SMWS 168.1 SEASIDE SAUNA

Tasting Notes

SMWS Tasting Panel's tasting note:  "Six years in an ex-bourbon barrel were followed by further maturation in this 1st fill American oak oloroso hogshead. The nose had an appetising aroma of smoked bacon on a well-fired roll with brown sauce, alongside apple chutney, sweet paprika and a hint of toffee. The palate suggested sausages and tomatoes on a barbecue with plenty of lemon and herbs added; the finish had white pepper, cinnamon, liquorice root and a bloody Mary. 

The reduced nose evoked a wood-fired sauna on the sea shore: iodine, seaweed, rosemary, hot stones and first aid kits. The chalky-textured palate now gave us toasted marshmallows and peppered mackerel, carbolic, tar and ash."

Independent Bottler

As a Scotch Malt Whisky Society member, you will join over 40,000 other members around the world who, like our whiskies, are altogether unique. Only members can purchase SMWS whiskies (please note we are not a Scotch-of-the-Month club); you'll join a family of whisky adventurers who appreciate that their whisky discoveries taste better when shared.

SMWS Canada offers a wide variety of whiskies, and sometimes other spirits, every month.  Our exclusive retail partners, including Kensington Wine Market, host tastings of our new releases every month, and members get advance notice and a discount on the ticket price.

Also available exclusively to members is Unfiltered, our award-winning online magazine that is guaranteed to provide you with fascinating insights into The Society and its events, and the world of single malt whisky.

Members also gain access to Members' Rooms in Edinburgh, Leith, London and elsewhere, and receive a discount at SMWS Partner Bars around the world.

A Club With Personality - Who Are We?

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a club unlike any other. Since we were formed in 1983, we've believed in doing things differently. We seek out whisky in its purest form, we prize flavour above everything else, and we're united and constant in our passion - to share the world's best whiskies, to bring them to life, and to make you proud to belong to the world's most colourful whisky club.

Our Beginnings

"The people who said it couldn't be done were so dull" - Pip Hills, Society Founder

Our Society grew out of a few individuals' irrepressible spirit of discovery and adventure, which still drives us today. Inspired by the unique character of a cask of single malt whisky, purchased over 40 years ago from a Speyside distillery, this pioneering group of friends founded the Society in 1983 to buy more casks and share their discovery with like-minded adventurers.

The Canada Chapter of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society began its journey in October 2011. Kensington Wine Market is proud to have been its first retail partner, and continues to be the largest provider of SMWS bottles in Canada.

What We Do

Each of our whiskies must pass the uncompromising noses of our expert Tasting Panel – a secretive group of independent whisky connoisseurs from all walks of life – before being deemed worthy of an iconic Society green bottle. The exploration of flavour and sharing our discoveries is what we're all about. Our members enjoy exclusive access to our hand-picked whiskies from over 140 distilleries in Scotland and beyond. We bottle them at cask strength and offer a constant variety. How you drink them is entirely up to you.

You can find more information on the SMWS here

Browse Kensington Wine Market's current selection of SMWS bottles here