Independent Scotch whisky bottler Saltire Rare Malt has made five appointments across the United States and Asia Pacific to support its largest international expansion to date. The move comes just over two years after the company launched from Falkland, Fife, in 2024.
Gary Clark joins as national sales manager for the USA. Jared Card and George B. Summer have been appointed brand ambassadors for the Mid-Atlantic and New York respectively. Laura Sol takes on the role of business development manager. Kotaro Kurihara becomes product marketing specialist for Asia Pacific. The appointments follow rising demand for the bottler’s rare Scotch whiskies across Europe, North America, Asia and South Africa.
Saltire Rare Malt was founded by Nigel Heywood and Keith Rennie, who launched the business out of a longstanding friendship. The company describes Falkland as “the birthplace of Scotch whisky more than 530 years ago.”
Quick whisky question
Single malt is everywhere, but what does it mean? We want to know what the word “single” means to you. Three quick questions, under a minute.
The bottler works alongside whisky experts Hans and Becky Offringa, known as The Whisky Couple. Together they have built a reputation for single cask and limited-edition bottlings.
Clark brings almost four decades of experience across hospitality, wholesale distribution and premium spirits. Born in Edinburgh and raised in Texas, he is a whisky educator who holds multiple WSET qualifications and has authored publications on Japanese whisky and American whiskey.
Card and Summer contribute more than 45 years of combined experience across supplier, distributor, retail and hospitality roles. Summer is the founder of Guided by the Spirits.
What Will Whisky Look Like in 2027? Voices from Whisky Live Paris
READ THE STORYKurihara, who is fluent in English and Japanese, will support sales and marketing activity across Japan, China, Taiwan and South Korea.
Keith Rennie, co-founder of Saltire Rare Malt, said: “From day one, our ambition has been to build an international Scotch whisky company while staying true to Scotland’s whisky heritage. Just over two years on, we’re proud to see our bottlings enjoyed by collectors around the world, but we believe the best is still to come.”
Rennie added: “Gary, Jared, George, Laura and Kotaro each bring exceptional knowledge, experience and relationships to Saltire Rare Malt. This investment gives us the platform to accelerate our global ambitions, strengthen partnerships and take our whiskies to even more whisky lovers, collectors and trade partners around the world.”
The independent bottling sector has grown in recent years as collectors seek rare single cask releases. Scotch whisky remains one of the UK’s leading exports, with shipments valued at billions of pounds annually.
Latest On The Whiskey Wash
