Q&A With Single Cask Nation, Half 1 – The Whiskey Reviewer

By Kurt Maitland

It was my nice pleasure to spend a while with the mind belief of Single Cask Nation (SCN): Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin (Co-owners and founders of the model) and Jess Lomas, World Gross sales Supervisor.

I’ve identified this crew for many of my time as a whiskey author – I met Josh at an early tasting for SCN at a whiskey membership in Queens. That was one of many first whiskey membership tastings I had attended and, actually, it was one of many occasions that led me to start out the Manhattan Whiskey Membership. I’d typically run into Jason and Joshua at whiskey festivals each within the US and the UK, and met Jess on my first go to to Islay’s Feis Ile. One among my early interviews was with Hatton, again in 2016.

We’ve loads to speak about (therefore the two-parter; half two will come out in two weeks). Earlier this 12 months, Single Cask Nation turned part of Artisanal Spirits Firm (ASC) – proprietor of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) and J.G. Thomson. I needed to talk to them about how and why that occurred and what lies forward. Let’s get to it!

Kurt Maitland: It’s nice to see you all. My first huge query for the crew is “What drove the transfer to change into a part of the Artisanal Spirits Firm portfolio?”

Josh Hatton: When Jason and I began this firm 13 years in the past, we had a five-year plan that we knew two folks we might enact. I feel that we did a reasonably good job with that. 5 years in you suppose “Hey, we did all proper”. We’ve by no means been entrepreneurs; we by no means began an organization earlier than. However hey, most fail by this time, and we’ve achieved okay. However we weren’t the place we wanted to be – a profitable enterprise that would assist us and that we might give attention to full-time. All of our earnings have been put again into the corporate in order that we might proceed to develop. We got here up with one other five-year plan and we moved into retail together with our on-line operations. We ended the Whisky Jewbilee [a top ten whiskey festival that Josh and Jason founded that is sorely missed] and that allowed us to carry Jess into the crew so we might begin to broaden globally. After we obtained to the tip of our second five-year plan and we have been two years into the subsequent five-year plan (mainly with no plan or a internet) due to COVID and I felt that we have been holding on for pricey life slightly bit.

COVID hit traces of distribution, the price of casks change into astronomical/borderline inaccessible, and it had gotten to the purpose the place we needed to actually take into consideration what our enterprise would appear to be transferring ahead. The power to bottle Scotch whisky turned very troublesome, particularly in US, due to the three-tiered system and the upper value of casks. We nonetheless might have been in a position to promote into different markets however bringing them to the US, our fundamental market, was nigh on unimaginable.

After which we met a mutual pal of ours and the Artisanal Spirits Firm who simply began speaking with each events. We have been excited by retaining the model and the enterprise going. They noticed what we had been doing and realized we didn’t have the assist that we wanted, they usually needed to develop with us. As individuals who constructed a enterprise from the bottom up, it’s very a lot our child. Promoting is a troublesome choice. With the ability to proceed what we’re doing and begin engaged on initiatives in a manner that we hadn’t been in a position to earlier than as a result of now we’ve obtained the assist, each from a monetary and entry to whisky standpoint was extremely enticing to us. So, we got here to an settlement. We each shared a imaginative and prescient of what Single Cask Nation and Artisanal Spirits Firm might do collectively.

Jason Johnstone-Yellin: After we spoke with Mark Gillespie (the host of WhiskyCast) instantly after the sale, he requested “Why promote now?” As a result of for us, the timing was good. And that made the choice loads simpler. 5 years in the past, there’s no manner we do that. 5 years sooner or later, I’m unsure what we’re promoting to be sincere. However the time was proper. And it felt proper during the conversations, Artisanal desires to develop and needed to work with us to do the identical. All of it made sense.

Kurt Maitland: There was a lot occurring with unbiased bottlers of late–the adjustments at Compass Field, Gordon MacPhail not buying new make, and so forth.–I feel the unbiased bottling paradigm is shifting for everybody in that market. I can see how your transfer fixes lot of issues – You don’t should spend time attempting to amass overpriced Scotch casks anymore. Now you may give attention to choosing from an intensive portfolio, highlighting different kinds of whiskey and including these to the fold.

Jason Johnstone-Yellin: And that’s an excellent level to lift Kurt, which is we proceed to have ideas going ahead, we proceed to have a little bit of collaboration. Jess is distilleries in Scandinavia, Josh and I are different distilleries in America and Australia. That half continues. However I actually appreciated what you mentioned there’s we’re not wanting over lists of overpriced Scotch casks. As an alternative, we’re going out to the supply, these different bricks and mortar institutions and saying, “Do you need to collaborate?” “Do you need to inform some tales collectively?”

