What Fast Penny Spirits does

Fast Penny Spirits is a woman-owned and operated craft amaro distillery headquartered in Seattle, Washington, founded by Jamie Hunt and incorporated as Fast Penny Spirits, Inc. The company produces Italian-style amari under the Amaricano brand, built on an upcycled West Coast grape spirit blended with over 45 sustainably sourced, organic, wild-crafted, fair-trade, and non-GMO botanicals sourced from the Pacific Northwest (including Yakima hops, Rainier cherries, Eastern Washington saffron, locally foraged black truffles, and Washington hazelnuts). The core line comprises Amaricano and Amaricano Bianca, with limited releases such as Amaricano Rossa (Maker's Mark barrel-aged) and a Veloce Society subscription amaro club extending the range.

The company generates revenue through four primary streams: direct-to-consumer bottle sales via its own Shopify storefront and Seattle Bottle Shop & Tasting Deck, wholesale distribution to bars, restaurants, and liquor retailers across eight US states, the Veloce Society subscription club, and bookable distillery experiences (VIP tours for groups of 4-12 and private events). Distribution is anchored by a flagship partnership with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits in California and Odom Corporation in Washington, with additional regional partners in Georgia, Minnesota, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Michigan, plus special-order availability nationwide.

The company is a Certified B Corporation (March 2022, one of only five US distilleries) and WBENC-certified women-owned business, and operates a Pretty Penny program committing 3% of bottle revenue to nonprofit partners supporting women, female-identifying, and non-binary business leaders, communities, and the hospitality industry. The company has been recognized with 11+ major spirits competition awards across 2020-2022, including Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits of 2021, SF World Spirits Gold, and USA Today Best New Craft Distillery. Operations remain small at 1-10 employees, and only $137,476 has been raised via a 2022 Public Funding Campaign.

Name

Fast Penny Spirits

Legal name

Fast Penny Spirits, Inc.

Website

https://fastpennyspirits.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fast Penny Spirits is a woman-owned Seattle craft distillery producing Italian-style amari (Amaricano and Amaricano Bianca) from upcycled grape spirit and 45+ sustainably sourced botanicals, selling through D2C e-commerce, multi-state wholesale, a subscription club, and distillery experiences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Spirits (Amaro)

NAICS

Distilleries (31214), Wine and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers (424820), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (4453)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF)

Keywords

• Craft amaro production
• Italian-style amari
• Distilled spirits manufacturing
• Direct-to-consumer spirits
• Wholesale spirits distribution

Headquarters

HQ city

Seattle

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Bottle sales (DTC + wholesale): Primary revenue stream from sales of Amaricano and Amaricano Bianca bottles through the company's Shopify storefront, the FPS Bottle Shop & Tasting Deck, and through regional wholesale distributors to bars, restaurants, and retailers. Limited releases include Amaricano Rossa (Maker's Mark barrel-aged).
2. Veloce Society subscription amaro club: Subscription-based amaro club launched 2/22/2022 delivering special limited-release amaro offerings to subscribers on a recurring basis.
3. VIP tours and distillery experiences: Bookable VIP distillery tours (groups of 4-12) and tasting experiences at the Seattle distillery, including tastings, one cocktail each, and 15% off purchases.
4. Private events and cocktail classes: Revenue from hosting private events, corporate gatherings, pop-up dinners, and cocktail classes at the Seattle distillery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fast Penny Spirits manufactures and sells Italian-style amari (Amaricano and Amaricano Bianca) distilled in Seattle from an upcycled West Coast grape spirit blended with over 45 sustainably sourced, organic, wild-crafted, and fair-trade botanicals. The company sells bottles direct-to-consumer through its own Shopify storefront and Seattle Bottle Shop & Tasting Deck, distributes through regional wholesalers across select U.S. states to bars, restaurants, and liquor retailers, and offers a subscription amaro club (Veloce Society), limited-edition barrel-aged releases, and bookable VIP distillery tours and tastings.

