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SMWS Distillery Codes 2025

12 Flavour Profiles

Young & Spritely
Sweet, Fruity & Mellow
Spicy & Sweet
Spicy & Dry
Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits
Old & Dignified
Light & Delicate
Juicy, Oak & Vanilla
Oily & Coastal
Lightly Peated
Peated
Heavily Peated

SMWSID Distillery Origin Region Status
1 Glenfarclas Scotland Speyside Active
2 Glenlivet Scotland Speyside Active
3 Bowmore Scotland Islay Active
4 Highland Park Scotland Island Active
5 Auchentoshan Scotland Lowland Active
6 Glen Deveron Scotland Speyside Active
7 Longmorn Scotland Speyside Active
8 Tamdhu Scotland Speyside Active
9 Glen Grant Scotland Speyside Active
10 Bunnahabhain Scotland Islay Active
11 Tomatin Scotland Highland Active
12 Benriach Scotland Speyside Active
13 Dalmore Scotland Highland Active
14 Talisker Scotland Island Active
15 Glenfiddich Scotland Speyside Active
16 Glenturret Scotland Highland Active
17 Scapa Scotland Island Active
18 Inchgower Scotland Speyside Active
19 Glen Garioch Scotland Highland Active
20 Inverleven Scotland Lowland Closed
21 Glenglassaugh Scotland Speyside Active
22 Glenkinchie Scotland Lowland Active
23 Bruichladdich Scotland Islay Active
24 Macallan Scotland Speyside Active
25 Rosebank Scotland Lowland Closed
26 Clynelish Scotland Highland Active
27 Springbank Scotland Campbeltown Active
28 Tullibardine Scotland Highland Active
29 Laphroaig Scotland Islay Active
30 Glenrothes Scotland Speyside Active
31 Isle of Jura Scotland Island Active
32 Edradour Scotland Highland Active
33 Ardbeg Scotland Islay Active
34 Tamnavulin Scotland Speyside Active
35 Glen Moray Scotland Speyside Active
36 Benrinnes Scotland Speyside Active
37 Cragganmore Scotland Speyside Active
38 Caperdonich Scotland Speyside Closed
39 Linkwood Scotland Speyside Active
40 Balvenie Scotland Speyside Active
41 Dailuaine Scotland Speyside Active
42 Tobermory (Ledaig) Scotland Island Active
43 Port Ellen Scotland Islay Active
44 Craigellachie Scotland Speyside Active
45 Dallas Dhu Scotland Speyside Active
46 Glenlossie Scotland Speyside Active
47 Benromach Scotland Speyside Active
48 Balmenach Scotland Speyside Active
49 St. Magdalene Scotland Lowland Closed
50 Bladnoch Scotland Lowland Active
51 Bushmills Ireland Active
52 Old Pulteney Scotland Highland Active
53 Caol Ila Scotland Islay Active
54 Aberlour Scotland Speyside Active
55 Royal Brackla Scotland Speyside Active
56 Coleburn Scotland Speyside Closed
57 Glen Mhor Scotland Highland Closed
58 Strathisla Scotland Speyside Active
59 Teaninich Scotland Highland Active
60 Aberfeldy Scotland Highland Active
61 Brora Scotland Highland Active
62 Glenlochy Scotland Highland Closed
63 Glentauchers Scotland Speyside Active
64 Mannochmore Scotland Speyside Active
65 Imperial Scotland Speyside Closed
66 Ardmore Scotland Speyside Active
67 Banff Scotland Speyside Closed
68 Blair Athol Scotland Highland Active
69 Glen Albyn Scotland Highland Closed
70 Balblair Scotland Highland Active
71 Glenburgie Scotland Speyside Active
72 Miltonduff Scotland Speyside Active
73 Aultmore Scotland Speyside Active
74 North Port Scotland Highland Closed
75 Glenury Royal Scotland Highland Closed
76 Mortlach Scotland Speyside Active
77 Glen Ord Scotland Highland Active
78 Ben Nevis Scotland Highland Active
79 Deanston Scotland Highland Active
80 Glen Spey Scotland Speyside Active
81 Glen Keith Scotland Speyside Closed
82 Glencadam Scotland Highland Active
83 Convalmore Scotland Speyside Closed
84 Glendullan Scotland Speyside Active
85 Glen Elgin Scotland Speyside Active
86 Glenesk Scotland Highland Closed
87 Millburn Scotland Speyside Closed
88 Speyburn Scotland Highland Active
89 Tomintoul Scotland Speyside Active
90 Pittyvaich Scotland Speyside Closed
91 Dufftown Scotland Speyside Active
92 Lochside Scotland Highland Closed
93 Glen Scotia Scotland Campbeltown Active
94 Old Fettercairn Scotland Highland Active
95 Auchroisk (Singleton) Scotland Highland Active
