Ladies’s Historical past Month, in March 2024, has already seen a number of particular releases to have fun the ladies within the trade. At the moment, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has introduced the discharge of 5 limited-edition single-cask whiskies which have been chosen by an all-female tasting panel.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was fashioned by Pip Hills in 1983. Hills established SMWS as a passion and an area for individuals to get pleasure from single-cask whiskies, which weren’t broadly out there on the time. In truth, the Eighties was a dire time for the scotch whisky trade, which discovered itself amid the notorious Whisky Loch.
SMWS, nevertheless, braved the storm. Quick-forward over 40 years, and SMWS has over 41,000 members worldwide, with unique tasting rooms, and a single-cask bottling subscription service. In March 2024, SMWS is including 5 restricted version Worldwide Ladies’s Day whiskies to its portfolio.
As well as, the Society has additionally introduced that 5% of the income from the sale of the 5 bottles might be donated to the OurWhisky Foundation.
The OurWhisky Basis is a non-profit group that’s devoted to supporting girls within the whisky trade. The muse does this by funding a mentorship program, in addition to connecting girls in whisky with big-name manufacturers for distinctive partnership alternatives.
The SMWS Worldwide Ladies’s Day Whiskies
The 5 bottlings on this particular Worldwide Ladies’s Day launch are:
- “A Toffee-Coated Hay Bale” – a lightweight and fruity expression, for worldwide launch.
- “Hebridean Hamper” – a peated expression, additionally for worldwide launch.
- “Liquid Riches” – an expression that SMWS calls “outdated and dignified”, for UK & EU launch solely.
- “A Humble Mountain Feast” – wealthy and full-bodied, for UK & EU launch solely.
- “Christmas on The Seashore” – a candy but spicy expression solely out there to SMWS members.
The quirky names of the whiskies, a trademark of SMWS bottlings, have been chosen by the all-women Tasting Panel. The Tasting Panel passed off on the SMWS headquarters (The Vaults in Leith) in 2023.
Those that are aware of SMWS bottlings will know that the members of the Tasting Panel stay nameless, as does the whisky contained in the bottles. As a substitute of revealing the distillery instantly, SMWS makes use of “society cask numbers” to maintain monitor of their bottlings.
The entire whiskies are single-cask and bottled at cask power.
The UK & EU expressions, in addition to the member’s solely expression, might be out there to buy on-line and in SMWS’s UK Member’s Rooms from eighth March 2024.
Celebrating Ladies In Whisky
There isn’t a doubt that the whisky trade has, traditionally, been male-dominated. SMWS and the OurWhisky Basis problem the notion that there isn’t any place for girls in whisky.
The OurWhisky Basis started as a social media motion in 2018, advocating for larger range and inclusion amongst whisky drinkers and people within the whisky trade. During the last 5 years, it has developed right into a basis that challenges the gendered picture of whisky and works to create an inclusive setting for girls within the whisky trade.
Beneath the management of CEO Becky Paskin, the inspiration has made vital strides, of which The Demeter Assortment and the SMWS bottlings are very a lot a component.
Of the restricted releases, Becky Paskin mentioned: “Internet hosting an all-women tasting panel is a good way to facilitate dialog and problem the outdated and gendered picture of the whisky trade that continues to be prevalent at this time. Anybody who tries these distinctive whiskies might be left in little question concerning the significance of highlighting girls in whisky!”
Julie Roberts, Model Innovation Supervisor at SMWS, commented:
“Ladies have all the time performed a key position within the evolution of the Society; from our first managing director Anne Dana driving early membership uptake within the Eighties and establishing the primary tasting room when the Society was in its infancy, to our rising variety of girls members, and the various girls throughout our venues, worldwide branches and groups.
“With that in thoughts, we encourage everybody to affix us in elevating a dram to girls in whisky this Worldwide Ladies’s Day!”
Roberts was one among 50 girls who passed off within the OurWhisky Basis’s mentorship program final yr.
SMWS Worldwide Ladies’s Day Occasions
Along with the 5 whiskies chosen by the Tasting Panel, SMWS is internet hosting unique Worldwide Ladies’s Day occasions at two of its premises on the eighth March. The occasions will embrace a tasting of the particular bottlings. You should buy tickets for the Bath Street and Queen Street occasions by way of the SMWS web site.
Whisky Auctioneer’s Ladies In Whisky Public sale
On fifth March 2024, The Whiskey Wash reported that Whisky Auctioneer can be internet hosting a first-of-its-kind public sale that includes bottles that have been created by, or in celebration of, girls within the whisky trade.
The public sale will characteristic The Demeter Assortment. SMWS is proud to announce that one of many 5 limited-edition bottles from their Worldwide Ladies’s Day launch, “Christmas on The Seashore” might be included within the public sale.
Moreover, Whisky Auctioneer’s public sale can even see a portion of the income donated to the OurWhisky Basis.
