Matt Bailey

ENHANCING THE “WHISKY FABRIC”?

Is there any point to whisky clubs or associations? Dominic Roskrow spoke to Matt Bailey, Australian national ambassador and development manager for the Scotch Malt Whisky Association

DR: What’s the point of a club or association?

MB: The point of a club or association is to create a positive community of like-minded members who share a sense of belonging and shared growth amongst each other. That club might be in-person, it might be online, it might meet once a year or once a week, but it’s an important part of the ‘whisky fabric’ in Australia. The point is to learn, to be entertained, and to make friends you’ll keep for life.

DR: What are the benefits?

MB: The benefits are always centered around people. It’s through hosts, ambassadors, and shared positive experiences online and in-person that create the benefits of delving even deeper into your whisky journey. Whisky clubs can take your whisky journey from supermarket malts to true whisky epiphanies through shared experiences.

DR: Can you please tell me about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society?

MB: I head up the Australian branch of the club as brand ambassador and development director. It’s a hugely active branch with thousands of members across this great sunny land. Membership however is global and gives you access to the experiences, events, bottlings, education, member rooms and Partner Bars around the world. We release about 12-15 new single cask whiskies

every month, along with both in-person and virtual events every month.

DR: Do clubs and associations have access to more unusual and rarer whisky, or are the leading retailers just as likely to offer this service?

MB: More and more yes. In the case of the SMWS, all of our bottlings each month are made available exclusively to members of the club. Some retailers do often release ‘store picks’, but the clubs like SMWS are first and foremost leading that. The needs of large retailers and aggregators are such that they aren’t often able to work with the quantities they require to meet demand. I’d prefer to stick to a qualitative model myself.

DR: How do distillers and distilleries treat established associations and clubs?

MB: In Australia, with great acclaim. The ‘modern’ Australian distilling industry is relatively young having been kickstarted by Bill & Lyn Lark in 1992. As the industry grows with 300+ distilleries operating in Australia, the opportunity to connect with them in both an independent bottling level and special membership options made available to them grows. The SMWS has shared a long history with many of the distilleries and Australian bottlers over the last 17 years.

DR: Under lock down the virtual meeting has become more common, as have online tastings. Are there arguments for and against ways of experiencing whisky, both face to face or on line?

MB: I think for many this has been a fast learning curve on how to best manage this. I’m a firm believer that no matter what the technology, the truly in-person experience of whisky tastings and gatherings cannot be fully replaced, ever. While online tastings and ‘Zoom chats’ have grown out of necessity more recently, they are also an excellent way for clubs like the SMWS to interact with members from indeed around the country. We have members in the cities but also in rural areas that even in normal circumstances aren’t able to get to the inperson tastings, so for them to be able to connect with some online conviviality is truly incredible. I see no reason why even postCovid19 the scope of online tastings and ‘whisky broadcasts’ needs to stop.

DR: Hard one this: how do you think everything will pan out? Will the virtual world remain a key component in the future, or will the need to meet and interact become paramount?

MB: I think it’s a bit of column A, bit of column B. The virtual world of tastings, events, launches, and gatherings can and will remain a part of the future as more and more become more comfortable with it and utilise it to the fullest potential, however the need to meet and share drams in-person will come rushing back once this all settles down. That warm and convivial feeling in a room, sharing drams and stories, making friends and having a shared sense of ‘whisky epiphanies’ cannot be replaced, and I’m personally super excited to be back up the front of the room as soon as possible!