96 Glendronach Scotland Highland Active
97 Littlemill Scotland Lowland Closed
98 Inverleven (Lomond) Scotland Lowland Closed
99 Glenugie Scotland Highland Closed
100 Strathmill Scotland Speyside Active
101 Knockando Scotland Speyside Active
102 Dalwhinnie Scotland Highland Active
103 Royal Lochnagar Scotland Highland Active
104 Glenburgie (Glencraig) Scotland Speyside Active
105 Tormore Scotland Speyside Active
106 Cardhu Scotland Speyside Active
107 Glenallachie Scotland Speyside Active
108 Allt-a-Bhainne Scotland Speyside Active
109 Miltonduff (Mosstowie) Scotland Speyside Active
110 Oban Scotland Highland Active
111 Lagavulin Scotland Islay Active
112 Loch Lomond (Inchmurrin) Scotland Highland Active
113 Braeval (Braes of Glenlivet) Scotland Speyside Active
114 Springbank (Longrow) Scotland Campbeltown Active
115 Knockdhu (An Cnoc) Scotland Highland Active
116 Yoichi Japan Active
117 Cooley (unpeated) Ireland Active
118 Cooley (peated) Ireland Active
119 Yamazaki Japan Active
120 Hakushu Japan Active
121 Isle of Arran Scotland Island Active
122 Loch Lomond (Croftengea) Scotland Highland Active
123 Glengoyne Scotland Highland Active
124 Miyagikyo Japan Active
125 Glenmorangie Scotland Highland Active
126 Springbank (Hazelburn) Scotland Campbeltown Active
127 Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte) Scotland Islay Active
128 Penderyn Wales Active
129 Kilchoman Scotland Islay Active
130 Chichibu Japan Active
131 Hanyu Japan Active
132 Karuizawa Japan Active
133 Westland America Active
134 Paul John India Active
135 Loch Lomond (Inchmoan) Scotland Highland Active
136 Eden Mill Scotland Lowland Active
137 St. George's (The English Whisky Co.) England Active
138 Nantou Taiwan Active
139 Kavalan Taiwan Active
140 Balcones America Texas Active
141 Fary Lochan Denmark Active
142 Breuckelen Distilling America New York Active
143 Copperworks Distilling Co. America Washington Active
144 High Coast (formerly Box Whisky) Sweden Active
145 Smögen Whisky Sweden Active
146 Cotswolds England Active
147 Archie Rose Australia Active
148 Starward Australia Active
149 Ardnamurchan Scotland Highland Active
150 West Cork Distillers Ireland Active
151 Mackmyra Sweden Active
152 Shelter Point Canada Active
153 Thy Whisky Denmark Active
154 Mosgaard Whisky Denmark Active
155 Milk & Honey Israel Active
156 Glasgow Scotland Lowland Active
157 Armorik (Warenghem) France Active
158 Yuza Japan Active
159 Mars Shinshu Japan Active
160 Tsunuki Japan Active
161 Nc'nean Scotland Highland Active
162 Isle of Raasay Scotland Highland Active
163 Isle of Harris Scotland Highland Active
164 Penderyn Wales Active
165 Wolfburn (peated) Scotland Highland Active
G1 North British Scotland Lowland Active
G2 Carsebridge Scotland Lowland Closed
G3 Caledonian Scotland Closed
G4 Cameronbridge Scotland Lowland Active
G5 Invergordon Scotland Highland Active
G6 Port Dundas Scotland Lowland Active
G7 Girvan Scotland Lowland Active
G8 Cambus Scotland Lowland Closed
G9 Loch Lomond (Grain) Scotland Highland Active
G10 Strathclyde Scotland Lowland Active
G11 Nikka (Coffey Grain) Japan Active
G12 Nikka (Coffey Malt) Japan Active
G13 Chita Japan Active
G14 Dumbarton Scotland Lowland Closed
G15 Loch Lomond (Rhosdhu) Scotland Highland Active
G16 Glasgow Scotland Lowland Active
B1 Heaven Hill America Kentucky Active
B2 Bernheim America Kentucky Active
B3 Rock Town America Arkansas Active
B4 FEW Spirits America Illinois Active
B5 Cascade Hollow (George Dickel) America Tennessee Active
B6 Finger Lakes Distilling America New York Active
B7 MGP (Midwest Grain Products) America Indiana Active
B8 Woodinville Whiskey Co. America Washington Active
RW1 FEW Spirits America Illinois Active
RW2 Finger Lakes Distilling America New York Active
RW3 New York Distilling Co. America New York Active
RW4 Peerless America Kentucky Active
RW5 MGP America Indiana Active
RW6 Kyro FInland Active
RW7 Journeyman America Michigan Active
CW1 Heaven Hill America Kentucky Active
CW2 Balcones America Texas Active

