It seems to me – and to many others I speak with – that the popularity of whisky is definitely in the ascendent. More and more, I find people are talking about it, bars are making exciting cocktails with it and restaurants are pairing foods with it – and this is not just since I started writing about whisky on an increasingly frequent basis either. Exports were up more than 20% over the first half of 2011 while final year totals put sales (just of Scotch) somewhere around the £3 billion mark.

So, with all this interest in whisky – and hopefully a continuing trend in the number of people drinking it – I was glad to see the opening of a new private member’s club in Soho, located above the Vintage House on Old Compton Street.

According to owner Malcolm Mullin (who has run the downstairs Vintage House for decades) the Club has been in the works for five years, so it is with much excitement that the launch has finally come. He told me the Club will be doing regular tastings and offer a choice of 350 whiskies – at least. These will also rotate so members will have a varying choice from time to time.

“It would be boring to keep the same stock,” said Mullin.

The drams range from those directly behind the bar (priced from £3.95 to £5.95) all the way to extremely rare finds such as the 70-year 1940 Glenlivet, which will set you back an eye-watering £999.95 per shot. I have a feeling that one won’t be going anywhere too quickly.

Mullin told me he also hopes to have the opportunity to offer part shots – whereby members will be able to [...]