Anselm Fraser, Principal of the Chippendale School of Furniture, was recently commissioned to create wooden whisky flavour wheels, wooden kilts and sporrans. These special commissions support The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s (SMWS) “Clans & Drams” month to celebrate Homecoming Scotland’s Whisky Month which is May 2014.

Anselm’s wooden whisky flavour wheel is used in the SMWS venues to help consumers choose a whisky clan based on their flavour preferences, while the wooden kilt, which was created using pieces of wood from a single cask of whisky, was featured in the publicity photographs to promote the Clans & Drams activities.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 15,000 UK members, as well as non-members, are taking part in a series of tastings and entertainment during Clans & Drams month to find their “true kindred spirits” from the Society’s unrivalled whisky collection.

All Society whiskies have been paired to a flavour clan. Story UK commissioned 12 clan badges matching each flavour to a real clan motto based on its characteristics and clan attributes; the flavour “Spicy & Sweet”, for example is matched with the motto “Touch not the cat without a glove”.

As part of Clan Fraser, Anselm Fraser was delighted to see that his clan is also represented with “Young & spirited” matched with the clan’s motto “I am ready”.

“Ready for what?” we wonder. Tasting some whisky during May for whisky month perhaps…?

Story UK developed the creative assets that bring to life the ‘Clans & Drams’ idea, which was conceived by the Society and its brand communications agency Steely Fox who handled the PR campaign and dressing of the Society’s three venues. The campaign plays on historic, larger than life clan rivalries.