The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was founded in Edinburgh in 1983 by Phillip 'Pip' Hills, who, while traveling around Scotland in the 1970s, fell in love with whiskies drawn straight from the cask. After convincing some friends to buy a cask of Glenfarclas, Hillsexpanded his syndicate, andin 2004, the Society was purchased by Glenmorangie PLC. The Society hasa unique code system, where the first number in the code refers to the distillery, and the second refers to the cask from which the bottle originates. They also offer the largest range of distilleries of any independent bottler.