SMWS owner launches Vietnam arm
The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC), which owns the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS), has created a franchise in Vietnam.
The Vietnamese arm follows recent launches in Korea and Taiwan, with longer-established arms in China and Japan. The move is part of the ASC’s continued push to build its presence in key growth markets across Asia.
The ASC described Vietnam as one of the world’s top 10 markets for ultra-premium Scotch whisky based on value. It cited IWSR 2024 data that claims the market is worth US$239 million.
CEO Andrew Dane 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.”
In its most recent financial results, the ASC saw sales in the Asia region decline by 20%. The plunge was largely due to ‘challenging conditions’ in China and Japan, with sales in Taiwan rising by 150%. At the time, Dane noted that the company was “not reliant on any improvements [in China] to deliver our results” as the business has diversified.
The SMWS is the world’s biggest whisky club, with more than 42,000 subscribers globally – a 4% increase from 2023 to 2024.
Alongside the SMWS, the ASC owns JG Thomson and Single Cask Nation, the latter of which it acquired in 2024.
In December 2024, the firm announced it was investing £500,000 (US$634,500) in its US operations.
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