December Outturn 2024 Chairman’s Column
The Scotch whisky industry as we know it today is — depending on your yardstick — around 250-300 years old. Whisky has, of course, been around for much longer, but the existence of an industry with distilleries making commercial quantities of spirit to sell in one form or another to the public started to take shape around the mid-to-late 18th century. Distilleries like Bowmore (1779), Strathisla (1786), and Highland Park (1798) are still running today, notwithstanding the occasional hiccups from time to time over the journey.
The irony here is that my use of the phrase “as we know it today” is a bit cheeky, bordering on inappropriate. Truth be told, the mechanics and intricacies of today’s industry are almost unrecognisable from what they were a century or two ago. But the beauty of this industry that I love is that some things do remain constant. And they’re the important things! Whisky is still just barley, yeast, and water; we allow this concoction to ferment, we then distil it, and we leave it to mature in an oak cask for a few years. Despite the enormous changes that have happened with technology, size, scale, markets, marketing, ownership, operations, and finance over the last few centuries, the core essentials are unflinching and still there.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is, in some ways, a microcosm of the larger industry we’re a part of. We can’t boast centuries of existence, but we’ve certainly seen significant change, evolution, and development over our 41 years. There have been huge swings and adjustments, ebbs and flows, changes at a corporate level, changes in ownership, and so on. Just like the larger industry, some aspects of what the Society does today are unrecognisable from what they were at the start of our journey, but the constants remain: Great quality whisky; cask-strength spirit (well, mostly!); no artificial colouring; no chill-filtering; a distinctive green bottle (well, mostly!); Members Rooms in Edinburgh; and the joy of sharing whisky with others.
Our own branch here in Australia has also naturally seen change as we adapt and evolve. Who remembers the days of just three or four Bottling Lists coming out each year? The old labels on our bottles? The Bob Dewer artwork and branding? Getting personalised SMWS correspondence in the mail from the likes of John Rourke, Andre Tammes, or myself? The quarterly newsletters (essentially a magazine!) we produced in-house that was the precursor to Outturn? The local Tasting Panel and the local Australian-written tasting notes we produced to supplement the UK notes? Bottles from Distillery 24 for less than $180? 😉
No, I’m not getting nostalgic or looking back through rose-coloured glasses — merely recounting that there’s been constant development and evolution of our local Aussie branch since we kicked off here in November, 2002. Change is inevitable, but the tenets and core of our local branch here remain unchanged.
We again saw change recently with Matt Bailey accepting an incredible opportunity to play a bigger role with the Society, which saw him relocate to Edinburgh. I couldn’t be prouder! It’s a well-earned and natural step for him, and one I know he didn’t deliberate over for too long!
We thus welcome Lachlan Watt to the team to fill the void. Our branch first employed a full-time brand ambassador back in 2014; Lachlan becomes the third person to take on the mantle. Lachlan has one of the most impressive CVs in the drinks game, and you’ll struggle to meet a more personable, generous, knowledgeable, hospitable, passionate, and nicer person! Although based in Melbourne, he’ll no doubt be getting around to the other cities in due course to say hello and share a dram. (And, if you can’t wait until then, be sure to sign up for our Virtual Tasting on 18th December with Lachlan, Adam, and myself.)
It’s now officially “silly season” and our Society Christmas parties are fast approaching. If you’ve not ventured out to one of our events this year, may I encourage you to join in the fun and come and celebrate the year with some great drams and great people.
On behalf of our local crew — Suzy, Lachlan, Adam, Donnelle, myself and our many State Ambassadors…thanks for a fantastic 2024 and we look forward to doing it all again, and more, in 2025!
Cheers,
Andrew Derbidge
Chairman and NSW Ambassador
This article is featured in December 2024 Outturn — bottles will be available to purchase on Friday the 6th of December at midday AEDT exclusively to members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Not a member? Click here to learn more about the world’s most colourful whisky club.
