The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is a dedicated platform for whisky enthusiasts, offering a diverse selection of high-quality single cask whiskies. Established in 1983, the company provides its members with access to an extensive range of whiskies, featuring various age statements and maturation styles. SMWS is known for its iconic green bottles and unique collections, such as the Signature Range, Creators Collection, and small-batch releases under the Heresy label. Targeting whisky connoisseurs and adventurous spirit drinkers, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society fosters a community where members can explore and appreciate the intricate flavors and stories behind each whisky. By joining the Society, customers gain access to exclusive bottlings, personalized experiences, and special promotions, enhancing their whisky journey while celebrating the art of whisky-making.
Reviewers express a mix of appreciation and frustration with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Many customers praise the quality of the whisky and the enjoyable atmosphere at the Leith and Queen Street branches, highlighting the membership benefits and unique products.
However, there are significant complaints regarding service, particularly at the Leith location, where several people report indifferent or offhand staff attitudes. Some members feel misled by marketing tactics, especially concerning membership initiation and product descriptions. While many enjoy the whisky offerings and the overall experience, the negative feedback about service and perceived prioritization of profit over member satisfaction casts a shadow on the organization. Overall, the sentiment is mixed, with both strong supporters and vocal critics.
Summary generated with AI from recent reviews
Each source counts by its number of reviews. Only reviews written by people are scored.
| Source | Rating | Reviews | Weight | 6-mo | Fake risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Trustpilot Imported Trustpilot reviews | 3.1 | 11 | 100% | ● Low |
Monthly average rating from reviews written by people · latest review Jul 2025.
| Month | Average | Reviews |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 24 | 5.0 | 1 |
| Nov 24 | — | 0 |
| Dec 24 | — | 0 |
| Jan 25 | — | 0 |
| Feb 25 | — | 0 |
| Mar 25 | — | 0 |
| Apr 25 | 5.0 | 1 |
| May 25 | — | 0 |
| Jun 25 | — | 0 |
| Jul 25 | 5.0 | 1 |
Share of positive (4–5★) and negative (1–2★) reviews mentioning each topic · based on the 11 most recent reviews.
“I was given a membership as a gift for Christmas”
“Service then went from indifferent to non existent as the staff chatted amongst themselves (3 staff maybe a dozen cus...”
Same method for every company: overall rating, legitimacy checks, the average rating of reviews mentioning each area and the 6-month trend · Beverages & Drinks.
| Company | Overall | Legit | Service | Trend | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 3.1 out of 5 (fair) | 100 out of 100 | 2.8 out of 5 (fair) | — | 11 |
| 4.7 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 4.9 out of 5 (good) | — | 51 | |
| 3.8 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | — | — | 25 | |
| 2.8 out of 5 (fair) | 67 out of 100 | — | — | 6 | |
| 4.6 out of 5 (good) | 100 out of 100 | 4.2 out of 5 (good) | — | 1,000 |
Bottom line: Scotch Malt Whisky Society is #4 of 5 on overall rating in this group. On service, Copenhagen Coffee Dealers scores higher (4.9 vs 2.8).
11 reviews of Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Filter by what matters to you.
Whenever I'm in Edinburgh, I pay a visit (or two) to the Leith and the Queen Street branch. Excellent atmosphere, top whiskies, very good food. I love these places and to relax there. Same goes for the London branch.
I was given a membership as a gift for Christmas. Your membership starts on the day of purchase. Surely a better system would be to initiate your membership online or on first visit. First visit to the Bath St Glasgow venue last week. Only called for drinks but decided to have some food too. Really impressed with the friendly service and the relaxing ambiance of the place.
I see a lot of negative reviews about customer service and venues. But for me, its just about great tasting whisky. Membership to this organisation was a 2024 father's day gift from my son who knows how much I love whisky. So i had the initial bottle in a lovely presentation box with booklet membership card. The whisky was called "Honeyed Leather And Heather". Interesting, I thought. With an abv of 62.6% my initial reaction was " hand sanitiser" But to be fair it was very much to my taste and had an air of high end complexity that I thought warranted the cost. Since then I have bought two bottles. One named "A Plunge into Chocolate Sponge" and another called "Well Worth Waiting For" both delicious in their own right. Costing roughly £75 a bottle they are not cheap but if you appreciate whisky and want something that's not available in the shops then I would recommend SMWS.
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Polarized pattern: few middle ratings. 55% of recent reviews are 4–5★ and 45% are 1–2★.
I have been a member of SMWS for about 4 months. My interest is mainly bottles and shows. The membership was £129. A beautifully packaged box arrived with a book, sample and full bottle of 60% speyside whisky which seems like a £70 bottle for the quality of it. There’s some decent bottles available on their stock and notice that they do collaborate with many other of the distilleries Inc MacAllan and others. Time will tell what they are like.
Have been a member for two years now, and its been a great experience. The venues are really impressive and the products are unlike any you can find on a shop shelf.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is a dedicated platform for whisky enthusiasts, offering a diverse selection of high-quality single cask whiskies. Established in 1983, the company provides its members with access to an extensive range of whiskies, featuring various age statements and maturation styles. SMWS is known for its iconic green bottles and unique collections, such as the Signature Range, Creators Collection, and small-batch releases under the Heresy label. Targeting whisky connoisseurs and adventurous spirit drinkers, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society fosters a community where members can explore and appreciate the intricate flavors and stories behind each whisky. By joining the Society, customers gain access to exclusive bottlings, personalized experiences, and special promotions, enhancing their whisky journey while celebrating the art of whisky-making.
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