What is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)?

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is the largest whisky club and independant bottler in the world, founded in Edinburgh in 1983. Its history goes back further to the 1970s, when the whisky lover Pip Hills and a group of friends began to purchase individual casks directly from the distilleries to divide them among themselves. Although single malts were a growing category at the time, single cask whiskies were a largely unknown entity. As single cask whisky spread through the Edinburgh art scene more and more people wanted to try the bottlings. The SMWS was officially founded in 1983 and now has over 26,000 members in the UK and around the world. In recent years the SWMS has been releasing other spirits such as rum, cognac etc. you can find details of these on our other SMWS spirits page

Understand the label

Because the SMWS sources a large number of whiskies, often from distilleries that do not want to be explicitly named bottles are labelled under a unique system. The most complex part of which is the numbering system which the above table details.

  • The number - Each bottle is marked with 2 numbers seperated by a decimal point. The first number indicates the distillery from which the Whisky was sourced, the second number indicates the number of single casks that the Society has already bottled from this distillery
  • The name - A highlight of every label, The character and aromas of the Whisky are accurately described in just 3 to 5 words
  • The Tasting Note - Each bottle is adorned with an individual, often entertaining tasting note
  • Age - The age of the Whiskies at the time of bottling. Unlike a vatting this represents not the youngest whisky, but is an accurate age of all of the liquid within the cask
  • The cask type - Information about the previous cask content and the number of uses of this keg is also published

The label will also detail the number of bottles filled from the cask (as these been have bottled from an individually maturing cask the’re is an absolute limit of around 1,000 bottles, in reality this is typically far lower at 200-350), the rough flavor profile and the filling date.

How to Read SMWS Bottle Numbers

Every Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottle is identified by two numbers separated by a decimal point. Here’s the simple way to read them:

Step 1 — Look at the number before the decimal

This is the distillery code.
Each distillery has its own permanent number, such as:

  • 2 = Glenlivet
  • 24 = Macallan
  • 29 = Laphroaig
    See our full SMWS distillery code list above for more, or use our decoder tool if you’re on mobile

Step 2 — Look at the number after the decimal

This is the cask number, meaning the Society’s nth cask ever bottled from that distillery.
For example, 29.273 means:

  • Distillery 29 (Laphroaig)
  • 273rd SMWS cask bottled from that distillery

SMWS Flavour Profile Colour Codes

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society assigns each whisky to one of twelve colour-coded flavour profiles.
The colours below match the official SMWS flavour profile palette used on bottle labels and release graphics.

