Welcome back to Society Life. June’s conversation interview took place on the magical island of Islay where I was joined by tenured member Colonel Wesley Jolly (Air Force, retired). As a civilian, he goes by Wes, and I had the pleasure to host him and nine other Society members in Islay last month. From the first tasting I could tell Wes was serious about his whisky, offering tremendous detail about bottlings and distilleries that were either already in his collection or soon to be added. More importantly, he is serious about sharing his whisky and tasting experience with fellow whisky lovers. The benefactors of this generosity are members of Proper Pour Whisk(e)y Club that Wes founded in 2014. This June will mark their 11th Anniversary and 700th whisky tasted and scored (13 of their top 150 are Society whiskies!). Not bad for a full-time administrator and grandpa!
A whisky tour on Islay is about as good as it gets but spending it with thoughtful Society members like Wes Jolly makes it that much more special. Over to you, Col. Jolly….
TS: Hi Wes, please tell us a bit about yourself….
WJ: My name is Wes Jolly, and my first career was in the Air Force flying helicopters, culminating with teaching in the History Department at the Air Force Academy before retirement. Now, I’m quickly approaching the end of my second career – first as a high school history teacher, and currently as an administrator in one of the largest K-12 charter public schools in the state of Colorado. In 2014, I founded a small whisky club with some friends – the Proper Pour Whisk(e)y Club that has been meeting monthly for nearly eleven years now. Over the decade plus we have been gathering, our group has tasted and scored over 700 different whiskies. We keep our membership at around ten people total.
TS: What is it about whisky that interests you the most?
WJ: As a student and teacher of history over the years, I’m extremely fascinated by the stories, the history of the centuries-old distilleries (and the newer ones), and the people involved. For me when I sit with a dram of whisky – I’m looking at history in a glass. Whether a younger whisky or one that is 25+ years old – thinking about those that distilled those grains and put that barrel away in a warehouse all those years ago, letting the wood crafted by coopers (a history story in itself), the climate of that region, and time (history is all about time passing) doing its magic on this ‘water of life.’
TS: What has been your most memorable whisky experience to date?
WJ: Easily my most memorable whisky experience so far has been traveling to Islay twice – first in 2023 and most recently this year in 2025. Both times I was able to visit the nine operational distilleries that were open (Port Ellen was not available for tours on recent visit). Having a pour of Ardbeg 25 at the distillery where it was produced, on Father’s Day in 2023 was truly memorable – so much so, that when I reached my 60th birthday that year the gift I asked for to celebrate the milestone was a bottle of Ardbeg 25 Year.
As to best whisky tasted – that is more challenging. I’ll list some that come to mind, by category (and all were shared with friends). Best SMWS selections = SMWS 3.305 The scents of perfection, SMWS 30.100 Abundance of fruitcake, and SMWS Distillery 29 Rare Release Sm’oak!, Best Bourbon = William Larue Weller (2013), Best Rye = Thomas H. Handy (2014), Best American Single Malt = Stranahan’s Snowflake #16 (Mt. Bierstadt) and Balcones Cataleja, Best Scotch (sherried) = Aberlour A’bunadh Batch 46, Best Islay whiskies (both peated and unpeated) = Bruichladdich Octomore 10.3 and Octomore 14.2, plus Bunnahabhain 14 Year PX Limited Edition, Best World Whiskies = Kavalan Sherry Solist and Kavalan Virgin Oak, Best Blended Grain Whisky = Compass Box Hedonism The Muse, Best Irish = Blue Spot 7 Year Cask Strength, and finally, Best Colorado = Distillery 291 Colorado Barrel Proof Rye.
TS: You're stranded on a desert island with one bottle of whisky for an entire month, what is it?
WJ: Hmm, another interesting one. I’ll place my own caveats on this one – it must be something reasonably attainable, and a whisky that I keep going back to over the years and repurchasing. With those parameters – Ardbeg Uigeadail.
TS: What is your favorite distillery to visit and why?
WJ: On the wall in my study at home is a photo of my wife and I (the only two on the tour that day) in Warehouse 9 at the Bunnahabhain Distillery. Katie led us on the tour/history of Bunnahabhain that day and then through a wonderful tasting from the casks in the warehouse. The view from Bunnahabhain across the Sound of Islay to the Paps of Jura is stunning.
TS: Why did you decide to become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society?
WJ: I actually decided to join in April 2018 after hearing the Scotch Test Dummies (on YouTube) talking about SMWS and then doing a little research into the Society. Then later that same year, in October, I was able to meet Scott and Bart, plus Ben Diedrich for an SMWS tasting and 5th Anniversary celebration for the Dummies in Wichita, KS.
TS: What has been the highlight of your membership experience so far?
WJ: Exploring the various flavor profiles and learning about some distilleries that I was not as familiar with. I always make sure to have at least one bottle from each profile – plus an SMWS bourbon, rye, and American single malt – open on the bar for anyone that comes over to try. It is always fun to sit down with fellow whisky aficionados, and those new to whisky, and explore the amazing variety of whiskies offered by the society. Several have joined me as members as a result of those whisky journeys.
TS: Any advice for the other Society members?
WJ: Venture out of your comfort zone and try whiskies that may not fit directly into your ‘wheelhouse’. For me whisky is always about fellowship and those we share it with – whisky is meant to be opened and shared with friends. Our palates and likes are all different, just as each of us – the true lasting component is the memories made. As the last dram of a bottle fades, we may forget all of our thoughts on that particular whisky, but those we shared it with, the conversations, the laughs, and that time and place will remain.
Well said, Wes! Thank you for your thoughts and thank you reader for spending some time with us.
