Reach

10 February 2025

The Artisanal Spirits Company plc

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

Product innovation met with encouraging demand

The Artisanal Spirits Company (AIM: ART), the creator of outstanding, limited-edition whiskies and experiences around the world, and owner of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society ("SMWS" or "the Society"), Single Cask Nation ("SCN") & J.G. Thomson, provides an update on new product and range development.

The SMWS has always been a haven of innovation with a prowess for creating and selling outstanding, limited-edition whiskies and experiences around the world. The Society recently launched its new "Creators Collection" with its inaugural release of the series, The Peat Plants Collection, at the end of November 2024.  This was followed by the recently launched Homecoming Collection.

Complementing SMWS' existing Signature and Heresy ranges, the Creators Collection is a new series from the Society that showcases the liquid art of whisky making and the visual art of illustration, which has curated some of its oldest and rarest whiskies and collaborated to design beautiful labels to create the ultimate in whisky flights.

The first two releases of The Creators Collection have been met with encouraging demand by members of the Society, eager for each release, with strong trading results. The initial "Peat Plants Collection" having generated over £250k of sales, with the second "Homecoming Collection" proving equally as popular, with a particularly impressive take-up from members in the EU, resulting in 75% sell out in this market within the first 24 hours, generating confidence ahead of the remaining market launches (including the US on the 11^th of February).

Through the Signature range, the SMWS is constantly innovating, showcasing exceptional single cask, single malt whiskies, bottled at cask strength to preserve their unique character and flavour. Following a number of new Japanese whisky distillery releases, we recently released our first casks from two exciting new Scotch whisky distilleries (numbers 161 & 163) to great acclaim, with more to come.

This sits alongside the ever-popular Heresy range of small-batch whisky from the SMWS, which allows the Society to explore new flavours by combining whiskies from different casks and distilleries, an innovative approach providing members with a unique tasting experience that challenges conventional whisky norms.

Similarly, our acquisition of Single Cask Nation in FY24, has not only delivered better than expected initial trading results, but also allows us to incubate and trial new product propositions in a very low cost/low risk way with the scope to expand in due course, whilst accelerating our US operations

Likewise, our ability to innovate also extends to our recently launched full bottling service for third party customers at our Masterton Bond Supply Chain Facility. Our experience in sourcing and supply of dry goods, spirit preparation, bottling, packing and customer service, particularly with regards to smaller volume runs, makes us well placed to take care of bottling and distribution requirements across the industry.

Andrew Dane, Chief Executive of Artisanal Spirits, commented:

"I am delighted to report that the initial launches within the new Creators Collection have been so well received by our members. This new series of innovative whisky releases is a great example of the creativity of the outstanding team and inherent future potential within SMWS as we continue to delight our members with our uniquely-curated, limited-edition whiskies, over and above our existing product range." 

"The level of demand for these initial launches is encouraging and we look forward to continuing to innovate and leveraging the future opportunity open to us to captivate a growing global community of whisky adventurers." 

"We have entered FY25 on the back of a strong set of FY24 results, on track to deliver further profitable growth in FY25 and beyond, continuing to demonstrate the strength of our pioneering model through product innovation, growing revenue diversification and efficient cost management combining to help achieve our ambition of creating a high quality, highly profitable and cash generative premium global business."

For further enquiries: 

About The Artisanal Spirits Company

ASC's purpose is to captivate a global community of whisky adventurers, creating and selling outstanding, limited-edition whiskies and experiences around the world with an ambition to create a high quality, highly profitable and cash generative, premium global business.

Based in Edinburgh, ASC owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), Single Cask Nation (SCN) and J.G. Thomson (JGT). Owning over 18,000 casks primarily comprising Single Malt Scotch Whisky, ASC's stock includes outstanding whisky (and other spirits) from 150 different distilleries across 20 countries which is sold to members both as individual bottles and whole casks.

With an established global presence in some 30 countries, SMWS operates a direct-to-consumer model (90% of revenue) primarily through e-commerce, in addition to four member rooms in the UK. SMWS provides members with inspiring experiences, content and exclusive access to a vast and unique range of outstanding, expertly curated Scotch malt and other whiskies.

In January 2024, ASC acquired SCN which sources, curates and bottles single-cask whiskies and other spirits selling both online and via traditional retail channels to its following of over 10,000 whisky enthusiasts in the USA. SCN also retails to key international whisky markets around the world.

Launched in the UK in late 2021, JGT has a focus on outstanding small batch blended malt whiskies and other spirits, available both through direct-to-consumer online sales and through traditional retail channels. The award-winning brand has subsequently expanded into international markets.

With proven e-commerce reach and a growing family of brands, ASC is building a portfolio of limited-edition and small-batch whisky and other spirits brands for a global movement of discerning consumers - delivering revenue of £23.5 million in FY23, predominantly from outside the UK, with an expanding presence in the other key global whisky markets including USA, China, Europe, Japan, Australia and Taiwan.

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