From screenings of a documentary film shot in Spain’s ‘sherry triangle’, to exclusive whisky releases and special tasting events across the UK, sherry cask maturation is top of the bill at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Flavour Hunters festival in May.

As whisky festival season gets into full swing across Scotland, with annual gatherings in Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown in May, the Society’s own festival will feature a ‘Sherry Cask Takeover’ this year.

The worldwide whisky club kicked off its festival activities in late April with a release of special Speyside festival bottles including Tawny Garibaldi, Heritage Puddings Follow Breakfast and Freeform Jazz.

The Society’s Spirit of Speyside Week starts on 29 April with a Scotch and sherry tasting at the renowned Craigellachie Hotel, a popular haunt for whisky fans keen to explore numerous nearby distilleries and enjoy the stunning Highland surroundings.

Festivities continue with the release of Lowland and Highland bottlings on 10 May, which include Philosopher’s Stone, Take Me to the Chippy and Furtive Gherkin.

A series of Campbeltown and Islay bottles will be released on 17 May, including Viking Toothpaste, Smuggler’s Bacon and Sm’oak.

The Flavour Hunters Festival culminates with a series of events on Islay, kicking off with an SMWS takeover of The Ballygrant Inn, where attendees can immerse themselves in an evening of peated whisky exploration, showcasing exclusive Scotch Malt Whisky Society Festival and Black Label bottles from Islay. Guests will enjoy a guided tasting led by an SMWS Ambassador, and a three-course gourmet dinner prepared by David Graham, chef and owner of the popular Ballygrant Inn.

The Society will also have a sampling stand at The Indie Bottler Festival and will host a series of peat and sherry masterclasses at the Islay Book Festival, which offer a deeper dive into the intriguing worlds of peated whiskies and sherry cask maturation. Attendees will learn about the intricate flavours and stories behind SMWS’s sherry journey while tasting a selection of handpicked drams.

Festival-goers will also be treated to a viewing of a new documentary film created by the SMWS, Scotch and Sherry: A Flavour Odyssey, during a special tasting event at The Machrie hotel. The film explores the journey of how sherry casks are created, and the whisky club’s Head of Whisky Creation, Euan Campbell, travels across Spain to meet the people who make the casks and the sherry that goes into them.

Anne Phillips, marketing director at the SMWS, said:

“The Flavour Hunters Festival is one of our annual highlights, and this year we look forward to sharing our sherry expertise and our new festival bottlings with our members across the country.

“We enjoy getting out and about to bring our exceptional drams to whisky fans attending the Scottish festivals, meeting old friends and making new ones as we do so. We are always on the hunt for new flavours, and really do offer something for everyone to enjoy.”

The SMWS will also offer members a taste of the festival closer to home with a series of tasting events held in its Edinburgh, Glasgow and London venues.

You can buy tickets to the events or find out more about the Flavour Hunters Festival activities here: https://smws.com/may-flavour-hunters-festival/