Scotch Malt Whisky Society Launches ‘Tales of the Worm Tub’ Whiskies

Tuesday, 19 August 2025 at 08:15

The Scotch Malt Whisky Association (SMWS) has released a new whisky series: Tales of the Worm Tub. While this may sound like the title of a whimsical fantasy movie, it actually refers to a technical aspect of whisky making.

FAQ

What are the new whiskies from the Scotch Malt Whisky Association (SMWS)?
Tales of the Worm Tub.
What are the Tales of the Worm Tub whiskies all about?
These are three whiskies with the same flavor profile, each utilizing their own interpretation of the worm tub technique from the old days.
What is SMWS?
An abbreviation for the Scotch Malt Whisky Association, the oldest whisky association in the world that also independently releases whiskies.

SMWS have launched three whiskies as a tribute to the worm tub. This is a traditional means of condensing whisky during the distillation process. Once common, not many distilleries use this method today. A few that do are Glenkinchie and Mortlach.

The technique lends a robust and complex quality to the whisky, giving it a slightly rugged character.

Which whiskies has SMWS released?

Single malt aficionados can now opt to purchase three new whiskies:

An Ancient Tale

The Snaking Coil

Unleash The Serpent

All three whiskies sport beautiful, colorful labels in shades of green, purple, and orange-red. Centred around the theme of a snake, a reference to the snake-like winding copper tubs (or worms). These designs beautifully reflect the spirit of the worm tub narrative.

Whisky with a Rugged Face

These three whiskies originate from the same region and although they share the same flavor profile, each uniquely interprets the old technique from the 1960s.

Euan Campbell, Head of Whisky Creation, provides further explanation:

‘In each case, the maturation has soaked the whiskies with autumn fruit, think of brown sugar-coated bruised apples. These richer beverages handle such cask types masterfully, with their oily, nutty character. For me, the worm tubs add a deep and robust bassline onto which the complex elements of each dram can be built.’

- Euan Campbell

How Does It Work?

During distillation, the alcoholic steam leaves the still.
Instead of passing through modern straight condensers (shell-and-tube), the steam enters a long copper spiral - the "worm" - which is immersed in a tub filled with cold water.
As the steam travels through this spiral, it gradually cools and condenses into liquid: the new make spirit.

What Effect Does It Have on Taste?

Worm tubs facilitate rapid cooling and less copper contact than modern condensers.
Less copper contact = more ‘sulfury’ and ‘meaty’ notes (think robust, sulfuric, powerful).
As a result, whiskies from worm tubs often have a richer, fuller, and sometimes funkier flavor style.

Do note that the degree of mouthfeel depends on the extent to which the distillery employs worm tubes.