Young & Spritely (light pink)

Bright, energetic drams with fresh citrus, crisp sweetness, and youthful vibrancy.

Sweet, Fruity & Mellow (medium pink)

Soft, rounded whiskies showing ripe fruit, gentle sweetness, and an easy-drinking character.

Spicy & Sweet (purple)

A lively balance of warming spice and rich sweetness, often featuring baking spices and toffee notes.

Spicy & Dry (orange)

Leaner, peppery, and more austere whiskies that emphasise spice over sweetness.

Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits (reddish orange)

Full-bodied, sherried styles with dark chocolate, raisins, figs, and rich sweetness.

Old & Dignified (deep red)

Mature, complex drams with polished oak, subtle layers, and refined depth.

Light & Delicate (light blue)

Gentle, elegant whiskies with soft florals, light fruit, and a clean, subtle palate.

Juicy, Oak & Vanilla (medium blue)

Fruit-forward whiskies supported by American oak influences like vanilla, honey, and soft spice.

Oily & Coastal (dark teal)

Texture-driven whiskies with maritime notes: sea spray, minerals, salinity, and an oily mouthfeel.

Lightly Peated (light green)

Soft, approachable peat smoke that complements rather than dominates the flavour.

Peated (medium green)

Pronounced peat influence with smoke, earthiness, brine, and medicinal notes.

Heavily Peated (dark green)

Intense, powerful peat smoke with ash, tar, iodine, and full phenolic impact.

How to Find Peated Whiskies in SMWS Releases

Looking for peated bottlings? The SMWS colour system makes them easy to spot:

  1. Check the flavour profile colour

    • Lightly Peated (light green)
    • Peated (medium green)
    • Heavily Peated (dark green)

    These three colour bands explicitly identify peat influence, from gentle smoke to full phenolic intensity.

  2. Look at the distillery code Some distilleries frequently produce peated spirit:

    • 29 (Laphroaig)
    • 53 (Caol Ila)
    • 10 (Bunnahabhain – both peated and unpeated)
    • 33 (Ardbeg)
    • 42 (Ledaig, the peated spirit of Tobermory)

  3. Read the bottle name and notes Words like embers, ash, tar, seaweed, medicinal, bonfire, or iodine are strong peat indicators.

  4. Check the region While SMWS doesn’t print region on labels, most Islay and some Island distilleries produce heavily peated spirit.

  5. Filter by flavour profile On the SMWS website, selecting Lightly Peated, Peated, or Heavily Peated instantly reveals all smoky releases.

How to Find Sherried Whiskies in SMWS Releases

Sherry-influenced drams often fall under specific SMWS colour profiles. Here’s how to spot them quickly:

  1. Check the flavour profile colour Sherried whiskies commonly appear as:

    • Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits (reddish orange — classic sherry profile)
    • Old & Dignified (deep red — long-aged sherry or oxidative styles)
    • Spicy & Sweet (purple — may include sherry spice and sweetness)
    • Spicy & Dry (orange — sometimes signals drier Oloroso-style casks)

  2. Check the cask type Look for sherry-specific terms such as: Oloroso, Pedro Ximénez (PX), Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Moscatel, Sherry butt/hogshead, first-fill sherry.

  3. Read the notes Classic sherry markers include: raisins, figs, dates, walnut, treacle, leather, dark chocolate, espresso, fruitcake.

  4. Check distillery codes Some distilleries are frequently paired with sherry maturation:

    • 1 (Glenfarclas)
    • 24 (Macallan)
    • 55 (Royal Brackla)
    • 89 (Tomintoul)
    • 68 (Bladnoch)

  5. Look for finishes “Finished in PX/Oloroso” or “double matured” usually signals strong sherry influence.

  6. Use the flavour profile filter Filtering for Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits or Old & Dignified is the fastest way to see sherry-rich releases.