That’s a really completely different place than we’ve been in for the previous couple of years. And that’s liberating and that’s artistic. And that fuels what we’re attempting to realize at Single Cask Nation. You already know, being an unbiased bottler is troublesome, there’s little question about it. One of many issues I’ve mentioned in personal dialog and different interviews and Joshua mentioned that in his response – We’re not entrepreneurs. We don’t have a line of companies behind us. We have been two guys who went, “Let’s put out some whiskey.” After which once we had the possibility in 2019, mentioned, “Let’s usher in a pal.” and there was Jess. And let’s add some extra whiskey to this and each single day, we felt the pressures of being unbiased, we had no umbrella, we had no security internet, it was simply the three of us, day in and time out saying, “What can we do in the present day?” “What can we do tomorrow?” “What are we doing this week?” And so, bringing in that assist system looks like it was the suitable transfer.

Josh Hatton: There’s compromises that that you simply make however while you see a path ahead for each the long run and quick time period, the deal made sense. One of many issues that personally introduced me consolation is while you have a look at the shares out there to us. And never simply the present shares, however the inventory behind it, that may hold this model and different manufacturers provided. It’s vital. It truly is a sport changer that brings us again to a world the place value forecasts made sense and you would really do enterprise. I’m keen to compromise right here or there to make sure the longevity of the model we constructed.

Kurt Maitland: I’ve a query for you, Jess. How was this modification for you?

Jess Lomas: I didn’t get the privilege of being on the frontline of the negotiations however what do I feel this offers us is a chance to broaden and collaborate. Right here within the UK, SMWS has obtained an excellent stronghold. And I feel it’s cool to have a sister firm. It provides Artisanal a little bit of a chance and house to speak about their portfolio, their household of manufacturers, the place it hasn’t actually been that earlier than. So, I feel it’s a bonus now that it provides Artisanal a bit extra type of energy to elucidate what they do and I suppose it simply helps us get extra liquid to lips. I feel it’s an effective way of getting bottles and alternatives to attempt whiskies. Clearly, there’s a transparent hazard, which a number of folks have highlighted to me – you would sit down with a SCN Linkwood and put it subsequent to an SMWS Linkwood. And so they’re the identical liquid however they’re actually not. We’ve completely completely different processes as to how we determine what liquid finally ends up being bottled and in your glass. As a whiskey nerd. I feel that’s fairly thrilling to see. Isn’t that why all of us sit and drink whiskey like this? I like this concept of chasing rainbows and unicorns. That’s why Single Cask is correct, it’s by no means to be repeated. And even the casks that sat subsequent to it aren’t essentially the identical whisky.

Kurt Maitland:Jess, how does this deal particularly change what you do for the model? Since you’re the worldwide ambassador and the tip of the spear in Europe and in all places else, whereas Jason and Josh are primarily within the US.

Jess Lomas: I’d like to faux to have a month-to-month expedition throughout the Atlantic. I’d really feel like such a jet setting girl boss, however I feel for now, nothing will change. I don’t suppose you’re gonna discover me pouring SMWS alongside SCN bottles within the UK. I don’t know the long-term future and if we associate up and goal markets collectively and what which will appear to be it. However for now, in case you are an individual arriving at a whisky pageant, and also you see a desk that has Single Cask Nation on it, and also you see a desk that’s being run by Scotch Malt Whisky Society and also you don’t know the historical past of the merger, it’s impossible that you simply’d be “Oh, yeah, they’re associated to one another.” That’s two completely different shows of what whiskies appear to be. They very fastidiously market themselves as a society. We very continuously use the phrase, unbiased bottlers. We discuss our course of barely completely different and clearly, each we and SMSA have a tasting panel. We’re simply three folks arguing about whiskey samples. Different instances I simply say “I’m having this you may’t have it.” So, I feel for the punter, I hope nothing appears to be like too completely different. I feel naturally we people don’t like change. There’s has been hypothesis/assumptions from people who find themselves like, “Oh, you’ve been purchased by SMWS” after which we have now very quick sentences the place we clarify that we have now not been bought by SMWS. However other than that, I can’t see it being too completely different. What I’d be excited by is to listen to what you guys say within the US. Is the dialog reversed the place perhaps Single Cask Nation are a lot better identified in America than Scotch Malt Whisky Society? As a result of we’re nonetheless the brand new guys making child steps on this aspect of the pond.

