the bundle, though, it’s only $195 all-in, so you save about $50 (I think the savings technically comes off the membership). This bundle would make a great gift, too.
Annual Membership + Bottle of Scotch
If you already have enough whisky glasses on your bar, you may instead decide to opt for a a single bottle of scotch to bundle with your membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. If you go this route you’ll get to choose one of three 750mL bottles to accompany your membership. Each of your three choices is a bit different, and are thus priced differently. They offer the same $50 savings on the membership, though.
As of writing this, the bottle options include:
- 12 Year Speyside ($120 Bottle + $99 membership, bundle price of $170)
- 10 Year Islay Peated ($125 Bottle + $99 membership, bundle price of $175)
- 18 Year (!!) Highland ($210 Bottle + $99 membership, bundle price of $260)
I’m not sure how often these options will change (certainly as often as a cask is sold out), but you can see what’s currently available on their website.
All this to say, scotch is way less scary to me now that I’ve dipped my toes into the world. I thought it was all just smokey, peaty booze, but I’m slowly learning that the category is way more broad with a lot of nuance, and I really appreciate the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for opening up that world for me.
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]]>It may not be as commonly popular as Johnnie Walker or Glenfiddich, but Ardbeg Scotch has a cult following, especially for for fans of peated scotch. Ardbeg, a distillery in the Islay region of Scotland, produces incredibly unique barrels of scotch. It sits in a row of distilleries including Lagavulin and Laphroaig, so Ardbeg is in great company on the island. Like it’s neighbor, this distillery offers strongly peated scotch for intense smoky, wooly flavors.
Ardbeg Scotch History
The first Ardbeg Distillery started producing blended scotch whisky in 1798. In 1815, while Laphroaig was opening up doors down the road, the Ardbeg brand was formally established by the MacDougall family. By the late 1800s, Ardbeg was producing over 10,000 barrels of blended scotch each year.
Ardbeg Collection (3 bottles)
Reserve Bar
This production grew strong, and Ardbeg was a popular scotch for the next hundred years. But with recessions and changing tastes, the distillery was forced to stop production in 1981. This wouldn’t last the decade, though, and production spun up again and 1989. Business was up and down with spotty distribution through the 90s, but rescue was imminent. The Glenmorangie company foresaw an increase in demand for Islay Scotch, and purchased the Ardbeg brand and distillery in 1997.
Since then, Ardbeg has been producing stellar peated single malt scotch across age ranges, an their popularity has boomed. This includes a staggering demand for the limited bottlings pre-1997, that have seen outrageous secondary market prices.
See also: Game of Thrones Scotch Whisky Collection
Ardbeg Offerings
Ardbeg has a host of fun, unique bottles and, frankly, you wouldn’t read through all the post if we listed them all out. But here’s a quick rundown of their flagships, and some more “popular” releases.
Ardbeg 10 Year Single Malt Scotch
The most common Ardbeg you’ll find on shelves in the United States is their 10 Year Old Single Malt Scotch. This flagship is relavtively approachable, as far as peated Islay Scotch goes. It’s still going to be a kick of heat and smoke.
In 2008, Ardbeg 10 Year won World Whisky of Year, and it has been a hot number ever since. This whisky is pretty easy to find. It’s bottled at 92 Proof (46% ABV) and is non-chill filtered. For a heavily peated scotch like Ardbeg, this filtering leaves that potent peat smoke for a strong, ripe kick.
Ten years isn’t the oldest scotch, but this one promises a sweet maltiness that balances out the intense peat flavors flawlessly. If you want to dive into the deep end of peated scotch.
Ardbeg 10 Years Old
Reserve Bar
US
Ardbeg An Oa Scotch
Ardbeg An Oa was first released in 2017. This scotch is a unique marriage of single malt scotches from several of Ardbeg’s cask stocks. The full recipe is a bit of a secret, but we know that some casks used include virgin charred oak, ex-bourbon casks, and sweet Pedro Ximenez. Single Malts come out of these barrels and swirl together in a vat together for a while in a marriage that is bold and pure.
