If a short glass of dark liquor, a seat at the bar, and some company to shoot the breeze with seems like your ideal night, then a whiskey society is summoning you to sign up. Membership to these exclusive clubs means you’ll always have some fine spirits to drink (many of which have won awards), and another whiskey fanatic to nerd out with about the complexity of each blend or single malt. In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
Located across the country—some nationally spread and others only serving locals—these establishments give you an insider’s look (and taste) of the whiskey world. Buy your entry to one of the clubs below (if you can), then sit back and enjoy the perks. You’ll never fall short on a new bottle of smooth small-batch whiskey or reasons to pour another glass.
A Brief Guide to Drinking Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know
Read article
Dark Arts Society, Breckenridge Distillery Meredith Austin Photo Dark Arts Society Location: Breckenridge, Co Fee: $7,500/five years The Dark Arts Lounge, located inside Breckenridge Distillery and clad with leather couches and whiskey lockers, is all yours when you sign up for a five-year relationship with this club. If you make a reservation ahead of time, you can even bring your friends. In addition to a space to drink and be merry, you also get plenty of high-class liquor to fill your glasses. Members receive nine bottles from award-winning Breckenridge Distillery every year, which includes experimental bottles and a special holiday release, all made specifically for club members. You can also dine-in at the Colorado distillery with membership discounts and complimentary bites from the chef, along with chocolate and caviar pairings. To top it off, you receive an engraved crystal decanter, barrel samplings, early access to spirit releases and more. It’s even more delicious (and fancy) than it sounds.
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In honor of @whiskeyrescue and their effort to save the @glendaloughdistillery cask, a little tasting seemed appropriate. Home the #snowpocalypse doesn’t last too long, or the #irishwhiskey supplies may not hold out. Better get over here @_jhorton16! #Irish #whisky #ireland #irishtourism #drinkwhiskey #whiskey #travel #love #instagood #photooftheday #instadaily #whiskeyrescue A post shared by Irish Whiskey Society America (@irishwhiskeyusa) on Jan 11, 2019 at 9:26pm PST
Irish Whiskey Club of America Location: Nationwide Fee: $50/lifetime If you prefer surfing the web for the best scotch in town, rather than doing your research in person, this society is for you. Most of the communication among members is online and via social media, so you can share your love of single grains or blended batches from your home bar. Once you’re in the club, you get a whiskey glass, water pitcher, and other little gifts, plus discounts on Irish malts and craft merchandise. While there are no in-person tasting rooms or events, you can likely find local happenings across the map—this U.S.-based version of the Irish Whiskey Club spans across 25 states. They also have plans to expand in 2019, giving members exclusive bottles from their recently purchased cask, and planning a trip to the distilleries in Ireland.
Levi Brown LA Whiskey Society Location: Los Angeles, CA Fee: $TK LA Whiskey Society is the most exclusive club on the list. It’s invite-only. That means you’ll likely have to know someone already on the inside to become a member, but you can also attempt to get in by filling out an application online. They cap the club at about 35 people, only letting in a new member when an OG leaves. Once you’re admitted, though, you’ll meet bi-monthly to learn more about your favorite drink, while imbibing five to 10 bottles, usually all following a theme. Some meetings will include educational materials, others may include a blind taste test, and many get-togethers end in late-night sipping on “The Reserves”—about 175 bottles that members opened in previous meetings. In other words: You have a plethora of opportunities to discuss and enjoy some damn-good drinks.
Gamlin Whiskey House in St. Louis Courtesy Image Missouri Whiskey Society Location: St. Louis, MO Fee: member, $35/lifetime; ambassador (with more perks), $200/year Meet other whiskey devotees at Gamlin Whiskey House in St. Louis every month to catch up and enjoy an expert-led tasting. While that’s the bulk of your membership, you also have the option to head to local and regional distilleries for tastings and tours with special perks thanks to your member card. Better yet: The club organizes an annual trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (usually in April) to really give you a taste of the good stuff. Oh, and at the Gamlin Whiskey House restaurant, your membership gets you a members-only menu, often featuring the last pour of some beloved whiskeys, as well as special treats.
