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SMWS creates memory boxes

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has partnered with a psychologist, chef and engineer to produce sensory experience boxes.

SMWS
The boxes are each to be paired with the six festival bottlings released for the festival

The boxes have been created to celebrate the SMWS Flavour Hunters festival, taking place throughout the month of May.

They will be exclusively available at The National Whisky Festival Glasgow 2022 on Saturday 7 May and the 2022 London Whisky Weekender on Saturday 14 May, plus in SMWS members’ rooms across the UK.

The SMWS teamed up with professional psychologist Dr Ansgar Endress, Scottish chef Bruce Clyne-Watson, and rollercoaster designer Brendan Walker to create the six types of boxes, which each contain memorabilia to evoke nostalgia.

Clyne-Watson said: “It’s a real joy to be working with SMWS on such an unconventional and exciting project. The Society itself is an endless discovery of flavour, making it so much fun to create these canapés, which match perfectly with the SMWS bottlings.”

The boxes are to be paired with the six festival bottlings released for the event, plus food prepared by Clyne-Watson.

Tasting notes from the whiskies will the matched with foods to evoke nostalgic tastes and smells for a consumer, transporting them back to ‘happy moments or places’.

Clyne-Watson added: “Memory really does affect the way we experience flavour. Sampling the produce for this campaign genuinely evoked memories of my childhood, like going to my nan’s house for tea as a wee lad; reminiscing over those warming, joyous memories. I can’t wait to see this campaign come to life in May and witness each guest’s ‘whisky eureka’ moment.”

One box, named Nan’s House of Tea, includes biscuit tins, handbags, wool and knitting needles. It is paired with the Speyside Batch 2022, and is also recommended with food pairings of haggis, spiced lamb breast with caramelised red wine pineapple, malt loaf and toasted oat.

Helen Stewart, SMWS head of membership, said: “At the Society we believe flavour is more than what’s in your glass. May is whisky month and is the perfect time to show the world what the Society is all about.

“This May we want people to join the Society in our hunt for flavour. Whisky lovers can become part of the world’s most entertaining whisky club and get involved in the Flavour Hunters festival wherever they are, through our website, members’ rooms and at the fabulous whisky festivals taking place across the UK.”

In March, The Artisanal Spirits Company, owner of the SMWS, saw revenue increase by 21% last year, led by ‘exceptional growth’ in China.

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