Lancaster Spirits teams up with Proof 8
English producer Lancaster Spirits Co has implemented Proof 8’s blockchain-backed distillery and warehouse management platform into its operations.
The English distillery seeks to demonstrate how independent producers can compete with established whisky brands by merging tradition with modern technology.
By utilising Proof 8’s management platform, Lancaster Spirits Co has ‘revolutionised’ its approach to cask management, compliance, and data transparency, while enhancing production efficiency.
Founded in July 2024, Lancaster Spirits has already laid down more than 200 casks of whisky, with the first single malt expected to be released in 2027.
As English whisky continues to gain momentum, many industry leaders are embracing technology to stay ahead. For Lancaster Spirits, this means utilising Proof 8 to operate more efficiently, focusing on data that provides clarity, confidence, and precision in every decision as they grow.
From fermentations of up to 168 hours to the use of live brewer’s yeast from their brewery to on-site milling and using their own well water and solar power, the distillery is said to be laser-focused on authenticity and quality.
Phil Simpson, managing director of Lancaster Spirits Co, explained: “We’ve always done things our own way, slowly, carefully, with intention. But today’s industry demands us to look at how we can be smarter, whilst retaining all that’s unique about our distillery.
“With Proof 8, we gain efficiency and control so we can pile our energy into where it truly matters, and that’s the quality of the liquid we produce. Everything comes down to quality and precision, and what tools we use to exceed expectations there.”
Partner from the start
To achieve the operational control and visibility needed for scaling without sacrificing its craftsmanship, Lancaster Spirits Co has integrated Proof 8 into its core operations.
Custom dashboards provide real-time access to key performance data, while automated HMRC and duty reporting helps reduce administrative workload and compliance risks.
This enhanced visibility, which includes live summaries of liquid quantities, tracking of losses and gains, and updates on cask fills and maturation, allows the distillery team to monitor and improve quality at every stage of production.
Additionally, Proof 8’s recipe builder feature ensures consistency by documenting and replicating Lancaster’s recipes and blends. This process is overseen by Max MacFarlane, a former whisky maker from Edrington, who manages the distillery’s ageing strategy.
For Lancaster’s global community of cask owners, traceability is crucial. Each cask is issued a digital deed through the Proof 8 platform. Digital deeds provide an immutable, tamper-proof record of ownership and provenance, accessible in real time to all cask owners. This feature allows cask owners to access accurate, up-to-date information about their cask’s location and maturation progress.
Additionally, digital deeds help validate claims of origin, which are essential for emerging categories, such as English whisky, which is nearing geographical indication (GI) status.
The platform ensures that producers are equipped to demonstrate the authenticity, provenance, and compliance necessary to achieve and maintain GI status through transparent digital records.
Stuart Maxwell, chief operating officer at Proof 8, said: “Lancaster Spirits Co is a perfect example of what modern whisky production can look like. They’re deeply rooted in their craft and focused on what makes them unique, yet digitally-enabled to run things more efficiently.
“Their focus isn’t on copying others, but all about building trust, value and operational confidence from day one in a category that’s excelling and not afraid to look for better, more efficient ways to do things.”
Earlier this month, Royal Elizabeth Bond appointed Summerhall Distillery and Proof 8 as its operating partners for a new bonded Scotch whisky warehouse.
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