Whisky Focus - Toast The Whisky Equinox With The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Whisky lovers are being invited to raise a dram on 23 September as The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) launches The Whisky Equinox, a new annual occasion designed to mark the start of the traditional whisky season.

While beer has Oktoberfest and wine has Beaujolais Nouveau Day, whisky has never had a major annual occasion dedicated to the arrival of the colder months, when richer and more warming styles of whisky often come to the fore. The Whisky Equinox aims to change that, giving whisky drinkers around the world a date to celebrate the changing season with a dram.

The autumn equinox takes place at 1.06am on 23 September 2026, when day and night are approximately equal in length and the northern hemisphere begins its transition towards shorter days and longer, cooler evenings. The Society is encouraging whisky fans to mark the occasion on the evening of 23 September by sharing a dram with friends and family and joining the conversation on social media using #WhiskyEquinox.

The Whisky Equinox has been created by the Edinburgh-founded Scotch Malt Whisky Society, which is entering one of its busiest periods of the year, with almost 100 limited-edition whiskies planned for release before the end of 2026.

Whisky Equinox bottles

To celebrate the launch, the Society is releasing a special pair of 35cl Whisky Equinox bottles on 10 September. Designed to represent the light and dark sides of the changing season, the pair comprises Riesling Spritz in the Sun, a 12-year-old Speyside single malt, and Spice It Up After Dark, an 11-year-old Highland whisky.

The half-size bottles are priced at £39 each or £75 for the pair and, unusually for Society bottlings, are available to non-members as well as members.

The Society is also releasing a second Yin & Yang-inspired pairing of full-size 70cl bottles for members. Panpepato Party Starter offers a richer, spicier profile combining cinnamon, ginger, chocolate and dried fruit, while Library Cafe in Autumn takes a softer direction with flavours of strawberry tart, butterscotch, espresso and pistachio.

Autumn whisky releases and events

The Whisky Equinox is intended to become more than a single day, with the Society planning a programme of autumn whisky releases and events throughout the season.

Around 100 limited-edition whiskies are expected to be released by the end of the year, including a greater emphasis on peated and sherry cask expressions. These richer and smokier styles traditionally become particularly popular as temperatures fall and whisky drinkers look towards fuller, warming drams.

The Society will host its main Whisky Equinox celebration on the evening of 23 September at its Members’ Room at 28 Queen Street in Edinburgh, the city where the organisation was established in 1983. The event will begin with a meditative gong sound bath experience from Jo McCoy of Blissness, followed by a short seasonal ceremony featuring the reading of a specially commissioned poem before a guided whisky tasting.

The autumn programme will continue on 15 October with Light Side, Dark Side: An Autumn Equinox Whisky Journey, also taking place at the Queen Street Members’ Room. The event will feature a six-dram whisky tasting followed by dinner.

The Society's autumn and winter programme will also include its Winter Series, covering celebrations including Hallowe'en, Christmas, Hogmanay and Burns Night. Its four Members' Rooms – two in Edinburgh, and one each in Glasgow and London – will host whisky events throughout the season.

Madeleine Schmoll, European Content Manager at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “Whisky is a drink for all year round, but it is in autumn and winter that people reach for it most. We wanted to mark that moment properly, and the autumn equinox is where it happens, the day the year tips towards its darker half. The Society has always been about bringing people together over a shared dram. On 23 September we will mark it here in Edinburgh, and we hope that all whisky fans will join in wherever they are.”

Annabel Meikle, a whisky polymath and Master of The Quaich, said: “The idea of a date to mark the start of whisky season makes total sense to me. Whisky can be enjoyed at any time of year, of course, but when the nights draw in and the temperature drops it really comes into its own. That is when you want something with a bit of weight to it, and it only builds from there through to the festive season. Anything that brings whisky drinkers together and gives people who have never explored it a reason to try it, is worth having. I will be raising a glass on 23 September.”

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society plans to build on The Whisky Equinox in future years, with additional events and whisky releases, while exploring potential partnerships with distilleries and tourism organisations to encourage whisky enthusiasts to visit Scotland as the season changes.

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has around 41,000 members worldwide. The Society is owned by The Artisanal Spirits Company plc (ASC) and specialises in rare single cask and single malt whiskies, exclusive blends and a range of other single cask spirits.

The Society has bottled whisky from 180 distilleries in Scotland and beyond. Members have access to four exclusive Members’ Rooms – two in Edinburgh, at Leith and Queen Street, and one each in Glasgow and London – as well as a global network of around 100 partner bars.

For more information about The Whisky Equinox and to purchase the Whisky Equinox bottles, visit www.smws.com/equinox.
 

• UK Shops
   
• USA Shops
   
• European Shops

Whisky Focus