Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) Bottle Codes Explained

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, or SMWS, is an independent bottler of single cask whisky and other spirits. For those unfamiliar with the term, an independent bottler is an entity that purchases spirit from third parties and bottles it under their own label. Individuals must pay an annual fee to join the SMWS, which grants members the ability to purchase society bottlings, invitation to exclusive tastings, and other perks.

Unlike most independent bottlers, SMWS’ bottles don’t display the names of distilleries from which the whisky was sourced. There are two reasons for this, both having to do with the off-profile nature of single cask spirits. First, the SMWS doesn’t want members to disregard a whisky based on experiences with official bottlings and preconceived notions of distillery taste profiles. Second, in order to retain control over their brand, some distilleries won’t sell casks of their spirit to independent bottlers or blenders unless the purchaser agrees not to name the distillery on the packaging.

To get around that, the SMWS uses a numbering convention compromised of two sets of digits. The first set of digits represents the distillery from which the whisky was sourced, while the second set of digits represents the number of single casks that the SMWS have bottled from that respective distillery. For example, 73.78 would be the SMWS’ 78th single cask bottling of an Aultmore (73), while 73.79 would be their 79th single cask bottling of an Aultmore.

If the SMWS doesn’t disclose their source, how do we know that 73 is the distillery code for Aultmore? The SMWS releases official tasting notes with every bottle, and these tasting notes include hints that can help identify the distillery from which a whisky was sourced. Below is a list of all SMWS codes and the distilleries they represent, pieced together from various sources.

Single Malt Whisky

Distillery Code Origin Glenfarclas 1 Scotland Glenlivet 2 Scotland Bowmore 3 Scotland Highland Park 4 Scotland Auchentoshan 5 Scotland Glen Deveron (Macduff Distillery) 6 Scotland Longmorn 7 Scotland Tamdhu 8 Scotland Glen Grant 9 Scotland Bunnahabhain 10 Scotland Tomatin 11 Scotland Benriach 12 Scotland Dalmore 13 Scotland Talisker 14 Scotland Glenfiddich 15 Scotland Glenturret 16 Scotland Scapa 17 Scotland Inchgower 18 Scotland Glen Garioch 19 Scotland Inverleven 20 Scotland Glenglassaugh 21 Scotland Glenkinchie 22 Scotland Bruichladdich 23 Scotland Macallan 24 Scotland Rosebank 25 Scotland Clynelish 26 Scotland Springbank 27 Scotland Tullibardine 28 Scotland Laphroaig 29 Scotland Glenrothes 30 Scotland Isle of Jura 31 Scotland Edradour 32 Scotland Ardbeg 33 Scotland Tamnavulin 34 Scotland Glen Moray 35 Scotland Benrinnes 36 Scotland Cragganmore 37 Scotland Caperdonich 38 Scotland Linkwood 39 Scotland Balvenie 40 Scotland Dailuaine 41 Scotland Tobermory / Ledaig 42 Scotland Port Ellen 43 Scotland Craigellachie 44 Scotland Dallas Dhu 45 Scotland Glenlossie 46 Scotland Benromach 47 Scotland Balmenach 48 Scotland Linlithgow / St. Magdalene 49 Scotland Bladnoch 50 Scotland Bushmills 51 Ireland Old Pulteney 52 Scotland Caol Ila 53 Scotland Aberlour 54 Scotland Royal Brackla 55 Scotland Coleburn 56 Scotland Glen Mhor 57 Scotland Strathisla 58 Scotland Teaninich 59 Scotland Aberfeldy 60 Scotland Brora 61 Scotland Glenlochy 62 Scotland Glentauchers 63 Scotland Mannochmore 64 Scotland Imperial 65 Scotland Ardmore 66 Scotland Banff 67 Scotland Blair Athol 68 Scotland Glen Albyn 69 Scotland Balblair 70 Scotland Glenburgie 71 Scotland Miltonduff 72 Scotland Aultmore 73 Scotland North Port 74 Scotland Glenury / Glenury Royal 75 Scotland Mortlach 76 Scotland Glen Ord / Glenordie 77 Scotland Ben Nevis 78 Scotland Deanston 79 Scotland Glen Spey 80 Scotland Glen Keith 81 Scotland Glencadam 82 Scotland Convalmore 83 Scotland Glendullan 84 Scotland Glen Elgin 85 Scotland Glenesk 86 Scotland Millburn 87 Scotland Speyburn 88 Scotland Tomintoul 89 Scotland Pittyvaich 90 Scotland Dufftown 91 Scotland Lochside 92 Scotland Glen Scotia 93 Scotland Fettercairn 94 Scotland Auchroisk / Singleton 95 Scotland Glendronach 96 Scotland Littlemill 97 Scotland Lomond (Inverleven Distillery) 98 Scotland Glenugie 99 Scotland Strathmill 100 Scotland Knockando 101 Scotland Dalwhinnie 102 Scotland Royal Lochnagar 103 Scotland Glencraig (Glenburgie Distillery) 104 Scotland Tormore 105 Scotland Cardhu 106 Scotland Glenallachie 107 Scotland Allt-a-Bhainne 108 Scotland Mosstowie (Miltonduff Distillery) 109 Scotland Oban 110 Scotland Lagavulin 111 Scotland Inchmurrin (Loch Lomond Distillery) 112 Scotland Braes of Glenlivet (Braeval Distillery) 113 Scotland Longrow (Springbank Distillery) 114 Scotland AnCnoc (Knockdhu Distillery) 115 Scotland Yoichi 116 Japan Cooley (Unpeated) 117 Ireland Cooley / Connemara (Peated) 118 Ireland Yamazaki 119 Japan Hakushu 120 Japan Isle of Arran 121 Scotland Croftengea (Loch Lomond Distillery) 122 Scotland Glengoyne 123 Scotland Miyagikyo 124 Japan Glenmorangie 125 Scotland Hazelburn (Springbank Distillery) 126 Scotland Port Charlotte (Bruichladdich Distillery) 127 Scotland Penderyn 128 Wales Kilchoman 129 Scotland Chichibu 130 Japan Hanyu 131 Japan Karuizawa 132 Japan Westland 133 Seattle (USA) Paul John 134 India Inchmoan (Loch Lomond Distillery) 135 Scotland Eden Mill 136 Scotland English Whisky Company (St. George’s Distillery) 137 England Omar (Nantou Distillery) 138 Taiwan Kavalan 139 Taiwan Balcones 140 Texas (USA) Fary Lochan 141 Denmark Copperworks Distilling Company 143 Seattle (USA)

