Welcome, my friends, to Society Life! We launched this series in January and each edition features an interview that I've conducted with a fellow Society member. This month, it is my pleasure to introduce a fellow New Yorker and whisky lover in Kim Michael!
Kim and I met in 2022 at The Library of Distilled Spirits fresh off lockdown when we were limiting attendees so all could sit six feet apart (ah, the not-so-distant past!). Kim was way off on the side and, frankly, a bit out of the view of most of us. One might have forgotten she was there, at least until we started tasting. She came out of the gate nailing aroma after aroma, flavor after flavor…. Everyone could tell “The Force” was strong with this one! I was immediately impressed by her palate, and we became fast friends. I am lucky to count her as one of my friends today and, since then, Kim has been a pillar of our New York Society community - sharing her knowledge of spirits and tasting insights at each Society event. If there was a Ryder Cup of whisky tasting (hey…might be onto something here), Kim would be the captain of my team! Now she’s embarking on a new whisky adventure you’ll hear more about below….
TS: Hi Kim, please tell us a bit about yourself….
KM: I live in Manhattan, New York and am a mom of a teenage son, a wife, an attorney, and an avid spirits enthusiast. I am actually starting a new podcast with a fellow Society member, Martin Fielder, called The Spirited Enthusiast to highlight exciting things spirit enthusiasts are up to (like YouTube channels, other podcasts, barrel picks, spirit societies/clubs, tasting groups, etc.). Check out the trailer here.
TS: What is it about whisky that interests you the most?
KM: The story that it tells about the people who made it, the land that they made it from, and the forces of nature that influenced it. Experiencing the depth and breadth of what can be created from the same ingredients depending on so many factors is a never-ending journey that is constantly teaching me more.
TS: What has been your most memorable whisky experience to date?
KM: Having a picnic lunch with Laphroaig 10 sitting outside with my husband by the Laphroaig Kilbride water source in Islay during its Uisge tour.
TS: You're stranded on a desert island with one bottle of whisky for an entire month, what is it?
KM: Thank goodness it’s only a month! Not only am I relieved to be getting off the island but it would be impossible to pick one last bottle forever! If I’m picking from non-SMWS bottles, I’d say Bruichladdich Black Art 10.1. For SMWS bottles, while 41.144 (“A Deep Soul”) is my favorite bottle of all time, I’d want something less sherried on a desert island, so I’ll go with 93.171 (“Malty and Coastal”).
TS: What is your favorite distillery to visit and why?
KM: I have only gotten to visit a handful and look forward to visiting more. But, thus far, my favorite distillery that I have visited was Glen Scotia. I was fortunate enough to have Iain McAllister as our tour guide in an extremely small group (just two couples) and the passion Iain exuded seemed to seep through every inch of the place. And the new make was amazing!
TS: Why did you decide to become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society?
KM: I was so intrigued by the opportunity to try all different distilleries – especially ones you can’t normally try other than in blends - or to try distilleries usually presented in one way in unusual profiles. I think the SMWS has taught me more about whisky than any other source.
TS: What has been the highlight of your membership experience so far?
KM: The tasting events where I have gotten to meet fantastic people who I now consider friends! For me, it is the sharing and connection that makes whisky as enjoyable as it is.
TS: Any advice for the other Society members?
KM: Use the opportunity to try something you might not otherwise gravitate to. Buy bottles from profiles different than the ones you default to and try distilleries you never otherwise would (especially if they are distillate-forward). There is no better way to learn about whisky and your palate.