Full of that Ardbeg peat, An Oa is a smoky and sweet dram of scotch that’s actually a bit more approachable, though still intense. It’s bottled at a pretty classic 93.2 Proof (46.6% ABV), Ardbed An Oa offers no age statement. Grab a bottle when you can.
Ardbeg An Oa
Reserve Bar
AZ
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Corryvreckan is the name of the whirlpool that lies to the north of Islay, home of Ardbeg Distillery. The whisky is a high proof, high peat scotch that is a masterpiece whisky. Voted World’s Best Single Malt in 2010, Corryvreckan earns its name from a swirling whirlpool of complexity. Smoky peat, heavy malt, and a hot finish make Ardbeg Corryvreckan a force to be reckoned with.
Bottled at a cask-strength 114.2 Proof (57.1% ABV), Ardbeg Corryvreckan has been described as a punch in the face, in the best possible way.
Neither here nor there, but Ardbeg’s authenticity to its home and culture is wonderful branding, and the whisky does a great job making that seem natural.
Ardbeg Corryvreckan
Mash and Grape
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Did I spell that right? Uigeadail is yet another award winner from Ardbeg. The heavy peat is here, as it is in all these Islay scotches, but that’s not all. Uigeadail takes the heavy peat found in the traditional Ardbeg barrels and marries it with a sherry cask version. The result is a rich, chewy, and smoky scotch full of dried fruit notes and spices.
To add extra oomph to the experience, Ardbeg Uigeadail is bottled at 108.4 Proof (54.2% ABV), cask-strength, higher than most scotches which are often proofed down. Like the Ten Year, this scotch is non-chill filtered.
How do you pronounce Uigeadail? That’s the million dollar question. According to the official Ardbeg website, the correct pronunciation of Uigeadail is “Oog-a-dal”, a reference to lake (loch) near the distillery.
Ardbeg Uigeadail
Reserve Bar
FL
Ardbeg 5 Year Old Wee Beastie
A newer addition to the Ardbeg Single Malt Scotch lineup is Wee Beastie, a younger brother to the 10 Year expression. To some extent, this may just be youth for the sake of getting product to market more quickly. That may not be entirely fair, though. Often described as “feisty,” Ardbeg as branded this 5 year single malt scotch to own is young age.
Similar to Uigeadail, this Ardbeg Ultimate collection scotch uses some Oloroso Sherry casks for easier finishing. Wee Beastie also uses ex-bourbon casks, not uncommon among scotches. Because those casks are used, the 5 years allows for even less aging characteristics, so it doesn’t overpower the peated mash. The goal is to create a raw, smoky scotch that really highlights the harsh peat of Islay. So far, it’s been a success on the market. The younger age of Ardbeg Wee Beastie also makes for a more affordable scotch, to boot.
Ardbeg Wee Beastie is non-chill filtered and bottled at 94.8 Proof (47.4% ABV).
Ardbeg Wee Beastie
Reserve Bar
IL
More Ardbeg Scotch Whiskies
Of course, there are a lot of great Ardbeg scotch whiskies besides the aforementioned expressions. If age is your thing, there are several bottles that follow the same processes as the classic 10 year with much longer aging… 17, 21, and even 25 year bottles. Ardbed Blaaack was a very fun limited release, but can be hard to find these days outside of the secondary markets. You can find a full comprehensive list of other limited Ardbeg Scotch releases on their website.
Ardbeg Scotch In North Carolina
Is Ardbeg Scotch available in North Carolina ABC Stores? You bet! It may be a bit hit or miss depending on what you’re looking for, but various bottles have been available in the state system for years. The following Ardbeg releases have been listed on the ABC Stock or Price lists in the last year and a half, so you may still be able to find them.
- Ardbeg 19Y GB 2020 Edition
- Ardbeg Uigeadail
- Ardbeg 10Y S.M.
- Ardbeg Corryvreckan
- Ardbeg An Oa
- Ardbeg 25Y GB
- Ardbeg Wee Beastie
Similar to Ardbeg Scotch
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