Cask strength whiskies without colouring or chill-filtration

Those who enjoy a Scottish single malt often do not even realize that they actually have a blend (or vatting) in their glass. Single malts are often mixed from hundreds of barrels in a distillery with the goal of creating a uniform character and taste in their whisky. You can imagine it like a choir in which high and low voices all sing a song together. If you were to pick a soloist from this choir, you would have a single cask: a single barrel in the warehouse, exposed to the influences of the climate. Its whisky which reacts with the barrel walls and gains new aromas, breaks down other notes.

Bottled at cask strength

While most single malts are diluted with water before bottling to reduce alcohol strength to 40%-46%, the SMWS does not do this. Every Whisky is bottled at cask strength - depending on the maturation time in the cask, this can be, for example, 54.7% or 63.9% alcohol by volume (ABV). This high strength makes the SMWS Whiskies particularly interesting for more advanced connoisseurs: because flavour molecules are soluable in different alcohol levels these complex and varied notes can be carefully explored by adding water.

Bottled without chill filtration

A large number of single malts, wirtually any bottled at the minimum 40% ABV, is chilled a low temperature (around 0C, sometimes even lower) and then passed through a filter to pick up tiny particles. This process, known as chill filtration removes ethyl esters of long-chain fatty acids, and larger alkyl esters formed during the making of the whisky to prevent hazing of the whisky. Unfortunately these esters are flavour carriers, happily the SMWS aso bottles their single malts without chill filtration preserving these flavour carrying esthers. Lastly the SMWS fills all bottles without adulkteration from E150 spirit caramel.

A vast range of whiskies

Hardly any other independent bottler has such a large variety as the SMWS, the club stores over 10,000 barrels of Whisky in its own warehouse. Single casks from over 130 distilleries mature there and are gradually bottled by the Society. SMWS bottlings offer the opportunity to try Whiskies from somewhat less known distilleries, and even on occasion long lost distilleries. Around 20 single casks whiskies are released for bottling monthly by the SMWS.

When was the SMWS founded?

The SMWS was founded in 1983 with the goal of introducing whisky drinkers into the best and most interesting world of single malt whisky. In 2014 the Society was still owned by Glenmorangie, before ownership changed to private investors in 2015. Since then there have been many innovations and upheavals and the Society is “reinventing” itself. Even the contracts with the sales partners in Germany have been terminated and the focus is now on self-distribution. So it’s time to take a closer look at the “new” SMWS!

History of the SMWS

The club’s history began in the late 1970s when a Whisky lover named Pip Hills drove to Speyside in his Lagonda north of Edinburgh to buy a barrel of single malt Scotch Whisky straight from a distillery. Pip shared this barrel with his friends and the enthusiasm was great. So they got together and decided to buy another barrel. Others followed, and a group of friends founded the SMWS Club in 1983 to purchase additional casks and share the Whisky with like-minded people. In 2004, the Society was acquired by Glenmorangie before being given to private investors in 2015.

An international whisky society

From Australia to Austria, the SMWS is currently represented in 19 countries around the world and supplies over 26,000 members via partner bars and their own branches with their famous green, eye-catching bottles and the single cask Whisky they contain. The club is based in Edinburgh, where the Society operates two so-called member rooms where members can meet, in Leith Vaults and on Edinburghs busstling Queen Street. There is another members room in London. The partner bars in which the SMWS Whisky is served are selected exclusively by the Society.

A unique approach to bottling

Each of the single cask Whiskies must first satisfy the trained noses and demands of selected experts. Only when all the experts are of the opinion that the Whisky meets the quality criteria and the optimal degree of ripeness has been reached, the Whisky is bottled. The experts did not have any information about age, barrel type, etc. during the tasting. This is to ensure that sensation alone decides! Finally, the tasting notes are published on the label on the bottles. These are usually highly entertaining and creative tasting notes. Philosophers must be at work here.