The journey from Scotland is a quite a long trip for any SMWS bottling. It begins in the garden, as I say, or on the farm, as barley. After both the rigorous malting and distillation processes which certainly lend distinct influence through various methods, our young whisky takes an important rest in a cask.

Whether that cask once held Sauternes, bourbon or beyond, it will influence our sleeping beauty in a most unique way. We bottle our whisky when it is ready; this and only this, as determined by our expert tasting panel, is what dictates our age statement.

For example, a cask sleeping in Islay might be ready at a much younger age than a Speyside cask; this is due to different influences from the environment, including moisture and temperature of the cask's surroundings, as well as a where the cask is even located in the warehouse.

This holiday season we have much to be grateful for within our Society offerings. With that, let's remember our whisky's journey from the very beginning, all the way to our bar, and eventually to our toasting glasses.