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Necessary #Tuesday #whiskey #bourbon #nashville #nashvillewhiskey #wildturkey #fourroses #nashvillewhiskeysociety 📸: @rcbeall A post shared by Nashville Whiskey Society (@nashvillewhiskey) on Oct 30, 2018 at 6:38pm PDT
Nashville Whiskey Society Location: Nashville, TN Fee: $32/month or$350/year Share a bottle, taste different pours at private local distilleries tours, learn about various whiskey portfolios, or get a cocktail tutorial—it’s all included in your membership to NWS. You get a few other bonuses outside the society, too, including discounts at certain liquor stores and restaurants, as well as invites and discounts at other whiskey events around town. Beyond that, you become part of a community of fellow dark-liquor lovers. This society only has 35 members, so it’s easy to make friends. Even if you’re not based in Music City, you can purchase an “Out-of-Town” membership (but you must live within 50 miles). With that, you get updates on industry news, NWS event recaps, entry to bottle shares when you’re in the area, and admission to their epic end-of-year bash.
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Still looking for the perfect gift for that special someone? This year give the gift that keeps on giving with a membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society! Through our growing list of tasting events across the US, private Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh and London, and quarterly magazine ‘Unfiltered’, membership to the Society is guaranteed to take your lucky recipient’s knowledge and appreciation for whisky to the next level. . To help kick start their Society journey, we are pleased to extend a special offer this holiday season. Gift an annual membership ($99) and we’ll send you a $50 gift card via email, which you can use toward a future purchase! Feel free to pass it on to that special someone or go ahead and treat yourself with one of our many single cask spirits available today. For more information visit smwsa.com (link in bio). . Procrastination has never tasted so sweet! . #smws #whisky #whiskey #scotch #christmas #holiday #gift #giftideas A post shared by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (@smwsamerica) on Dec 20, 2018 at 1:45pm PST
Scotch Malt Whisky Society Location: Worldwide Fee: from $99/year Scotch Malt Whisky Society is the largest club in the world with more than 30,000 members—about 10 percent of which are based in the U.S. With your connection, you can access three of their member tasting rooms in the UK—there are also two in Edinburgh, two in Scotland, and one in London—where you can test out unique spirits. Thanks to partnerships with more than 130 distilleries abroad, Scotch Malt Whisky Society also bottles their own whiskey and shares it exclusively with society members. These bottles come straight from the cask, and you can only find their scotch in a handful of bars around the globe. What’s more: The club won the Director’s Award of Excellence, a top prize at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and their The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Exotic Cargo won best blended malt scotch—so you know what they’re pouring is serious quality.
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If a short glass of dark liquor, a seat at the bar, and some company to shoot the breeze with seems like your ideal night, then a whiskey society is summoning you to sign up. Membership to these exclusive clubs means you’ll always have some fine spirits to drink (many of which have won awards), and another whiskey fanatic to nerd out with about the complexity of each blend or single malt.
In order to view the video, please allow Manage Cookies
Located across the country—some nationally spread and others only serving locals—these establishments give you an insider’s look (and taste) of the whiskey world. Buy your entry to one of the clubs below (if you can), then sit back and enjoy the perks. You’ll never fall short on a new bottle of smooth small-batch whiskey or reasons to pour another glass.
A Brief Guide to Drinking Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know
Read article
Dark Arts Society
Location: Breckenridge, Co
A Brief Guide to Drinking Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know
Read article
A Brief Guide to Drinking Whiskey: Everything You Need to Know
Fee: $7,500/five years
The Dark Arts Lounge, located inside Breckenridge Distillery and clad with leather couches and whiskey lockers, is all yours when you sign up for a five-year relationship with this club. If you make a reservation ahead of time, you can even bring your friends. In addition to a space to drink and be merry, you also get plenty of high-class liquor to fill your glasses. Members receive nine bottles from award-winning Breckenridge Distillery every year, which includes experimental bottles and a special holiday release, all made specifically for club members. You can also dine-in at the Colorado distillery with membership discounts and complimentary bites from the chef, along with chocolate and caviar pairings. To top it off, you receive an engraved crystal decanter, barrel samplings, early access to spirit releases and more. It’s even more delicious (and fancy) than it sounds.
