The South Carolina Craft Distillers Guild Formalizes and Elects Inaugural Officers

highwiredistillingcoColumbia, SC (November 16, 2016) – South Carolina distillers recently collaborated to formalize the South Carolina Craft Distillers Guild and elect inaugural officers. The Guild is a nonprofit trade association focused on the promotion, regulatory and legislative needs of the South Carolina distilled spirits industry.

“As this marketplace becomes more mature, and as consumers have taken a shine to South Carolina-produced spirits, it has become clear that working together to improve the regulatory environment, the marketplace as well as the brand of South Carolina spirits will benefit the businesses we operate, the consumers, and the greater economy in the Palmetto State,” said Scott Blackwell, newly elected Guild President and CEO of High Wire Distillery in Charleston.

The South Carolina Craft Distillers Guild has a host of tasks in the coming months; we intend to work with our state legislators to improve the state of our regulatory and legislative needs, establish a web and information presence, and to map out working with South Carolina’s tourism efforts.

South Carolina distilleries have grown substantially since the state Legislature passed measures in 2009 that lowered marketplace barriers and allowed smaller distilleries to flourish. Since then, South Carolina is home to 34 federally-licensed distilleries. Consumer demand for locally-produced, signature South Carolina spirits has been the cause of this impressive growth.

The guild officers include; President – Scott Blackwell, High Wire Distilling; Vice-President – David Raad, Six and Twenty Distillery; Secretary – Steve Noblin, Rock Bottom Distillers; Treasurer – Dickie Butler, Gorget Distilling Company.

For Information, please contact Scott Blackwell at scott@highwiredistilling.com or David Raad at dr@sixandtwentydistillery.com