TONIC TALKS - EUAN CAMBELL
In this episode of Tonic Talks, we visit the home of the seriously 'good stuff' when it comes to whisky, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). Rob heads to The Vaults in Leith, Edinburgh's historic port district, to meet the Society's Head of Whisky, Euan Campbell, and get a taste of the global whisky club.
"It's important that we are curators but also creators - we're a trusted voice for our members"
In this episode of Tonic Talks, we visit the home of the seriously 'good stuff' when it comes to whisky, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS). Rob heads to The Vaults in Leith, Edinburgh's historic port district, to meet the Society's Head of Whisky, Euan Campbell, and get a taste of the global whisky club.
Conversation in chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:45 - What was your journey into whisky?
02:00 - Tell us about The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and its functions.
03:00 - Can you describe the other venues of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society?
03:52 - How many members does The Scotch Malt Whisky Society have?
04:00 - What makes The Scotch Malt Whisky Society so special?
05:00 - Has membership changed over time?
06:25 - What does the Head of Whisky do?
07:50 - How many casks does The Scotch Malt Whisky Society own?
08:40 - How do you balance creativity with the commercial side of the business?
10:16 - Who decides when a cask is ready for bottling?
11:36 - How many bottles do you release?
12:07 - Can you tell me about the tasting notes that accompany the bottles?
14:10 - Have you ever been involved in a whisky release that you were particularly proud of?
15:04 - Has there been a whisky that surprised you with its popularity?
16:14 - Let's talk about the bottle and its label.
18:49 - Has your taste in whisky changed over the years?
19:50 - Have the tastes of your members changed over the years?
20:48 - Is there a particular type of whisky that is becoming popular right now?
21:38 - Is it true that you have bottled whisky from other parts of the world?
22:30 - What do you think is the biggest misconception about whisky?
23:23 - Is there anything exciting you anticipate in the next ten years?
24:37 - What benefits do members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society receive?
25:50 - The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is perfect for individuals at all levels of whisky knowledge.
26:33 - How do you personally enjoy your whisky?
27:23 - What should visitors do when they come to Leith?
29:05 - What should visitors do when they come to Edinburgh?
30:05 - How can people join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society?
30:48 - Can you tell us about the history of The Vaults?
32:09 - The Vaults bar.
32:55 - Tell us about Unfiltered Magazine.
33:56 - What is a part of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society that members don’t typically see?
35:07 - If you could save only one bottle from your whisky collection, which one would you keep?
Learn more about SMWS here:
