Having a great business means knowing your brand identity. For the women leading The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America, sticking to what’s right for your company has made their brand competitive in a very established market.
Lauren Mayer and Gabby Shayne have grown up working in the family whisky business and recently are taking over the company that has a 20-year history. As they stand on the edge of change, they are using the opportunity to stay close to the competitive differentiators that make them a force in the industry.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America specializes in bottling single cask, single malts. They are an authority on quality and rare flavors, and they have an established exclusive member network of influential collectors and enthusiasts.
While the Society sees great success, Lauren and Gabby are ready to help change the face of the high-end industry. “We have an incredibly respected reputation and great knowledge of the industry, and now we’re looking to add to the company,” said Gabby. “What we add, though, has to be right.”
The latest venture is establishing the Whisky Sisters, a public-facing effort to change the way consumers interact with whisky. Using their deep knowledge, and social savvy, the sisters are using tastings, events, speaking engagements, and more to build a bridge between the old-world nature of whisky and the demand for quality they see in the marketplace. “The Society is a catalyst for this industry,” says Lauren. “But we’ve got such a passion for whisky, we are using our reputation and knowledge to help build passion in the market.”
That passion is spreading, and the sisters are seeing high demand for the quality products the Society offers. Yet the sisters are changing their roles of ambassadors for single cask, single malt whiskies. “When you spend a lot of time using expert panels to identify these amazing flavor profiles, you want the other experts in the industry to taste the product, too,” said Gabby. “We’re starting to do that by establishing Society Spots, in upscale restaurants and clubs with a reputation of knowing their whisky. We’re extending the community of influencers to include those experts who talk to consumers everyday.”
Whisky is part of the Scottish culture, and the sisters know that they have to foster relationships and continue to build knowledge when culture isn’t always on their side. “A lot of our peers grew up in Scotland, and they can bring that into how they sell their brands,” said Gabby. “But we advocate for these distilleries with hundreds of years of history, and by applying our deep knowledge to that, we’re able to stand highly-respected amongst our peers.”
During times of change, however, drastic changes can be tempting. The sisters are very careful not to move too far away from the heart of their company. “There are always opportunities that end up in your lap,” says Lauren. “I feel like the times of drinking and the consumption has changed, with more people are going to flavored distilled spirits. Our focus is on very high-end products that fit into a luxury market. If you want to make a change, you have to match the exclusivity with the changes in the market.”
“We truly believe you have to do one thing at a time and start slow,” says Gabby. “There are a lot of companies and brands that spend a lot of money and time upfront, and then they fail. We look to create brands, start slow, focus on the package and product, show profits, and then when we prove successful, we can bring it forward for larger distributor.”
“We are about quality, sourcing out the best of the best,” says Lauren. “Anyone can put anything in a bottle and say it’s amazing. But is it?”
Check out The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America online, and visit the Whisky Sisters’ website. You can also reach them by phone: 800-990-1991. They have plenty of resources available should you hope to learn more about their business and staying competitive in the spirits market.
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