Product overview

Fast Penny Spirits operates a single-brand spirits portfolio rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture: every offering is built around its Italian-style amari line. The two core products are Amaricano and Amaricano Bianca, both Seattle-distilled amari made from an upcycled West Coast grape spirit blended with over 45 sustainably sourced botanicals. Layered on top of the core line are limited / special releases such as Amaricano Rossa (Maker's Mark Cask-Aged) and the Veloce Society subscription amaro club, which together extend the brand into gifting and recurring-revenue use cases. The Pretty Penny 3% giveback program and VIP distillery tour & tasting experiences wrap social-impact and on-premise consumption around the core product set.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Amaricano: Fast Penny Spirits' flagship Italian-style amaro, distilled from West Coast grapes and blended with botanicals including cocoa nibs, Rainier cherries, Yakima hops, and locally foraged truffles.
• Amaricano Bianca

Products and services

• Amaricano Flagship Italian-style amaro distilled in Seattle from West Coast grapes and blended with cocoa nibs, Rainier cherries, Yakima hops, locally foraged black truffles, and over 45 sustainably sourced, organic, wild-crafted, and fair-trade botanicals, balanced with non-GMO sugar. Designed to be sipped neat, over ice, or mixed into classic and signature cocktails (Manhattan, Negroni, Shakerato, Spritz).
• Amaricano Bianca Companion Italian-style amaro to Amaricano featuring candied lemon, saffron, apricot, and chamomile on the palate with a tart green, dandelion finish. Produced in Seattle from the same sustainably sourced, 45+-botanical base.
• Amaricano Rossa (Maker's Mark Cask-Aged) Limited-edition, Maker's Mark barrel-aged expression of Amaricano bottled at 200ml and targeted at collectors and gift buyers.
• Veloce Society Subscription Amaro Club Subscription amaro club launched February 22, 2022 delivering special limited-release amaro offerings to subscribers on a recurring (monthly) basis as a complement to the Amaricano core line.
• VIP Distillery Tour & Tasting Group distillery experience (4-12 guests) hosted at the Seattle facility including tastings, one cocktail each, and 15% off all purchases; bookable through the company's online shop as a paid experience, with private events also offered on the same site.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2021 Wine Enthusiast Top 100 Spirits listing with 90-point score
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Black Girl VenturescoreOthers · 15 August 2023Pretty Penny give-back partner receiving 3% of Amaricano bottle sales. Press release issued 8/15/2023 announcing the partnership to support women-of-color entrepreneurs.
• Ladies Who LaunchcoreOthers · 19 April 2023Pretty Penny give-back partner; Fast Penny Spirits partnered with Ladies Who Launch in both 2021 and 2023 to support women entrepreneurs.
• SMASH (Seattle Mariner's Supplemental Housing)coreOthers · 25 January 20232023 First Quarter Pretty Penny give-back recipient.
• Another Round, Another RallycoreOthers · 25 October 2022Fourth Quarter 2022 Pretty Penny give-back partner.
• Southern Glazer's Wine & SpiritsflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 October 2022Fast Penny Spirits announced a partnership with Southern Glazer's Wine & Spirits to expand distribution into the California market. Southern Glazer's is one of the largest wine and spirits distributors in North America, providing critical scale for California on-premise and off-premise expansion.
• STEPUP FoundationcoreOthers · 23 August 2022Pretty Penny give-back partner supporting women in the workforce through internship programs.
• Vino WholesalecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 June 2022Fast Penny Spirits released its Italian-style amaro to the Louisiana market in partnership with Vino Wholesale, marking entry into the Louisiana on- and off-premise channel.
• Advintage DistributingcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 June 2022Fast Penny Spirits teamed up with Advintage Distributing to enter the Tennessee market, establishing Tennessee on-premise and off-premise distribution.
• Imperial BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 June 2022Fast Penny Spirits partnered with Imperial Beverage to enter the Michigan market, adding another Midwest state to its distribution footprint.
• Delille WinerycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2022Fast Penny Spirits partnered with Delille Winery and Seattle Chocolate for two distinct amaro experiences, co-developing branded experiences that combine Washington wine, craft amaro, and artisan chocolate.
• Seattle ChocolatecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 May 2022Co-developed two distinct amaro experiences alongside Fast Penny Spirits and Delille Winery, pairing craft amaro with Seattle Chocolate confections.
• Forté FoundationcoreOthers · 12 April 2022Pretty Penny give-back partner supporting women MBAs and business leaders.
• Off Their PlatecoreOthers · 12 January 2022Pretty Penny give-back partner supporting hospitality workers and food security initiatives.
• Libation ProjectcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 December 2021Fast Penny Spirits entered the Minnesota market through a Libation Project partnership, establishing its first Midwest distribution presence.
• Cavatappie DistribuzioneminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 November 2021Fast Penny Spirits announced a partnership with Cavatappie Distribuzione, supporting Italian-heritage distribution ties for the amaro brand.
• Vital Voices Global PartnershipcoreOthers · 14 July 2021Pretty Penny give-back partner supporting women global leaders.
• Savannah Distributing CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 22 June 2021Fast Penny Spirits entered the Georgia market via a Savannah Distributing Company partnership, marking expansion into the Southeast.
• Odom CorporationflagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOdom is the current Washington State wholesale distributor for Fast Penny Spirits, handling Amaricano distribution across the home state of the distillery.
• Parsons and Co.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerPR and media communications partner; handles media inquiries for Fast Penny Spirits ([email protected] listed on press page).
• The Soul of SeattlecoreOthersActive Pretty Penny community partner; the organization fosters relationships and empowers the community through food, shedding light on diverse food and Black-owned businesses within Seattle.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• St. Agrestis: St. Agrestis is a Brooklyn-based craft amaro producer making Italian-style liqueurs. It directly competes with Fast Penny in the American craft amaro category, targeting similar on-premise cocktail programs and home enthusiasts with botanical-forward bitter liqueurs.
• Faccia Brutto: Faccia Brutto is a Brooklyn-based producer of Italian-style amari and aperitivi. It directly competes with Fast Penny in the American craft amaro space with a similar focus on heritage-driven, botanical-forward bitter liqueurs for craft cocktail programs.
• Forthave Spirits: Forthave Spirits is a Brooklyn-based craft distillery producing herbal liqueurs and amaro-style spirits. It is a direct peer to Fast Penny as a small American producer of botanical bitter liqueurs targeting the same craft cocktail and sipping audiences.
• St. George Spirits: St. George Spirits is a California-based craft distillery producing a diverse portfolio including botanical liqueurs and amari. It is a direct craft spirits peer with similar multi-channel distribution and premium on-premise positioning to Fast Penny.