View this post on Instagram
In honor of @whiskeyrescue and their effort to save the @glendaloughdistillery cask, a little tasting seemed appropriate. Home the #snowpocalypse doesn’t last too long, or the #irishwhiskey supplies may not hold out. Better get over here @_jhorton16! #Irish #whisky #ireland #irishtourism #drinkwhiskey #whiskey #travel #love #instagood #photooftheday #instadaily #whiskeyrescue A post shared by Irish Whiskey Society America (@irishwhiskeyusa) on Jan 11, 2019 at 9:26pm PST
In honor of @whiskeyrescue and their effort to save the @glendaloughdistillery cask, a little tasting seemed appropriate. Home the #snowpocalypse doesn’t last too long, or the #irishwhiskey supplies may not hold out. Better get over here @_jhorton16! #Irish #whisky #ireland #irishtourism #drinkwhiskey #whiskey #travel #love #instagood #photooftheday #instadaily #whiskeyrescue
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A post shared by Irish Whiskey Society America (@irishwhiskeyusa) on Jan 11, 2019 at 9:26pm PST
Irish Whiskey Club of America
Location: Nationwide
Fee: $50/lifetime
If you prefer surfing the web for the best scotch in town, rather than doing your research in person, this society is for you. Most of the communication among members is online and via social media, so you can share your love of single grains or blended batches from your home bar. Once you’re in the club, you get a whiskey glass, water pitcher, and other little gifts, plus discounts on Irish malts and craft merchandise. While there are no in-person tasting rooms or events, you can likely find local happenings across the map—this U.S.-based version of the Irish Whiskey Club spans across 25 states. They also have plans to expand in 2019, giving members exclusive bottles from their recently purchased cask, and planning a trip to the distilleries in Ireland.
LA Whiskey Society
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Fee: $TK
LA Whiskey Society is the most exclusive club on the list. It’s invite-only. That means you’ll likely have to know someone already on the inside to become a member, but you can also attempt to get in by filling out an application online. They cap the club at about 35 people, only letting in a new member when an OG leaves. Once you’re admitted, though, you’ll meet bi-monthly to learn more about your favorite drink, while imbibing five to 10 bottles, usually all following a theme. Some meetings will include educational materials, others may include a blind taste test, and many get-togethers end in late-night sipping on “The Reserves”—about 175 bottles that members opened in previous meetings. In other words: You have a plethora of opportunities to discuss and enjoy some damn-good drinks.
Missouri Whiskey Society
Location: St. Louis, MO
Fee: member, $35/lifetime; ambassador (with more perks), $200/year
Meet other whiskey devotees at Gamlin Whiskey House in St. Louis every month to catch up and enjoy an expert-led tasting. While that’s the bulk of your membership, you also have the option to head to local and regional distilleries for tastings and tours with special perks thanks to your member card. Better yet: The club organizes an annual trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (usually in April) to really give you a taste of the good stuff. Oh, and at the Gamlin Whiskey House restaurant, your membership gets you a members-only menu, often featuring the last pour of some beloved whiskeys, as well as special treats.
