ABOUT US
How it all began...
The Single Malt Society got its start 17 years ago when one kinda-bored man decided he needed a new hobby. And some more friends.
So Kirk Figus went looking for some fun activities. Having enjoyed attending a few scotch tastings around town, he decided to join a club focused on sampling single malt whisky. But there was one problem — he couldn’t find one to join!
He got to wondering, “How hard could it be to start my own club?”
Turned out it was pretty darn difficult, what with him not really knowing much about scotch, nor how to promote the idea, nor how to conduct a public presentation, nor how to go about finding people willing to send money to a stranger for a club that didn’t yet exist.
But somehow he stumbled his way toward a first meeting comprised of 17 charter members who met in the cramped back room of a local liquor store, where a slideshow was presented with a borrowed computer on a small monitor with speakers that no one could hear.
It was an inauspicious beginning. But things got better.
What people are saying
"Amazing presentation, great scotch. Kirk nailed it. His passion and knowledge made me excited to learn more."
Jemal S.
“The presentation was perfect — interesting, and educational. I feel I could confidently order a scotch and not feel like an idiot. "
Jessica E.
"Kirk did a great job of initiating us into the world of scotch. I learned quite a bit, and enjoyed the presentation."
Jason E.
"Kirk is an awesome teacher — [it] was enjoyable and entertaining. I can't help telling everyone about it. I feel more sophisticated already."
Lori D.
"I joined the Single Malt Society with a friend who was interested in learning more about scotch. As a testament to Kirk, I have now been a member of the club for 15 years! He makes the club interesting, fun and educational for those new to Single Malts, and for those of us that had already developed our palate. Another plus are all the new friendships that I’ve made in that time."
Mont L
DRUMMOND MACDOUGALL IS the totally made-up and imaginary founder of the club.
"The Single Malt Society” sounded a little generic, so to spice things up we attached a name to the club to make things more fun. Then we created a face to go with the name, with the look of someone well-schooled in the mysteries of scotch.
But even though Drummond isn’t real, that doesn't prevent him from inspiring us in our ongoing exploration of the many wonders of single malt whisky, and how to better appreciate it.
KIRK FIGUS IS
the totally real founder of the club.
His interest in scotch started because his father drank scotch. He thought his father was cool, so he decided to drink scotch, too.
At first he didn't like it very much, but with some determination and diligent effort, he grew to like it.
A lot.
And now he likes to share that appreciation with fellow enthusiasts.
WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?
Club members will learn about the fascinating history, production methods, and the unique characteristics of scotch whisky through our educational and entertaining presentations. Sessions often feature content for beginners, providing a concise overview of the world of scotch, while more advanced members deepen their appreciation by sampling a wide array of carefully-curated whiskies. You also will learn tasting techniques, scotch lore and legend, ponder tasting notes, understand distillery backgrounds, and appreciate the variety in styles based on each distillery's region and their unique distillation practices.
IS THE CLUB SNOOTY?
Definitely not! The Single Malt Society provides a fun and casual environment, never pretentious or snooty. We combine expertly-curated tastings with entertaining presentations in a welcoming social atmosphere that both newbies and scotch veterans will find comfortable. Members enjoy themed events, interactive features, and multimedia presentations that make learning about whisky fun. Our members appreciate the strong camaraderie and opportunities to taste bottles they might never otherwise encounter as reasons why the club stands out as especially enjoyable.
ARE NEWBIES WELCOME?
Yes, we welcome newcomers enthusiastically, inviting whisky lovers of all experience levels— including complete beginners — to join and participate. The club offers ongoing educational segments to help new members quickly get comfortable and knowledgeable about single malt scotch. The atmosphere is always friendly, supportive, and inclusive, ensuring that newcomers can enjoy tastings, learn at their own pace, and build confidence alongside our more seasoned whisky enthusiasts. No prior experience is required, making the club a great place to start exploring single malts with a welcoming group of fellow aficionados.
WHAT IS THE CLUB VIBE?
Members describe the social atmosphere as warm, welcoming, and lively. We promote an informal, friendly environment where people of all experience levels feel comfortable engaging. Members appreciate the balance of education and entertainment, with themed tastings, fun features, and multimedia presentations that keep the mood festive and engaging. The club encourages socializing before, during, and after tastings. Many say it feels more like a gathering of friends than a typical spirits tasting, making it easy to relax, learn, and connect with others.
WHAT KIND OF BOTTLES?
Drummond MacDougall’s Single Malt Society's bottle lineups are carefully-curated and diverse, featuring six whiskies at each tasting event. These selections often include interesting and hard-to-get-your-hands-on bottles sourced locally, from out of town — and often overseas! Our exclusive lineups showcase a wide range of flavors and styles, such as peated, fruity, sweet, spicy, smoky, and coastal whiskies, sourced from different regions including Speyside, Islay, the Highlands, and the Islands. Members are provided information highlighting each bottle's unique characteristics, cask types, age statements, and distillery history.
