
If you’re lucky enough to own a bottle (or multiple bottles) of a Scotch Malt Whisky Society single cask or are looking at purchasing one via auction, you may be wondering what the numbers on the label mean. Well, we’re here to help!
The numbers are SMWS codes. The codes are made up of two parts – the first part being the distillery which produced the spirit and the second part being a reference to the number of releases from that distillery.
Using an example to illustrate this, if the bottle in question had the society cask number of 47.3 printed on the label, this would mean that it’s the third bottling from the Benromach distillery. A full list of distillery codes can be found below.
About the Scotch Malt Whisky Society
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (or SMWS for short) was founded by Pip Hills in Edinburgh back in 1983. It all started when Pip discovered that it was possible to buy casks as a domestic customer directly from distilleries. Although now commonplace, back then this was almost unheard of. He and a few friends clubbed together to buy a quarter cask of a 10 year old Glenfarcas. Before long, Pip was receiving calls asking where people could get hold of some for themselves and the rest is history. The Society went on to source and release many more single cask bottlings and today has an international presence with branches all across the world.
For the full story, have a listen to this interview with Pip, it’s a fascinating and lovely account of how the SMWS started.
For more information about becoming a SMWS member, visit the membership page of their website.
What are Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) Codes?
When the Society decided to release their first bottling, Glenfarcas wouldn’t allow them to include the distillery name on the label so instead, they decided to use a coding system. This worked extremely well with the Society being more about the individual flavour profile of a whisky as opposed to the specific distillery or region it came from. When you explore whisky by its characteristics as opposed to the branding on the label, it encourages you to try a more diverse range of Scotch.
Full List of SMWS Distilleries
So, onto the list. It’s worth mentioning at this point that the codes are subject to change and the data isn’t from the SMWS so should be used for reference only.
Distillery | SMWS Code |
Glenfarcas Distillery | 1 |
Glenlivet Distillery | 2 |
Bowmore Distillery | 3 |
Highland Park Distillery | 4 |
Auchentoshan Distillery | 5 |
Glen Deveron (Macduff) Distillery | 6 |
Longmorn Distillery | 7 |
Tamdhu Distillery | 8 |
Glen Grant Distillery | 9 |
Bunnahabhain Distillery | 10 |
Tomatin Distillery | 11 |
Benriach Distillery | 12 |
Dalmore Distillery | 13 |
Talisker Distillery | 14 |
Glenfiddich Distillery | 15 |
Glenturret Distillery | 16 |
Scapa Distillery | 17 |
Inchgower Distillery | 18 |
Glen Garioch Distillery | 19 |
Inverleven Distillery | 20 |
Glenglassaugh Distillery | 21 |
Glenkinchie Distillery | 22 |
Bruichladdich Distillery | 23 |
Macallan Distillery | 24 |
Rosebank Distillery | 25 |
Clynelish Distillery | 26 |
Springbank Distillery | 27 |
Tullibardine Distillery | 28 |
Laphroaig Distillery | 29 |
Glenrothes Distillery | 30 |
Isle of Jura Distillery | 31 |
Edradour Distillery | 32 |
Ardbeg Distillery | 33 |
Tamnavulin Distillery | 34 |
Glen Moray Distillery | 35 |
Benrinnes Distillery | 36 |
Cragganmore Distillery | 37 |
