New occasion invites drinkers to mark the start of the colder season on September 23.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a whisky club and independent bottler, is launching “The Whisky Equinox” to mark the beginning of the colder season when the spirit is traditionally more popular. The autumn equinox falls at 01.06am on 23 September, and the Society is calling on whisky fans to raise a dram on the evening of 23 September, sharing the moment with friends and on social media using #WhiskyEquinox. The Society is preparing for its busiest time of year, with almost 100 limited-edition whiskies set to be released before the end of the year.
The Society notes that while beer has Oktoberfest and wine has Beaujolais Nouveau Day, whisky has not historically had a significant annual moment to celebrate the start of its traditional season.
To commemorate The Whisky Equinox, a special pair of half-size, 35cl bottles were released on Thursday, 10 September. These include “Riesling Spritz in the Sun,” a 12-year-old Speyside, and “Spice It Up After Dark,” an 11-year-old Highland whisky. Priced at £39 each or £75 for both, these bottlings are available to everyone, which is unusual for the Society whose releases are typically reserved for members.
Additionally, a second pair of full-size 70cl bottles, the Yin & Yang duo, is being released for Society members. These include “Panpepato Party Starter,” described as rich and spiced, and “Library Cafe in Autumn,” which is noted as being gentler. Non-members can also purchase these by joining the Society.
A special launch event will be held on the evening of 23 September at the Society’s Members’ Room at 28 Queen Street in Edinburgh, the city where the club was established in 1983. The event will feature a meditative gong sound bath experience by Jo McCoy of Blissness, a short ceremony with a poem reading, and a guided whisky tasting.
The following month, on 15th October, another tasting event titled ‘Light Side, Dark Side: An Autumn Equinox Whisky Journey’ will take place at the same venue, offering a six-dram tasting and dinner. The Society’s October releases will also feature a Winter Series designed to mark Hallowe’en, Christmas, Hogmanay, and Burns Night. Events will also be hosted through the autumn at the Society’s four Members’ Rooms, which are located in Edinburgh (two rooms), Glasgow, and London.
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The Society plans to expand on The Whisky Equinox in future years, with additional events and releases, and is exploring collaborations with distilleries and tourism organisations to encourage visits to Scotland as the season changes.
Madeleine Schmoll, European Content Manager at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “Whisky is a drink for all year round, but it is in autumn and winter that people reach for it most. We wanted to mark that moment properly, and the autumn equinox is where it happens, the day the year tips towards its darker half. The Society has always been about bringing people together over a shared dram. On 23 September we will mark it here in Edinburgh, and we hope that all whisky fans will join in wherever they are.”
Annabel Meikle, a whisky polymath and Master of The Quaich, stated: “The idea of a date to mark the start of whisky season makes total sense to me. Whisky can be enjoyed at any time of year, of course, but when the nights draw in and the temperature drops it really comes into its own. That is when you want something with a bit of weight to it, and it only builds from there through to the festive season. Anything that brings whisky drinkers together and gives people who have never explored it a reason to try it, is worth having. I will be raising a glass on 23 September.”