Grain Whisky

Distillery Code Origin North British G1 Scotland Carsebridge G2 Scotland Caledonian G3 Scotland Cameronbridge G4 Scotland Invergordon G5 Scotland Port Dundas G6 Scotland Girvan G7 Scotland Cambus G8 Scotland Loch Lomond G9 Scotland Strathclyde G10 Scotland Nikka Coffey Grain G11 Japan Nikka Coffey Malt G12 Japan Chita G13 Japan Dumbarton G14 Scotland Rhosdhu (Loch Lomond Distillery) G15 Scotland

Bourbon

Distillery Code Origin Heaven Hill B1 Kentucky (USA) Bernheim B2 Kentucky (USA) Rock Town B3 Arkansas (USA) F.E.W B4 Illinois (USA) George Dickel (Cascade Hollow) B5 Tennessee (USA)

Rye

Distillery Code Origin F.E.W RW1 Illinois (USA) New York Distilling Company RW3 New York (USA)

Armagnac

Distillery Code Origin Chateau de Lacaze A1 France Domaine Laguille A2 France J. Goudoulin A3 France Domaine d’Espérance A4 France Chateau de Laubade A5 France Domaine Lasalle A6 France

Cognac

Distillery Code Origin Camus C1 France Domaine de Chez Guérive C2 France Louis Royer C3 France Distillery D’Aumagne C4 France Tiffon Cognac C5 France M & H Bonneau C6 France

Gin

Distillery Code Origin Makar (The Glasgow Distillery Company) GN1 Scotland

Rum

Distillery Code Origin Monymusk R1 Jamaica El Dorado (Demerara Distillers) R2 Guyana West Indies Rum Distillery R3 Barbados Angostura (Trinidad Distillers) R4 Trinidad Long Pond Distillery R5 Jamaica Foursquare R6 Barbados Hampden Distillery R7 Jamaica Compañía Licorera de Nicaragua (Flor de Caña) R8 Nicaragua Varela Hermanos (Ron Abuelo) R9 Panama Trinidad Distiller’s R10 Trinidad Worthy Park R11 Jamaica Travellers R12 Belize Caroni R13 Trinidad

Spot an error? Missing a distillery code? Please contact us or leave a comment below and we’ll update the list.

Last updated September 15, 2020.