Sebastien J.’s Post

Some great thoughts in here.

With Scotland now boasting 148 distilleries, a 38% increase from 107 in 2013, the industry is experiencing significant growth. However, this expansion brings both excitement and caution. I explored the perspectives of three diverse distilleries: Ardnahoe, Nc’Nean, and Diageo's newly rejuvenated Brora and Port Ellen. Andrew Laing of Ardnahoe Distillery , which released its first whisky this year, emphasises the delicate balance of time and taste in crafting their distinctive Islay spirit. Annabel Thomas of Nc'nean Distillery, renowned for their sustainable approach and rapid growth since 2020, highlights the importance of innovation and consumer relevance. Julie Bramham from Diageo underscores the role of new distilleries in driving whisky tourism and sustaining industry growth. The consensus? New distilleries are essential for a vibrant and innovative whisky market. Yet, staying relevant and adaptable to consumer demands is key. Will all new ventures succeed? Perhaps not, but the industry's vitality depends on continuous innovation and daring ventures. Read my full article to delve deeper into the dynamics of the whisky industry's expansion and the unique insights from these pioneering distilleries. https://lnkd.in/e3eX3Wdt

Spirits | Alcoholic Beverages | Distilleries - UK registered distillery numbers explode post-COVID In 2023, the number of registered distilleries in the UK grew to 387, up 42.7% compared with pre-COVID levels. This was up 8.7% from the 356 distilleries reported in 2022. Last year saw 48 new distilleries registered in the UK alone (up 20% from 2022) while Scotland – the home of the UK’s biggest drinks export, Scotch whisky – saw three registrations last year (eight in 2022) #spirits #whisky #alcoholicbeverages #Scotchwhisky #whiskies #distilleries #distillery

Monday whisky knowledge - what is single malt whisky? Often considered ‘superior’ among experts, single malt whisky has been made in Scotland since the 18th century. Blended whisky is created from single malt whiskies and grain whiskies taken from different distilleries. A single malt whisky can only be produced from a single distillery. But it can also be made using a single variety of malted grain, typically malted barley. However, single malt whisky need not be the product of one single whisky cask. They are almost always a blend of whiskies taken from several casks. So as long as these casks are all from the same distillery, the final ‘blend’ is considered a single malt. #SingleMaltWhisky #WhiskyKnowledge #WhiskyEducation #MaltMonday For more information about single malt whisky, contact us today: https://ow.ly/HQ4l50SwApg

It seems that someone has finally decided to formalize their very own single malt whisky, an unimpressive move considering that it has been produced in Scotland for over 530 years. The regulations for this whisky are mostly consistent with traditional standards; however, it only requires two years of barrel aging, unlike most countries that mandate a minimum of three years for single malt whisky. #eventplanner #corporateevents #corporateentertainment   #eventplanning #eventprofs #eventdesign #eventmanagement #eventplanner #corporateevents #corporateentertainment #eventplanning #eventprofs #eventdesign #eventmanagement

530 years in the making: The History of Whisky Let’s time travel today, eh? 🛞 1494 - The First Record: Documented evidence of whisky appears in Scotland's Exchequer Rolls, marking the distillation of the medicinal "aqua vitae" by Friar John Cor. 🛞 1608 - Oldest License: Bushmills, in Northern Ireland, secures its license, becoming the world's oldest licensed distillery. 🛞 1823 - Legal Distilling: The Excise Act legalises distilling in the UK for a fee, sparking a boom in legal and innovative distilling practices. 🛞 1831 - Distillation Innovation: Aeneas Coffey invents the Coffey still, revolutionising whisky production by enabling continuous distillation. 🛞 1920s - Prohibition's Unlikely Hero: During U.S. Prohibition (boo!), Scottish and Canadian whiskies gain popularity in underground bars, expanding their international market. 🛞 1963 - Single Malt Scotches Go Global: Glenfiddich starts to globally market single malts (traditionally used only in blends), and reshapes consumer tastes in the process. 🛞 1980s - Market Downturn and Revival: The whisky industry faces a downturn, leading to distillery closures, but setting the stage for a resurgence in craft and premium whisky. 🛞 2000s - The Age of Cask Experimentation: Distilleries begin experimenting with cask finishes, using barrels from wine, sherry, rum, and even beer to enhance complexity and flavour. 🛞 2010s - The Dawn of Japanese Whisky: Japanese whiskies, like Yamazaki, gain international acclaim, winning numerous global awards and expanding the whisky market. 🛞 Today - High Tech Meets High Tradition: From production and blockchain to track provenance, to Diageo's SmokeDNAi and exploration of exactly what occurs while whisky ages in its cask, it’s the most exciting time to be alive for whisky lovers. You can’t deny it, whisky’s history is as rich and layered as the drink itself. Sláinte! 🥃 P.S. Got anything interesting to add? 📸 Friar John Cor

