A cask or a private bottling of single malt whisky can be an exclusive present for a birthday, the foundation of a company or an anniversary… and provide the special “spirit” to celebrate your event.
There are only a few whisky makers left who offer individuals or whisky clubs to buy individual casks, and we can help you find the right choice for you.
Depending on the whisky brand and maturity of the product in the cask - whether is fresh spirit or already aged whisky - the initial investment might be fairly moderate. It will usually include storage for the first 10 years. In addition, buyers should plan for costs for drawing occasional samples to check the maturing progress, the final bottling, applicable taxes and transport.
If the final destination of the whisky is outside of the UK, different regulations might apply for bringing it into the country and it is advisable to contact a specialised whisky importer early on.
So what would it cost to buy your own cask of whisky?
It will depend on a number of factors, such as
Thus, the following sample calculation may give you only a general idea based on a standard cask of a "not-too-famous" whisky:
Sample calculation | Whisky-Cask |
|---|---|
| approx. yield of bottles | 220 |
Initial investment | 4.000 € |
| Bottling (bottles, labels, corks, handling) | 2.000 € |
| Transport | 600 € |
| Taxes on alcohol (Germany)* at 60 vol% | 1.200 € |
| Net cost | 7.800 € |
Total cost incl. 19% VAT (Germany) | 9.282 € |
It covers average costs and taxes as of summer 2022. Any particular cask will need to be re-calculated based on the actual cost situation at the time of offer.
And after all, we must not forget that a cask of whisky is a raw food product, subject to a multitude of environmental effects during the maturing process: The angels' share will take its toll in quantity as well as %vol, and you won't know the exact output of litres until the bottling. During the maturing process you would want to get an occasional sample from your cask to see how the whisky matures and decide when you want it to come out of the cask.
As with wine you cannot predict if the outcome will be a very special vintage. But other than wine, with a Scotch Single Malt it is unlikely that it will have to be poured away because it is corky.
Don't hesitate to contact us if you are looking for your own private bottling of a Scotch single malt, or should you already be the proud owner of a whisky barrel and need help in organising the bottling or sale. Matters have become more complicated since Brexit, but we are working on solutions and will do our best to support you with that as well.
