22 June 2023

The Artisanal Spirits Company plc

("The Artisanal Spirits Company", "ASC" or the "Company")

The Artisanal Spirits Company recognised at prestigious global whisky awards

ASC has now won more than 300 awards across its whisky and spirits brands since 2018

The Artisanal Spirits Company (AIM: ART), the owner of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS"), the leading curator and provider of premium single cask Scotch malt whisky and other spirits for sale primarily online to a discerning global membership, is pleased to announce that it has been recognised for the quality of its spirits at awards from the top competitions around the world. 

SMWS won a record haul of five Gold medals and one Silver in the International Spirits Challenge, which promotes outstanding quality spirits from across the globe and receives thousands of entries from over 70 countries worldwide. The Company's Gold award-winning entries included Cask No. 36.193 Juggling Oranges in a Humidor and Cask No. 94.31 Ice Cream by Candlelight.

SMWS also achieved its best-ever result in the Scotch Whisky Masters 2023 with seven medals including five Masters medals, one Gold and one Silver. The competition, hosted by The Spirits Business, was judged by four panels of specialist drinks experts.  SMWS collected Masters medals in the following categories: 'Single-Grain, Single-Cask' with Cask No. G9.6 No Humdrum Conundrum; 'Single Malt: Highlands & Islands - Cask Strength' with Cask No. 55.85 Passionate Desire; 'Single Malt: Speyside - Cask Strength' with Cask No. 44.176 Blueberry Bonanza and Cask No. 39.281 Decadent Dark Chocolate Cheesecake; and in 'Single Malt: Islay - Cask Strength' with Cask No. 10.250 Peat Lover's Night.

In the US, the Company was recognised at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, the largest competition of its kind with more than 5,500 entries globally. SMWS won 'Best in Class: Independent Merchant Single Malt Scotch' for Cask no 4.346 Savoury and Sweet.

SMWS was also delighted to secure five medals at the 2023 The Tokyo Whisky & Spirits Competition (TWSC) in Japan, including three Superior Gold, one Gold and one Silver award. One of those Superior Gold medals went to the Society's Vaults Collection bottling, Cask No. 24.169: Bonkers for Conkers.

In addition, the Company collected a Chairman's Award for Small to Medium Sized Enterprise at the annual The Marketing Society Scotland STAR Awards 2023. The accolade is recognition of the Company's global strategy, plan and in-market delivery in 2022. 

Andrew Dane, CEO of The Artisanal Spirits Company, commented:

"These awards are testament to the outstanding quality of our single cask Scotch malt whiskies which are appreciated around the world for their unique flavours. We are extremely proud to receive these accolades and third party endorsement from prestigious global competitions, judged by many of the most respected professionals in our industry. In particular, the high-level awards we have received for our extra matured offering highlight the enduring quality of our premium whiskies. I would like to extend my gratitude to our excellent team for their craftmanship and dedication in curating the most exciting whisky blends and tasting experiences for our growing numbers of discerning customers and whisky-loving connoisseurs globally."  

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About The Artisanal Spirits Company

The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) are curators of the world's favourite, single-cask and limited-edition whisky.

Based in Edinburgh, ASC owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) which was established in 1983 and currently has a growing worldwide membership of over 38,000 paying members.

SMWS provides members with inspiring experiences, content and exclusive access to a vast and unique range of outstanding single cask Scotch malt whiskies and other craft spirits, with current stocks sourced from over 100 distilleries in 20 countries and expertly curated with diligence and care.

Since producing the Society's very first cask, we have created around 10,000 different whisky releases, producing a constant flow of unique and exciting one-of-a-kind whiskies.

With proven e-commerce reach and new brands like J.G. Thomson, ASC is building a portfolio of limited-edition and small-batch spirits brands for a global movement of discerning consumers - delivering c.£22 million in annual revenues with over 80% of revenue generated online and over 65% from outside the UK, with a growing presence in the key global whisky markets including UK, China, USA and Europe.

ASC has a pioneering business model, a substantial and growing addressable market presenting a long-term global growth opportunity and a strong and resilient business primed to deliver growth.