Some really interesting perspectives in this article from Mark Littler, considering the question of how new distilleries can continue to stand out in such a competitive landscape. With malt distillery numbers increasing by over 40% in the last 10 years, new entrants no longer benefit from having the spotlight purely shining on them, with it now feeling like every few months brings a new distillery announcement, first cask being laid down, or inaugural release. Martin Purvis & Duncan McFadzean's Spirits Business newsletter last week emphasised the challenges around the "0% income, 100% investment/overheads" phase of a new distillery and the need to ensure a robust revenue strategy in order to build a viable business, which will survive through to the point that cased goods sales reach a volume to make the business sustainable. Those financial challenges are hard enough, but combine them with the increasingly competitive landscape for new distilleries, and it becomes clear that owners face a real battle. Fortunately, demand & enthusiasm continues to be strong around new releases, but new distilleries & products must be built on a strong backstory, clear core values, a striking visual identity, and alignment with the expectations of their target market (particularly around ESG) in order to flourish. If nothing else, this has given me the incentive to support some of my favourite new kids on the block when selecting my Friday dram(s)!

Don’t, don’t leave it any longer to invest in Scottish single malt cask whisky. I keep shouting from the rooftops, come and learn, enjoy my free whisky tasting tour of Scotland.. and understand why owning your own cask of Single malt whisky makes a great alternative asset to your portfolio. #scottishwhisky #singlemalt #whisky #alternativeassets #alternativeinvestments https://lnkd.in/emHGPrv5

𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐔𝐊 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 😍 The number of registered distilleries in the UK climbed by 8.7% last year, driven by new English producers. The UK welcomed 54 new distilleries in 2023 to reach a total of 387 (up from 356 distilleries in 2022), according to national accountancy group UHY Hacker Young.The number of distilleries in England soared by a fifth to 48 sites registered in 2023, up from 40 in 2022.Scotland and Northern Ireland each saw an increase of three new distilleries last year, while Wales’ distillery numbers remained the same.Among some of the new UK producers were Edinburgh-based The Port of Leith Distillery , which opened its new £12 million (US$14.5m) distillery last year. Meanwhile, Ad Gefrin launched a £14m (US$17.5m) whisky distillery and museum in Northumberland, England. Titanic Distillers also become the first working whiskey distillery in Belfast in almost 90 years when it opened last summer. According to HMRC data for the year ending 31 July 2023, UK drinks exports rose by 13% to £9.4 billion (US$11.8bn), up from £8.3bn (US$10.4bn) in 2021/22. Citing data from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), UHY noted that whisky now accounts for more than a quarter of all UK food and drink exports at a value of £5.6bn (US$7bn) in 2023. James Simmonds, partner at UHY Hacker Young, said: “The premium prices consumers are willing to pay for higher margin, luxury brands is seeing both entrepreneurs and bigger spirits companies continue to rush to capitalise on the market. Spirits, including whisky, have been one of the UK’s success stories. “The expectation is that, longer term, there is much more growth to come in the UK’s heritage spirits brands. “Strong levels of demand are seeing new distillers continue to enter the market, while savvy entrepreneurs in the business are also taking advantage of additional revenue streams such as distillery tours and tastings.” Scotch whisky exports were up by 14% by value last year when compared with 2019 figures, the SWA revealed. However, the figures are a decrease on 2022, which was described as a ‘bumper’ year.

Diageo has confirmed the shifting of production of its UK craft gin and vodka business, Chase Distillery, just over four years after acquiring the company. #alcohol #spirits #liquor #gin #vodka Further details: https://lnkd.in/eAtqCPQN