The Artisanal Spirits Company LON:ART, the owner of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, has launched a new franchise in Vietnam.
The Artisanal Spirits Company is seen as one of the leading curators and providers of premium single cask Scotch malt whisky and other spirits for sale, primarily online, to a global membership base.
The launch of the franchise allows The Scotch Malt Whisky Society to serve members in one of the world’s top 10 markets for ultra-premium Scotch whisky, based on value, with an estimated total addressable market of $239 million (source: IWSR 2024). It marks another milestone in the group’s strategic expansion in Asia, complementing the more recent 2023 franchise launches in Korea and subsidiary in Taiwan respectively, alongside the longer established China and Japan subsidiaries.
Andrew Dane, CEO of the Artisanal Spirits Company, said:
“The addition of the new market in Vietnam further expands our footprint in Asia and gives us direct access to one of the top 10 Ultra-Premium Scotch whisky markets, helping us to capture demand for our unique combination of Ultra-Premium and limited-edition whiskies and outstanding experiences and knowledge.”
Shares in the Artisanal Spirits Company are up 34% in the last six months. They were trading up over 3% in London on Monday morning on the news.
The premium whisky market in Asia is substantial and experiencing significant growth. According to Statista, the combined revenue for whisky, including both at-home and out-of-home consumption, in Asia is projected to reach $34.9 billion in 2025. The Asia-Pacific region is also the largest export market for Scotch whisky, surpassing the European Union. China is a key driver of this growth, with its whisky market projected to outpace global growth by five times.
The Vietnam whisky market is experiencing significant growth, with projections estimating a value of US$440 million by the end of 2025 and a 26% annual growth rate, according to The Drinks Business. This growth is fueled by a rising middle class with a taste for premium goods and a cultural tradition of collecting items associated with auspicious birth years.
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Limited addition whiskies
The Artisanal Spirits Company’s purpose is to captivate a global community of whisky adventurers, by 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, The Artisanal Spirits Company 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.
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 around 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, J.G. Thomson 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.
