How to Join
To be eligible for Membership of the SWA the applicant must be a limited company (and any other form of body corporate as the SWA Council may decide from time to time), a distiller, blender or owner of a proprietary brand, if engaged in the wholesale Scotch Whisky trade, or a broker, if solely engaged in the wholesale Scotch Whisky trade.
Scotch Whisky retailers, cask investment companies or suppliers of goods and services to the Scotch Whisky industry are not eligible.
Applicants should also be able to demonstrate that they have sound financial standing. This can normally be satisfied if they can produce audited accounts for the previous two financial years. If an applicant isn’t able to provide these and they meet the exemption criteria as outlined here then we can proceed with an unaudited set of accounts.
If you are interested in joining the SWA and think you meet the criteria outlined above, please complete the form below providing some background on your company. A member of our Corporate Services Team will be in touch to help process your application.
Eligible✔ Scotch Whisky Distiller ✔ Scotch Whisky Blender ✔ Scotch Whisky Brand Owner ✔ HMRC License to Distill ✔ Two years audited financial accounts |
Not EligibleX Scotch Whisky Retailers X Scotch Whisky Suppliers of Goods & Services |
For more information, contact:
The SWA Corporate Services Team (Email: applymembership@swa.org.uk Tel: 0131 222 9200)
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I join the SWA?
Membership of the SWA requires the payment of an annual membership subscription which is based on your Scotch Whisky-related turnover. There is a 50% discount for new members in the first year of membership and a 25% discount for the second year. For further details on how to join please click here.
What if my company doesn't meet the requirements for membership?
If you don’t meet the criteria at the moment but think you will in the future (e.g. you haven’t been trading for 2 years), we can add your details to our database and we will be in touch. Please provide your contact details to our Corporate Services Team (membership@swa.org.uk).
Does the SWA work for the Government?
The SWA is not funded by either the Scottish or UK Governments; it is an independent Trade Association which represents the interests of its members, who are private businesses.
Do you represent small companies?
Yes, we offer a unique membership base which represents over 80 member companies, from global spirits producers, family-owned firms and established to new distillers.
Do you offer an affiliate membership package?
The SWA represents companies who are Scotch Whisky distillers, blenders and brand owners. We do not offer an affiliate membership package.
We do however, have a section on our members-only extranet site for companies offering supplies of products or services to our members. For further information please email info@swa.org.uk.