This month’s Society Life features one of the best tasters I’ve ever had the pleasure of hosting! September’s story belongs to Su Jitdumrong. I met Su at the New York-based events in 2021 where she was a stalwart regular until her work brought her to the Bay Area. Now those West Coast members get to spend their tastings with her and marvel at the precision with which she can identify aromas and flavors in a dram. We miss her in New York and hope to see her back east soon….

Grab a dram, sit back and get to know one of our best palates!

TS: Hi Su, please tell us a bit about yourself….

SJ: I’m originally from Thailand currently living in San Francisco with my husband and two cats. I balance my sanity working as an equity derivative structurer for a Japanese investment bank by sipping cask strength spirits, mostly whiskies and rums.

TS: What is it about whisky that interests you the most?

SJ: The experimentation of casks, maturation, and the development of the liquid as you enjoy the particular bottle over time.
 
TS: What has been your most memorable whisky experience to date?

SJ: When I brought my mom to the Water of Life Fall (WOLF) event at Keens Steakhouse in NYC where we enjoyed an excellent meal and whiskies to raise awareness for gastrointestinal stromal tumors GIST. It was then my mom discovered what a functioning alcoholic her daughter is and what a great group of whisky friends she has! 😁

TS: You're stranded on a desert island with one bottle of whisky for an entire month, what is it?

SJ: 52.34 Decidedly Delectatious was one of my first bottles from SMWS America after moving from London during Covid. The bottle helped me get through the lockdown. Since I liked it so much, I snatched a backup from an auction a few years later as soon as I saw it popped up. If it helped me survive the pandemic, it’ll help me get through the strand. 😊
 
TS: What is your favorite distillery to visit and why?

SJ: Glenkinchie. It was my first Scotch distillery I visited during our travel in Edinburgh. We chose to visit the distillery instead of going on the Scotch Whisky Experience Tour downtown and were glad we did.

TS: Why did you decide to become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society?

SJ: When I was living in London, friends of mine from London Whisky Club invited me to the Greville Street tasting room for one of the Last Sips session where you get to taste the last drops of SMWS bottles before they disappear forever. The rest is history.
 
TS: What has been the highlight of your membership experience so far?

SJ: The warm and welcoming community I’ve become a part of which makes whisky best enjoyed with others.
 
TS: Any advice for the other Society members?

SJ: Keep an open mind to different distillery numbers and casks that you might not have heard of before. You might never know what liquid gold you will discover. Also join the Discord channel! Great discussions and insights on all things SMWS and spirits happen there.

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Thank you for your thoughts, Su, and thank you reader for spending some time with us!