ASM Capital Group – a new spirits investment fund elevating the newly commissioned American Single Malt Whiskey (ASM) category on a global scale – has marked the official category designation from The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) with the announcement of the ASM Capital Whiskey Fund. The ASM Capital Whiskey Fund is 100% dedicated to the growth of the American Single Malt Whiskey category and is on the ground floor with a strategic and proven whiskey barrel investing model.
Inspired by the craft boom, ASM Capital Group is led by talent from the spirits and investment industries. The fund includes father-son duo Rob and Hunter Robillard, Scott Sciberras, Ross Duignan, and Ryan La Valle. With over 75+ years of combined experience in the whiskey space and an extensive background in whiskey investing and asset management, the team has come together to launch the ASM Capital Whiskey Fund. This fund elevates the newly recognized American Single Malt category amidst a consumer push towards premium spirits and provides an uncorrelated, diversification exposure within investment portfolios.
New Hampshire native Rob picked up home distilling as a hobby to fill the gap in maple-flavored spirits. The result was Cabin Fever Maple Whiskey, the first-ever TTB-registered flavored whiskey sold to Diageo, the world’s largest spirits company. And with ASM Capital Group, Rob looks to be at the forefront of another newly designated category. The fund raised nearly $10 million at the close of last year and a target raise goal of $250 million by 2026 to continue purchasing barrels as the ASM category explodes.
In its infancy stage, ASM is set to take market share from Scotch, bourbon, and rye. And the fund supports the newly defined category to compete with imports such as Scotch and Irish Whiskey as a premium, celebratory distillate.
The venture’s barrel investing model was created to meet and support the growing needs of homegrown brands seeking aged whiskey products in the global market in two to five years. And aged quality whiskey receives a premium, though brands do not have the finances to keep the barrels on their books during the multi-year aging process. This is where ASM Capital Group comes in.
This group invests in barrels of American Single Malt Whiskey, while also storing and insuring them through the aging process, resulting in a valuable finished asset. And for investors, this physical commodity is a low-risk asset filling distillation and production gap market needs. With an international partner network overcoming the usual barriers to whiskey investing, ASM Capital Group aims to level the supply imbalance and lead the marketplace with 60% ASM category ownership.
KEY QUOTES:
“I like to say I prefer the road less traveled. In the early 2000s, when new beer and wine brands were popping up left and right, I created flavored whiskey. I went from making Moonshine in my backyard from a couple of lobster pots welded together with a copper pipe stuffed with stainless-steel wool, to partnering with Diageo. Now, I’m looking to disrupt yet another new space with ASM Capital Group, leading the newly designated ASM category.”
– Rob Robillard, Founder and Manager of ASM Capital Group
“At ASM Capital Group, we bridge the gap between spirits brands, distilleries, exporters and forward-thinking investors to fuel growth and innovation in the American Single Malt category. By investing in aged distillate, the one commodity that connects the industry, the fund is well-positioned to leverage the growing demand for mature returns.”
– Hunter Robillard, Founder and Managing Partner of ASM Capital Group
