The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) was established in 1983 by Pip Hills, a single cask whisky enthusiast, as a way of sharing and discussing tasting experiences with other whisky lovers. Fast-forward 41 years, and SMWS has almost 40,000 members across the globe and has bottled some incredible whiskies. This includes the subject of today’s review: SMWS 59.2 1980 12 Year Old.
If you are unfamiliar with how SMWS names its bottles then this might be slightly confusing. Let’s break it down
SMWS Bottling Names & Copyright Law
According to UK law, and the specific protection laws surrounding scotch whisky, independent bottlers cannot outright use the name of a distillery on the label of a whisky it is bottling. For example, if Douglas Laing & Co. bottled a Macallan, they could not print the brand name ‘The Macallan’ on the label.
There are a few ways around this law. The loophole that is most commonly used by independent bottlers is that the place in which a whisky is distilled is a geographical place name. As geographical place names cannot be copyrighted, Douglas Laing & Co. (for example) could print ‘Distilled at The Macallan Distillery’ on the label of its bottling without breaching copyright.
The second – perhaps more confusing, but much more distinctive – is SMWS’s code system. In this system, each distillery that has had whisky bottled by SMWS is assigned a code. In this case, Teaninich Distillery is number 59. The number after the decimal point – ‘2’ in this case – refers to the number of bottlings of whisky from that particular distillery. So, this SMWS 59.2 is the second bottling of Teaninich whisky undertaken by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
In addition to adhering to copyright law, the code system also allows drinkers to approach a whisky with an open mind, having no idea of its origins.
Whilst the SMWS codes are still in use on today’s bottlings, the society now gives its whiskies distinctive names as well. For example, SMWS 5.112 is also called ‘Sweet Serenity and Teasing Musk’.
A Brief History of Teaninich Distillery
Teaninich Distillery, established in 1817 by Captain Hugh Munro in Alness, Scotland, has evolved significantly over its history. Initially flourishing under Munro’s ownership, it faced financial difficulties and was sold in 1904. The 20th century brought modernization, including electricity and technological advances in the 1930s. After closing during World War II, Teaninich reopened in 1946 and expanded in the 1960s and 1970s, doubling its capacity and modernizing its facilities, moving away from traditional floor maltings.
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The 1980s global whisky downturn led to a temporary closure, but the distillery bounced back with upgrades in the late 1990s, enhancing efficiency and production. Today, Teaninich combines tradition with modern techniques, focusing on sustainability and producing light, clean whiskies appreciated in blends and as single malts, contributing to Scotland’s rich whisky heritage.
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