Caperdonich Distillery | 38 |
Linkwood Distillery | 39 |
Balvenie Distillery | 40 |
Dailuaine Distillery | 41 |
Ledaig (Tobermory) Distillery | 42 |
Port Ellen Distillery | 43 |
Craigellachie Distillery | 44 |
Dallas Dhu Distillery | 45 |
Glenlossie Distillery | 46 |
Benromach Distillery | 47 |
Balmenach Distillery | 48 |
St. Magdalene Distillery | 49 |
Bladnoch Distillery | 50 |
Bushmills Distillery | 51 |
Old Pulteney Distillery | 52 |
Caol Ila Distillery | 53 |
Aberlour Distillery | 54 |
Royal Brackla Distillery | 55 |
Coleburn Distillery | 56 |
Glen Mhor Distillery | 57 |
Strathisla Distillery | 58 |
Teaninich Distillery | 59 |
Aberfeldy Distillery | 60 |
Brora Distillery | 61 |
Glenlochy Distillery | 62 |
Glentauchers Distillery | 63 |
Mannochmore Distillery | 64 |
Imperial Distillery | 65 |
Ardmore Distillery | 66 |
Banff Distillery | 67 |
Blair Athol Distillery | 68 |
Glen Albyn Distillery | 69 |
Balblair Distillery | 70 |
Glenburgie Distillery | 71 |
Miltonduff Distillery | 72 |
Aultmore Distillery | 73 |
North Port Distillery | 74 |
Glenury-Royal Distillery | 75 |
Mortlach Distillery | 76 |
Glen Ord Distillery | 77 |
Ben Nevis Distillery | 78 |
Deanston Distillery | 79 |
Glen Spey Distillery | 80 |
Glen Keith Distillery | 81 |
Glencadam Distillery | 82 |
Convalmore Distillery | 83 |
Glendullan Distillery | 84 |
Glen Elgin Distillery | 85 |
Glenesk Distillery | 86 |
Millburn Distillery | 87 |
Speyburn Distillery | 88 |
Tomintoul Distillery | 89 |
Pittyvaich Distillery | 90 |
Dufftown Distillery | 91 |
Lochside Distillery | 92 |
Glen Scotia Distillery | 93 |
Old Fettercairn Distillery | 94 |
Auchroisk (Singleton) Distillery | 95 |
Glendronach Distillery | 96 |
Littlemill Distillery | 97 |
Lomond (Inverleven Distillery) | 98 |
Glenugie Distillery | 99 |
Strathmill Distillery | 100 |
Knockando Distillery | 101 |
Dalwhinnie Distillery | 102 |
Royal Lochnagar Distillery | 103 |
Glencraig / Glenburgie Distillery | 104 |
Tormore Distillery | 105 |
Cardhu Distillery | 106 |
Glenallachie Distillery | 107 |
Allt-a-Bhainne Distillery | 108 |
Mosstowie (Miltonduff Distillery) | 109 |
Oban Distillery | 110 |
Lagavulin Distillery | 111 |
Loch Lomond Distillery (Inchmurrin) | 112 |
Braes of Glenlivet / Braeval Distillery | 113 |
Longrow (Springbank) Distillery | 114 |
An Cnoc (Knockdhu Distillery) | 115 |
Yoichi Distillery | 116 |
Cooley Distillery – unpeated | 117 |
Cooley Distillery – peated | 118 |
Yamazaki Distillery | 119 |
Hakushu Distillery | 120 |
Isle of Arran Distillery | 121 |
Croftengea (Loch Lomond Distillery) | 122 |
Glengoyne Distillery | 123 |
Miyagikyo Distillery | 124 |
Glenmorangie Distillery | 125 |
Hazelburn (Springbank Distillery) | 126 |
Port Charlotte (Bruichladdich Distillery) | 127 |
Penderyn Distillery | 128 |
Kilchoman Distillery | 129 |
Chichibu Distillery | 130 |
Hanyu Distillery | 131 |
Karuizawa Distillery | 132 |
North British Distillery | G1 |
Carsebridge Distillery | G2 |
Caledonian Distillery | G3 |
Cameronbridge Distillery | G4 |
Invergordon Distillery | G5 |
Port Dundas Distillery | G6 |
Girvan Distillery | G7 |
Cambus Distillery | G8 |
Loch Lomond Distillery | G9 |
Strathclyde Distillery | G10 |
Nikka Distillery Coffey Grain | G11 |
Nikka Distillery Coffey Malt | G12 |
Chita Distillery | G13 |
Dumbarton Distillery | G14 |
Heaven Hill Distillery | B1 |
Bernheim Distillery | B2 |
Rock Town Distillery | B3 |
We will do our best to keep this list as up to date as possible.