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The Scotch
Malt Whisky Society streamlines flavour
profiles with launch of eight new
categories.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)
has introduced eight new flavour
profiles for its Signature range,
reinforcing its longstanding philosophy
of placing flavour at the heart of
whisky discovery.
Since its founding in 1983, the
international whisky club has championed
the idea of exploring whisky by flavour
rather than traditional cues such as age
or region—an approach that has since
become standard across the industry. In
2012, the Society introduced 12 flavour
profiles to help members navigate its
releases. Now, those have been refined
to eight, representing a new chapter in
its flavour-first journey.
This shift moves away from age-led
categories like Old & Dignified and
Young & Spritely, instead offering a
more intuitive and engaging way for
whisky drinkers to explore the SMWS
range. The new categories, which run
from Fragrant & Floral to Bold & Peaty,
are colour-coded and closely aligned
with the Scotch Whisky Research
Institute Flavour Wheel, ensuring
clarity and consistency.
Every bottle in the Signature range now
features a bold stripe indicating its
flavour profile, alongside details of
cask type, non-chill filtration, and
cask strength on the back label. The
profiles themselves are the result of
years of feedback, tasting notes, and
data from the Society’s Tasting Panel,
designed to reflect the breadth of its
single cask, cask strength bottling's.
Euan Campbell, Head of Whisky Creation
at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said:
"With our history of focusing on
flavour, this is an evolution, not
revolution. It’s about making people's
flavour journey more accessible and
rewarding - whether they're just getting
started or a long-time Society explorer.
"The new profiles simply make it easier
and more intuitive to find the kinds of
flavours people love. Every bottle
continues to showcase our dedication to
exceptional, flavour-rich cask strength
whisky. From three to thirty-year-olds,
it’s the whisky inside - not the age or
region - that matters most."
The new SMWS flavour profiles are:
- Fragrant &
Floral – Delicate, breezy, and full
of surprises.
- Sweet &
Zesty – A lively balance of sherbet
fizz and candied citrus.
- Ripe Fruits
& Honey – Juicy, indulgent, and
fresh, from mango to apple strudel.
- Dried Fruit
& Spices – Rich and complex, evoking
spiced fruitcake and treacle.
- Toasted Oak
& Vanilla – Smooth, warm, and
inviting, with a toasty sweetness.
- Coastal &
Maritime – Briny, fresh, and
unmistakably sea-swept.
- Smoky &
Fruity – A bold fusion of ash,
violet sweetness, and salty air.
- Bold & Peaty
– Full-bodied, smoky, and earthy,
with commanding intensity.
Members can
sample whiskies under the new profiles
at the Society’s Members’ Rooms in
Edinburgh, Glasgow, and London, while
non-members can discover them at the
Kaleidoscope Bar on Queen Street,
Edinburgh.
Since it was founded by Pip Hills and
friends, SMWS has built its reputation
on breaking conventions: bottling whisky
without distillery names, using creative
titles and tasting notes, and focusing
solely on flavour. That maverick spirit
continues today, with releases such as
Cask No. 4.395: Red wine and brine in
the old coal mine and Cask No. 4.353:
Lavender Honey and Chimney Lobsters.
For more info on The SMWS, to
explore their whiskies and for
SMWS membership visit
www.smws.com
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