ARTICLES
The articles were adopted at the founding meeting and adjusted at later AGMs.
| §1 - Name | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | The Society shall bear the name of NORWEGIAN SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY. | |
| §2 - Purpose | ||
| 2.1 | The Purpose of the Society is to "Enlighten Norwegian Society with the pleasure of superior Whisky". | |
| §3 - Language | ||
| 3.1 | All official matters of the Society shall be written or spoken in the English language. | |
| §4 - Membership | ||
| 4.1 | All new members have to be recommended by an existing member and seconded by another. | |
| 4.2 | Spouses and partners of existing members to be accepted as new members, requires a 2/3 majority vote in favour of the membership. | |
| 4.3 | Members can only be taken up at monthly meetings where they have to introduce themselves to the Executive Committee. | |
| 4.4 | When accepted, new potential members will function as trial members for 3 months. Unless the Executive Committee revokes the membership before this period, they automatically become permanent members. | |
| 4.5 | The Grand Master will perform the membership rites on new members after the 3 months have passed. | |
| §5 - Meetings | ||
| 5.1 | The Society shall meet once a month as a minimum. | |
| 5.2 | Each meeting will be organised on a rotational basis by the members. | |
| 5.3 | Any costs associated with organising the meetings will be shared equally between the members. | |
| 5.4 | The Organising member has to hold a speech not longer than 10 minutes regarding Scotch Whisky or related subject. | |
| 5.5 | The Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held in February each year in conjunction with a normal meeting. The following issues must be covered at the AGM: | |
| a) Select Executive Committee | ||
| b) Go through any financial accounts / matters | ||
| c) Planned events for the coming year | ||
| §6 - Membership fee | ||
| 6.1 | It is up to the Executive Committee to set an annual membership fee. | |
| 6.2 | If the membership is against the level of the fee a 2/3 majority vote against it at the AGM will result in the fee being reduced. | |
| §7 - Executive Committee | ||
| 7.1 | The Executive Committee shall consist of the following: | |
| Grand Master | Head of the organisation. Organises events, ceremonial duties. GM also has an extra vote at Executive Committee meetings. | |
| Secretary | Responsible for supplying relevant information to all members, events next meeting, writing synopsis of each meeting, and writing up in the Society Minutes Book the names of all the Whiskies the Society has tested. In addition, he/she should collect the labels of all these Whiskies as proof. | |
| Cashier | Responsible for the Society's finances and keeping accounts. | |
| Web Master | Responsible for the Society's presence on the World Wide Web. | |
| 1-3 additional members | Can be voted on the Executive Committee at each AGM. | |
| 7.2 | All Executive Committee members are up for re-election at each AGM. | |
| 7.3 | Unless otherwise stated all votes by the Committee are carried by majority vote of the members present at each meeting. | |
| §8 - Changing of Articles of Association | ||
| 8.1 | Any changes in the Articles of Association will require at least a 2/3 majority vote at the AGM. | |
| §9 - Attire | ||
| 9.1 | Male members have to wear a light coloured shirt, cufflinks and a bow tie or a tie, as long as the tie has some relationship to Scotland, whisky or the Society, at every meeting. | |
| 9.2 | Female members have to wear a blouse and a skirt or dress at every meeting. | |
| 9.3 | As an alternative members can wear a smoking jacket at private meetings. | |
| 9.4 | Members with Scottish heritage (must be proven) can wear a kilt with accessories. | |
| §10 - Disciplinary action | ||
| 10.1 | Failure by the members to heed the above rules can result in on the spot disciplinary action at the discretion of the Grand Master. | |
| 10.2 | Ongoing failure to respect the Society or its rules can result in expulsion with 2/3 majority vote at the AGM. | |
| §11 - Other Whiskies | ||
| 11.1 | As a standard rule, members may only consume Whiskies, which are of the Single Malt variety at society meetings. | |
| 11.2 | An exception to this can be if the Grand Master approves an alternative. | |
| §12 - Special events | ||
| 12.1 | The Society will organise a special evening as close as possible to the official "Burns Night". | |
| 12.2 | Food will be Haggis. | |
| 12.3 | The Grand Master has to read a Robert Burn poem after the main meal. | |
| 12.4 | Bagpipe music must be provided by the organiser, preferably live, but a recording will do. | |