The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has released the fourth instalment in its sought-after Creators Collection – Tales Of The Worm Tub: Celebrating The Bold, The Rich And The Robust. Celebrating the old-school approach to whisky making, the three bottles from Speyside each offer a distinct take on the worm tub.
The Creators Collection is a new series from the international whisky club that brings liquid storytelling to life with rare aged whiskies curated to create the ultimate whisky flights. Each instalment focuses on a unique flavour story, whisky production technique or cask maturation, with further releases planned later this year.
Worm tubs are a traditional way of turning spirit vapour back into liquid, harking back to a bygone era. The snake-like copper condensers are rarely used in modern whisky production, while the more efficient shell and tube condenser came to dominate Scotland’s distilleries from the 1960s onwards. Worm tubs generally condense the spirit more quickly, meaning there is less copper contact and a heavier or meatier character to the new-make spirit, often leading to bold and intense whiskies.
Euan Campbell, Head of Whisky Creation at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “This trio provides a fascinating glimpse into the world of worm tub condensers. Here we have three whiskies from the same region, in the same flavour profile, yet each with their unique take on this old style of condenser.
“Worm tubs are rare in modern whisky production, but add a deep and robust bass line, upon which the complex elements of each dram can be built. We’re giving whisky fans a chance to get off the beaten track to explore a lesser known element of whisky tasting – and this kind of exploration and creativity is exactly what The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is all about.”
Each bottle has a name inspired by the coiled shape of the worm tub. The collection features:
- Cask No. 44.190: Unleash the Serpent (£165) – Bramley apples, plum jam, and assam tea meet treacle tarts and chestnuts before a rich finish of black forest gateaux, armagnac-soaked fruits, and cooling mint chocolate in this 21-year-old whisky. After spending 18 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead this was transferred to a first fill hogshead for the remainder of its maturation.
- Cask No. 76.157: Behold the Beast (£155) – An 18-year-old whisky from a distillery known for its unique approach to distillation, expect bruised apples meeting treacle and funky rum, with a lingering finish of nutmeg, dried fruits, and chocolate orange biscuits from this 1st fill ex-oloroso butt.
- Cask No. 36.228: The Snaking Coil (£220) – a 28-year-old fill American oak PX hogshead with divine aromas of marzipan, dark chocolate, and apple shisha tobacco, followed by rich notes of plums, bananas, and sticky dessert wine, before a lingering finish of quince, coconut, and cherry sweets wrapped in fragrant hibiscus. The collection will launch on Friday, 15 August, including the full collection and individual bottles. Following the launch, a three-dram flight of the whiskies from the collection will be available in all SMWS Members’ rooms for £53.
This release continues The Creators Collection which was launched in November 2024 with ‘Peat Plants: The essence of Scotland’s untamed landscapes’, a collection of four bottlings representing different aspects of Scotland’s peatlands from Islay through Aberdeenshire to the Orkney Islands. This was followed by January’s Creators Collection “Homecoming: The essence of heritage with Shona Hardie,” which celebrated the Society’s spiritual home at The Vaults in Leith, and “Whispers of Spring: A journey of reawakening”, featuring four exceptionally aged whiskies matured to evoke the Spring months with lighter floral, citrus and vanilla notes.
For more information about ‘Tales of the Worm Tub: Celebrating the bold, the rich and the robust” and other SMWS releases, visit smws.com/the-creators-collection.
