The Scotch Malt Whisky Society uses a unique coding system to identify their whiskies. This is partially to do with a gentlemans agreement between the SMWS founders and distilleries, but ultimately falls to brand protection.

The code was devised by Pip Hills and uses simple number progression. So, works as follows:

1 (Glenfarclas). 1 (first single cask bottled), 1 (Glenfarclas). 2 (Second cask bottled), 1.3, 1.4, … 1.140, 1.141, 1.142

2 (Glenlivet). 1 (first single cask bottled), 2 (Glenlivet). 2 (second cask bottled), 2.3, …2.75, 2.76, 2.77

3 (Bowmore). 1 (first single cask bottled), 3 (Bowmore). 2 (second cask bottled), 3.3, …3.116, 3.117, 3.118

In the early 2000′s the former SMWS marketing team released a list of numbers correlating to the distilleries, but quickly received requests from the Distilleries to pull the list as it was conflicting with their agreement to not disclose, what  the distilleries relate to.

Clues can be found in the tasting notes, but if you want to save time choose either the numerical or alphabetical list.