The Single Malt Whisky Club (SMWC) is marking its 20th anniversary this year. The Australian subscription-based club was founded in 2005 by two friends looking to share their love for a dram.
Since the club was founded, single malt has grown as a category globally, including Australian single malt. The SMWC says the country now have around 200 whisky distillers, with particular growth in Tasmania, with 70 distilleries opening in the past 30 years.
The SMWC is a subscription service, delivering a "single malt of the month" to its subscribers with an adaptable frequency. The club also has an online store, where it offers a range of whiskies.
Founder Brad Wright explained: "We initially developed the SMWC back in 2005 because we just couldn’t buy most of the really interesting single malts in Australia. We started simply as genuine enthusiasts, and our idea was to import a case or two and share the costs with others who were similarly interested."
Twenty years later, the SMWC's "buying power" means it works with various distilleries to create SMWC-exclusive bottlings for its members, including from Scotch distilleries such as Glenrothes, Benrinnes, and Glen Scotia, as well as both well-known and smaller Australian producers. Wright says that at last count, the club has features whiskies from 19 different countries.
Reflecting on the club's Australian bottlings, Wright said: "Amongst these 'special' projects, our wildest was probably our collaboration with Iron House Distillery in Tasmania where we had a couple of casks of their whisky stowed on a Tassy Abalone boat (the 'Maverick') for a year.
"In those 12 months, the casks travelled 3280nm (about 6000km) in some of world’s most treacherous waters, endured 7 metre waves, 100km/h hurricane force winds and barometric pressure ranging from 910 to 1040HPA. All these factors combined to create a 'hyper-aging' environment. And what a whisky it turned out to be! Our members loved it, and it was swooned over at every whisky show we sampled it at that year."
As well as providing access to whiskies, the SMWC offers an educational angle on spirit for its members. Wright explained: "We believe that the best way to truly appreciate something is to learn about it. To this end, it is our mission to provide information and activities that ensure the tasting experience is as full as possible."
In 2020, the team behind the club launched the Rum Tribe on the same model as the SMWC. Wright said: "Rum is where whisky was around 20 years ago. I am looking forward to seeing the growth of this wonderful drink and how Australians will embrace the rum experience into the future."
For more information on the Single Malt Whisky Club, visit www.singlemalt.com.au.