View this post on Instagram
Necessary #Tuesday #whiskey #bourbon #nashville #nashvillewhiskey #wildturkey #fourroses #nashvillewhiskeysociety 📸: @rcbeall A post shared by Nashville Whiskey Society (@nashvillewhiskey) on Oct 30, 2018 at 6:38pm PDT
Necessary #Tuesday #whiskey #bourbon #nashville #nashvillewhiskey #wildturkey #fourroses #nashvillewhiskeysociety 📸: @rcbeall
A post shared by Nashville Whiskey Society (@nashvillewhiskey) on Oct 30, 2018 at 6:38pm PDT
Nashville Whiskey Society
Location: Nashville, TN
Fee: $32/month or$350/year
Share a bottle, taste different pours at private local distilleries tours, learn about various whiskey portfolios, or get a cocktail tutorial—it’s all included in your membership to NWS. You get a few other bonuses outside the society, too, including discounts at certain liquor stores and restaurants, as well as invites and discounts at other whiskey events around town. Beyond that, you become part of a community of fellow dark-liquor lovers. This society only has 35 members, so it’s easy to make friends. Even if you’re not based in Music City, you can purchase an “Out-of-Town” membership (but you must live within 50 miles). With that, you get updates on industry news, NWS event recaps, entry to bottle shares when you’re in the area, and admission to their epic end-of-year bash.
View this post on Instagram
Still looking for the perfect gift for that special someone? This year give the gift that keeps on giving with a membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society! Through our growing list of tasting events across the US, private Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh and London, and quarterly magazine ‘Unfiltered’, membership to the Society is guaranteed to take your lucky recipient’s knowledge and appreciation for whisky to the next level. . To help kick start their Society journey, we are pleased to extend a special offer this holiday season. Gift an annual membership ($99) and we’ll send you a $50 gift card via email, which you can use toward a future purchase! Feel free to pass it on to that special someone or go ahead and treat yourself with one of our many single cask spirits available today. For more information visit smwsa.com (link in bio). . Procrastination has never tasted so sweet! . #smws #whisky #whiskey #scotch #christmas #holiday #gift #giftideas A post shared by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (@smwsamerica) on Dec 20, 2018 at 1:45pm PST
Still looking for the perfect gift for that special someone? This year give the gift that keeps on giving with a membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society! Through our growing list of tasting events across the US, private Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh and London, and quarterly magazine ‘Unfiltered’, membership to the Society is guaranteed to take your lucky recipient’s knowledge and appreciation for whisky to the next level. . To help kick start their Society journey, we are pleased to extend a special offer this holiday season. Gift an annual membership ($99) and we’ll send you a $50 gift card via email, which you can use toward a future purchase! Feel free to pass it on to that special someone or go ahead and treat yourself with one of our many single cask spirits available today. For more information visit smwsa.com (link in bio). . Procrastination has never tasted so sweet! . #smws #whisky #whiskey #scotch #christmas #holiday #gift #giftideas
A post shared by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (@smwsamerica) on Dec 20, 2018 at 1:45pm PST
Scotch Malt Whisky Society
Location: Worldwide
Fee: from $99/year
Scotch Malt Whisky Society is the largest club in the world with more than 30,000 members—about 10 percent of which are based in the U.S. With your connection, you can access three of their member tasting rooms in the UK—there are also two in Edinburgh, two in Scotland, and one in London—where you can test out unique spirits. Thanks to partnerships with more than 130 distilleries abroad, Scotch Malt Whisky Society also bottles their own whiskey and shares it exclusively with society members. These bottles come straight from the cask, and you can only find their scotch in a handful of bars around the globe. What’s more: The club won the Director’s Award of Excellence, a top prize at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and their The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Exotic Cargo won best blended malt scotch—so you know what they’re pouring is serious quality.
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
Read article
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
Read article
The 50 Best Whiskeys in the World
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Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
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Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
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Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
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More News
Highland Park 54 Year Old Is Among Best Scotch Releases of 2023
The Rambler 10 Oz Lowball From YETI is a Must Own
Best Bars in Mexico City for Low-key Cocktail Lounges and Mezcal Shrines
Class It Up With The International Mountains Whiskey Glasses
Best Beers You Should Be Drinking Now
Uncle Nearest Whiskey Lineup Is Rapidly Expanding
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Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
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More Videos
The MJ5: Tony Hawk on His Favorite Gear, Why He Always Carries His Board, and More
Here's the Difference Between Bourbon and Whiskey
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