Single Malt Tasting rooms

I was in England last week for a BHI event at Upton Hall after which I spent several days in London which included a tour of the new exhibition rooms at Greenwich Observatory, the display is fantastic and well worth visiting.

Opps,sorry, I digressed there.

A friend Greg D.who knows of my desire for Single Malts suggested a visit to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in London (they also have rooms in Leith and Edinburgh),I had heard of this society many years ago but I had completly forgotten about it !
Well I jumped at the chance and immedialty agreed to the invitation.
As we walked to the rooms we passed Saffron Hill Rd. and I realised that we were right next to the old watch and clockmaking area of Clerkenwell, how appropriate!
The rooms are not open to the public, one has to be a member to enter or be invited by a member.
The rooms are very modern and welcomming, there is a vast choice of Single Malts available, so much so that its difficult to make a choice, all Whisky's are cask strength.
One could be tempted to try many but then you would have to be carried home.
The society prints a list with descriptions and tasting notes and from this we made our choices, water is available on the tables to dilute the Whisky if you feel the need to do so.
The society buys barrels at cask strength and bottles them themselves. Interestingly the bottles have the Society labels only and are coded, the barman knows which bottle is from which distillery but you have no inkling.
I found this concept fine as I had an execellent Craganmore which I would not have chosen if I saw the label.

The visit was memorable for me and I hope to visit again vey soon, for those who have the passion for Single Malt I urge you to visit if you can.
Perhaps those of you who have already been there might comment, I would particularly like to vist the tradition rooms in Leith.

Once again my thanks to Greg D. who invited me for the experience.

David