Broad incumbents

• Fernet-Branca: Fernet-Branca is the dominant Italian amaro brand globally, owned by Fratelli Branca. It is a broad incumbent competitor that defines the amaro category and competes for the same bartender backbar slots and consumer occasions as Fast Penny, though at vastly greater scale.
• Campari: Campari is a leading Italian bitter spirits brand and the namesake of the global Campari Group. It is a broad incumbent competing in the same on-premise and retail amaro/bitters category as Fast Penny with far greater marketing and distribution resources.
• Aperol: Aperol is Campari Group's flagship Italian bitter aperitif and one of the fastest-growing spirits brands globally. It is a broad incumbent that competes with Fast Penny for aperitivo/digestivo occasions and on-premise cocktail menu placement.
• Cynar: Cynar is a artichoke-based Italian bitter liqueur owned by Campari Group. It is a broad incumbent amaro competing for similar backbar use in cocktails (particularly bitter-forward recipes) and off-premise shelf placement against Fast Penny.
• Amaro Montenegro: Amaro Montenegro is one of the most recognized Italian amari globally. It is a broad incumbent competitor targeting the same sipping and cocktail occasions as Fast Penny with extensive national and international distribution.

Emerging players

• Cardinal Spirits: Cardinal Spirits is an Indiana-based craft distillery producing gin, vodka, and liqueurs. It is an emerging craft spirits peer with overlapping distribution and on-premise positioning, though its portfolio is broader than Fast Penny's amaro-focused line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/fastpennyspirits
• Xx.com/fast_penny
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fast-penny-spirits

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fast Penny Spirits