Bleary-eyed and peckish you stare into the depths of the pantry in search of a midnight snack. Pushing past aromas of chamomile tea bags, Galliano liqueur and half-used packets of Ichiban soup flavouring, you pull out a box of Bran Flakes, dried raspberries and honey. Before closing the door, you taste a few random items to verify their freshness: Jelly Bellies, salted liquorice, dried apricots, a milk chocolate bar, golden raisins, candied ginger and yogurt-covered pretzels, sugar-coated fennel seeds and a half-finished bag of Hawkins Cheezies.

Sated and ready to go back to bed, you open the fridge in search of filtered water. Behind sliced shallots and almond slivers, you notice the forgotten pan of raisin walnut butter tart squares. You should have looked in the fridge first. After 12 years in an ex-bourbon hogshead this was transferred to a 1st fill Sauternes barrique.

Every September the home branch of the Society – SMWS UK – encourages members from all over the world to come the Societys spiritual home, The Vaults in Edinburgh, to take part in special events, drink whiskies bottled for The Gathering, and enjoy the company of fellow whisky lovers from around the globe.

Obviously, that wasnt possible last year, and even this year it remains a tricky proposition. The Society, however, still likes to release special bottlings in celebration of the expanding membership and the origins of the Society.

Global branches are offered their own unique bottling and the added twist for this years offering is that we invited our retail partner stores to create a tasting note and bottle name for Canadas release.

Canadas Global Gathering bottle is 35.293 Late Night Pantry Raid and were delighted to report that the winning tasting note and bottle name came from Evan Eckersley at Kensington Wine Market – we hope you find it as entertaining as we do.

Well undertake the same task for 2022s Global Gathering bottle and by then hopefully it will be much easier to visit The Vaults in person to take full advantage of the global celebration. In the meantime, we urge you to raise a glass with fellow members, friends or family wherever you are, for a little taste of the Societys spiritual home.