‘We’re Coming Full Circle In Our Whisky Journey’: Parent Company Behind Scotch Malt Whisky Society Picks Up American Indie Bottler

Members of the team at Single Cask Nation enjoy a day on the job. The parent company behind The Scotch Malt Whisky Society purchased Single Cask Nation, an independent American bottler. (Photo: Single Cask Nation/Instagram)

On Thursday, Whisky Experts reported that Artisanal Spirits, the company behind the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, has acquired an American independent bottler, Single Cask Nation, for an undisclosed amount of money.

“We are thrilled to welcome Single Cask Nation to our family of brands at Artisanal Spirits Company, alongside The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and JG Thomson & Co,” Artisanal Spirits CEO Andrew Dane said, according to Whisky Experts. “This acquisition aligns with our ambition to thoughtfully expand the portfolio while staying true to our core mission to captivate a community of whisky adventurers with rare and exceptional bottlings.”

The Spirits Business reports that the latest move will have no impact on the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s regular operations, even though Artisanal Spirits owns a membership organization within the SMWS.

In October, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society celebrated its 40th anniversary by releasing one of its oldest offerings to date. A 40-year-old scotch single malt was drawn from a single cask and named Society Cask Number 12.79. The whisky was drawn from a barrel that dated back to the society’s inception.

“In a way, by joining with Artisanal Spirits Company, we’re coming full circle in our whisky journey,” Single Cask Nation co-founder Jason Johnstone-Yellin said, according to The Spirits Business. “It was actually the Scotch Malt Whisky Society that first inspired us to start an independent bottling business in the first place. We’ve admired them (and their whiskies) for years, so to be a sister brand to them now is pretty wild.”

Johnstone-Yellin intends to continue running Single Cask Nation with Joshua Hatton, his co-founder. Steve Hawley, known for his work at Westland Distillery and currently the president of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission, will provide additional support.

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