WILL YOU MAKE FRIENDS?
The sense of community is one of the key highlights of membership in the Single Malt Society, making it not just about whisky but also about people and relationships. The club fosters a fun, informal, and welcoming atmosphere where people with shared interests in single malt scotch come together regularly. Many members have reported forming lasting friendships through the club, enjoying both the social interactions and the shared learning experiences. Our events encourage camaraderie, with ample time for socializing built into every club session.
Notable Society Milestones
ORIGINAL
WEBSITE
The Society started in November, 2009, with little more than a new website and the hope we could round up a few scotch lovers.
ORIGINAL
LOGO
The original club logo featured our club "founder" Drummond MacDougall, and an old-timey looking typeface.
MAKING
"HISTORY"
In 2010, we offered an alternate universe history of the Society's eponymous founder. Click on the TV set to be enlightened.
GIVE PEATS
A CHANCE!
2010 saw our first Bonus Session devoted to the wonders of heavily-peated scotch, which has been a sell-out every year.
A TRADITION
BEGINS!
In 2010 we began what has become a Society tradition—our bi-annual exploration of fine blended scotch whiskies.
LET'S LEARN SOMETHING!
In 2011, sessions started including brief segments of "Scotch 101," focusing on the science, legends, and lore of scotch whisky.
NO SCOTCH
AT ALL!
It was unprecedented, and—some said—SCANDALOUS! In 2012, we sampled a lineup of bottles that were NOT crafted in Scotland.
NO PEEKING ALLOWED!
2012 brought the first of our Blind Tastings. At these humbling events, we're given tasting notes and have to guess what we're tasting.
TOP HATS
AND TIARAS!
In 2013 we launched the first of our annual "Putting on the Ritz" Bonus Sessions, featuring a lineup of VERY expensive malts.
GLENCAIRN
ERA BEGINS!
In 2013, the Society quit using oversized wine glasses, and bought 200 Glencairn glasses to allow us to sample our drams properly.
A NEW HOME
FOR THE CLUB!
In 2014, the Society moved our club sessions to the spacious meeting room in Clayton's legendary Cheshire Inn.
LUCK OF
THE IRISH!
2014 saw the first of our Bonus Sessions devoted to fine whiskey from Scotland's next-door neighbors in Ireland.
SCOTCH 101
CLASSES!
In 2015, we started offering our Scotch 101 and Blended Scotch 101 presentations to the public at special class venues.
INDEPENDENCE
DAY!
We normally offer official distillery releases, but at this 2015 session we featured independent bottlings.
WE LOOK TO
THE EAST!
We'd dabbled in Japanese whiskies on occasion, but 2016 saw our first Bonus Session devoted to these fine drams.
OUR FIRST PILGRIMAGE!
2017 saw our first trip to Scotland! We visited castles, distilleries, cathedrals, and more. We organized a second jaunt in 2023.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION!
It was hard to believe, but a full decade had passed since the club first launched in 2009 with our 17 charter members.
MORE
RECOGNITION!
In 2021, we were featured in the international spirits blog Inside the Cask, as part of a series about scotch clubs.
FIRST VIRTUAL SESSION!
In 2020, Covid forced a halt in operations, leading to our first Virtual Session Kits, adding a little fun to a rather bleak period.
DRUMMOND
REBORN!
In 2019, to mark our 10th Anniversary we decided to give Drummond a makeover with an updated look for the Society logo.
GOING BACK
IN TIME!
Newer members hadn't sampled some classic bottles from past years—but 2019's new Scotch Archaeology sessions solved that.
A LITTLE RECOGNITION!
In 2020, we were featured in a nationally-distributed special edition of Whisky Advocate Magazine featuring scotch clubs.
DESSERT WITH SCOTCH?
We'd heard of whisky and cheese pairings — why not chocolate? 2021's now-annual Chocolate Fest featured handcrafted bon-bons.
ANOTHER
NEW HOME!
In-person meetings resumed in 2022 for the first time since the Covid outbreak, in a cozy room at the Marriot St. Louis West Hotel.
A BIG
MILESTONE!
It took 14 years, but in 2023 the club sampled our 500th bottle. There's no telling how many more we'll sample before we're done.
A SECOND PILGRIMAGE!
We had so much fun the first time, we decided to go back. So In 2023, the club organized our second adventure in Scotland!
A NEW
DRUMMMOND!
In 2024 we decided Drummond could use a makeover! Our club founder now sports a more contemporary persona.
ADVENTURE
IN IRELAND!
Having developed an itch to travel, in 2025 we organized our third group trip, this time to the beautiful Republic of Ireland.
MORE DIRECT U.K. SHIPMENTS!
In 2026 over 40% of our bottles will be sourced directly from the U.K. and are not generally available for sale in the U.S.
ANOTHER BIG MILESTONE!
In 2026 the club will sample our 600th bottle. Looking ahead with a bit of optimism, we'll reach Bottle 1,000 in the year 2038!