Have you ever dreamt of building you're own rare single malt whisky cask collection? In this article, we're going to look at a few factors you may like to consider. And while we might not all have the funds needed to build a rare single malt whisky cask collection ourselves, some of these tips may be useful to buying whisky casks in general. Certainly, when it comes to building a portfolio, there is a benefit in diversification. Type of spirit Given the exam question focuses on single malt, then single malt may well be the style of whisky you prioritise in your cask collection. As the premium ..read more

We love whisky. And we count ourselves lucky that we get to work with whisky every day of the week. In this blog, we thought we'd write about the two halves of what we do. Whisky cask broker Spiritfilled started as a whisky cask broker, and it remains a big part of what we do today. There are arguably three main aspects to being a whisky cask broker: buying, managing, and selling whisky casks. Buying whisky casks It all starts with buying whisky casks and, indeed, helping our private clients to buy whisky casks. Over the years we've been able to build a wide network of sources, giving us sever ..read more

In this article, we're going back to basics, with an introduction to single cask whisky investment. What is single cask whisky? All scotch whisky has to be aged in an oak barrel for a minimum of three years - often longer. That oak barrel is called a cask. Cask sizes vary significantly, but a typical cask may hold the equivalent of around 300 bottles of whiskies. 99% of whiskies on the market will be made by mixing together many different casks. Where all those casks come from one distillery, and are made using only malted barley, this is called a single malt. Where the casks come from more th ..read more

We're often asked questions about whisky cask investments. It's a topic a lot of people are, understandably, curious about. In this article we thought we'd cover 10 frequently asked questions about whisky cask investments. 1: Is investing in whisky casks a rewarding venture? Investing in whisky casks can be a fascinating and rewarding experience. But, you need to be careful, do your research, and understand the risks as well as the benefits - some of which we cover in the following questions. 2: Can I invest in whisky casks as part of a diversified portfolio? Yes, whisky cask investments can b ..read more

Selling whisky casks is an important process. As, more likely than not, at some point you will want to sell any casks you've bought. So, in this article, we thought we'd look at 10 frequently asked questions about selling whisky casks. 1: What factors determine the value of a whisky cask? There are a variety of factors that will determine the value of your whisky cask. These include: The size of the cask and how much whisky is left in the cask (accounting for any evaporation) The distillery, and whether the cask includes naming rights The age of the whisky, and whether it has passed any signi ..read more

Whisky is a passion for many people. And, as people sip, share and talk about whisky, one further extension some consider is whisky investments. As we start a new year in 2024, we thought we'd write a simple guide to whisky investments. While this is not financial advice, we hope it's interesting. What are whisky investments? There are three main forms of whisky investment: bottles, casks, and companies. First, you could invest in whisky bottles. Usually, this specifically means rare, limited edition, bottles. Depending on how many bottles are released, there may be more people who want to buy ..read more

Investing in whisky casks is becoming increasingly popular. As we start 2024, here's a simple introduction to whisky cask investments. What is investing in whisky casks? Investing in whisky casks is the process of buying a cask of maturing whisky, holding it for a period of time, and then selling the cask when the (now older) whisky can realise a higher price than the original purchase value. It's this ageing factor that makes whisky casks a particularly interesting investment. It's not just typical supply and demand variables. The whisky improves over time, increasing its inherent value. Why ..read more

Sometimes whisky matures in the same cask for its entire maturation period. But, it doesn't necessarily have to. There are instances, not uncommon instances, where one may take a whisky from its original cask and move it into a second cask. This is known in the industry as 're-racking'. There are four main reasons why one may re-rack a whisky Due to damage to the original cask To enhance flavour To balance flavour To experiment Let's comment on each. Re-racking a damaged cask Whisky casks are made from oak, as you likely already know. Sometimes that wood can have failures in it, for example ..read more

They say there are exceptions to every rule. And given whisky casks are stored in very different climates all around the world, it's likely there are counter-examples to almost every aspect of scotch maturation. That said, there are some general principles, or key variables, that are worth commenting upon. The role of temperature First up is the role of temperature. Temperature is a key variable in the maturation of whisky. The general principle for scotch is that whisky casks should be stored in a cool, consistent, environment. In cooler temperatures, the ageing process is gradual and control ..read more

Buying and selling whisky casks is straightforward when you work with a reputable cask broker like Spiritfilled. We help clients buy and sell whisky casks every day of the week. Here are the four main steps to buying whisky casks - and then four simple steps to selling whisky casks. The process of buying whisky casks Step 1: Do your homework As you would when making any large purchase, reflect before you act.  First, consider the financial side. How much money are you comfortable spending? Can you afford to keep your money in the cask for the medium to long term? If you're buying with a v ..read more