Kurt Maitland: Do you guys see both making a pageant that’s targeted in your releases, or extra participation in present festivals, whether or not in Europe or within the States?

Josh Hatton: Effectively, that is what I used to be going so as to add on to your query to Jess and I feel that this may apply to the three of us on the crew – now that we have now entry to extra liquid, we’re in a position to bottle extra releases, hopefully develop into extra markets and be capable of get out on the highway extra. Jess was introduced on in 2019 after which the pandemic occurred. There was no touring by any means. And even popping out of the pandemic, as a small firm with not a ton of money, with the ability to go to these markets, you actually needed to decide and select what made sense from a financial standpoint. It’s a bit completely different now. Jess is visiting Germany and probably going to Japan, with us nonetheless constructing out what 2024 goes to appear to be in each the US and different markets. It’s clear, we are going to should be on the highway a bit extra to assist that. And if which means we’re becoming a member of extra festivals, the place it is smart there’s little question about it.

You already know, right here within the States, we’re nonetheless imported by Impex, they continue to be our import associate. And so they assist Whiskies of the World, Whiskey and Barrel Night time and some different festivals right here and there, and we are going to all the time be included in these festivals. Possibly I’ll be part of these festivals, perhaps Jason will make an look. We’ll proceed to depend on our importers for that. I feel that’s seemingly the neatest place for us now’s to align ourselves with the importers and distributors which have helped us develop.

Jess Lomas: I feel it’s additionally about being a bit smarter, definitely on this aspect of the pond. I imply, we’re in the course of mega pageant whiskey season, I may very well be at a distinct whiskey pageant each week. And that’s simply not possible while you’re working with single cask merchandise, that are extremely restricted. You could possibly use an entire cask of product going into a distinct market each weekend.

After we are bottling sherry butts, we get a reasonably chunky variety of bottles. However other than that we don’t have that a lot liquid. I’d like to have an entire cask only for festivals however we’re additionally a enterprise and we have now to earn cash. I’ve been instructed repeatedly, you’re not presupposed to drink an entire cask your self (Laughs)

When selecting your festivals, you should watch out. We might go scattergun and completely psychological. World! Each pageant! However in the end as a model, you should be slightly bit smarter. Like, is there any level as showing in three festivals inside a two-month interval in France? No. Is there a degree in being at each pageant in Germany? No. So whereas it’s good to get a little bit of crossover, there are positively sorts of festivals and locations we have to goal.

For instance, we’re all the time going to be at Glasgow Whisky Competition, as a result of it’s the place I reside. I do know the present organizers, it means loads to Jason, it means loads to Joshua. In order that’s like your own home crew, proper? In order that’s, that’s a no brainer take of a pageant. And the issue is that whereas we’re right here at these festivals, you get plenty of different individuals who run festivals who come to the desk, they slide their enterprise card throughout the desk, they are saying, you must come and do my whiskey pageant, in a really small group, the place there are solely 17 of us, and we solely have our whiskey in a grocery store, however we’re having a pageant and you must come anyway.

Regardless of what you may need to do, you may’t do all of it. And positively, as we’re lastly in a position to hit our stride and begin pushing actually onerous this aspect of the pond, it’s not an excuse to go loopy and do every part. There’s a great chunk of people that journey round between the identical festivals. There’s no level having the identical face come and greet you in three completely different areas,

I really like the thought of festivals having a web based factor. I’m an able-bodied one who can get on a aircraft and go wherever, however when you’ve got medical points or issues that make journey troublesome for you, you then’re by no means going to have gone to the Whisky Present in London. I, as an in a position bodied individual will get shoved round. Think about being a wheelchair that’s the flawed peak. The place’s the bathroom? How dangerous are the queues the bogs? After we have been all of the sudden all locked in our homes it didn’t matter in case your legs labored or not. All people can have a dram. So, I used to be type of hoping that constructive side of that point would proceed however it hasn’t actually.

We had a number of folks in the beginning of lockdown they usually have been like, “No, we’ll simply look forward to the tastings to return within the pub. It’s very bizarre.” By the tip of lockdown, let me let you know, they have been all on board they usually have been having a riot. The tasting that we run in Sweden has created an enormous countrywide gang of pals and let me let you know what an unimaginable trick that. Swedish folks don’t discuss to their neighbors and the truth that we’ve obtained a national gang of people who find themselves excited to hang around collectively and share our whiskies, I feel that’s unimaginable. And we couldn’t have achieved that with out doing digital on-line tastings.

The second half of this interview shall be out there in two weeks, on July 31.

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