I read this in an article earlier this week: “Gold held its value reasonably well through COVID-19 while the stock market dropped 19.8% gold grew by 7.6%”. All I could think was, why settle for ‘reasonably well’? In contrast, the annual growth of whisky casks over the peak of the pandemic was 13.12%. The impact of the downturn With GDP floating around +/- 0.1, recession has been a talking point all year for the UK. There has never been a better time to consider alternative investments that have a low correlation with traditional markets. In short, it might be time to swap physical for liquid g ..read more

How do the seasons affect maturation? Summer has just arrived so I wanted to take this chance to write about a more nuanced element of cask ownership – bonded warehousing. A warehouse might sound incredibly boring, so I would recommend an Irish coffee to help you through this. Maturation in casks is influenced by the seasons. Unlike wine, I am not referring to the sweetness/fruitiness of the raw ingredient, but instead spirit/whisky in the cask and how from Winter to Summer the pace of maturation changes. I don’t want to spark any arguments, so first, a disclaimer – there are no right or wrong ..read more

What is the secret behind ‘the angels’ share’? This intriguing term refers to the portion of whisky that evaporates during the maturation process, leaving behind a rich complexity and enhancing its character.  The Science Behind the Angels’ Share The angels’ share is a natural occurrence that takes place as whisky ages in wooden casks. During maturation, alcohol molecules gradually escape through the cask’s porous walls, a process known as evaporation. This phenomenon is influenced by several factors, including temperature, humidity, and the type of wood used for the cask. Over time, the ..read more

The Whisky Cask Market Report 2022 Every investment is based on information and intuition, but while we all follow our feelings, having concrete data in hand is always the best way to make any decision. The whisky cask market is growing and becoming more complex as the volume and type of casks increases, so data-led reports can be useful to sift through the noise and conflicting advice. The release of the annual Whisky Cask Market Report offers investors the most comprehensive and detailed overview of the performance of the whisky market available. This, the sixth edition of the report, tracks ..read more

What does this year have in store for investors? Predicting the future is never easy. In fact, as events over the last few years have shown, the only thing that we can be certain about, is that—when it comes to global events and their impact on the financial markets—nothing is certain.  However, patterns have emerged that can help to point us to safer ground. The era of ‘cheap money’ is over and the relative stability we have grown accustomed to in global markets has now ended. Globalisation and the continuing economic growth of China to power the global economy can no longer be taken for ..read more

 Once you have bought your first whisky cask, your investment journey doesn’t stop there. In fact, it has only just begun. Investing in a whisky cask doesn’t just give you access to an asset that automatically appreciates; it also provides you with an investment that you can curate to increase its value.  Unlike most other assets, a whisky cask is an investment that can be managed and improved to maximise your returns. With whisky casks, your portfolio manager can advise you on how to finish the spirit in your cask to create a unique whisky that will fetch a higher price when th ..read more

Can whisky casks help to protect your portfolio against inflation?   The current predicament of soaring inflation and political instability represent a double whammy for the global economy. In addition, disruptions in supply chains and weak growth across the board mean that forecasters all agree on one thing: things are not set to improve in the short term.  For investors looking around for safe havens, traditional assets are showing vulnerability in the face of global instability; while alternative assets, like cryptos, have been experiencing some deeply worrying swings. Even g ..read more

The first post-pandemic report shows growth in the BC20 Index The 2021 Whisky Cask Market Report has now been released, providing data on the performance of the whisky cask investment market in a year of uncertainty in global markets. Published by Braeburn Whisky and Cask 88, this annual report gives industry-leading insight into the state of the whisky cask market by tracking the BC20 Index and the average annual capital growth of cask investments from distilleries across Scotland. The report, now in its fourth edition, provides a picture of the state of the whisky cask investment market ..read more

Whisky is the most traded spirit in the world, accounting for nearly 20% of all the UK’s food and drink exports. Despite the global pandemic, Scotch whisky exports were close to £4.5bn in 2021. And, with Scotland’s distilleries struggling to keep up with demand and inflation pushing up prices across the board, healthy returns for investors are set to continue over the coming years. In addition, the arrival on the market of emerging economies with immense potential for development are projected to cause demand to skyrocket further as the trend in whisky investment spreads to every corner of the ..read more

As the final days of 2021 start to melt away like the ice in your glass, thoughts turn to the year about to come to an end. What have the last 12 months meant for whisky investors? And what can we expect for the year ahead? Recovery and Confidence After a tough 2020, which saw exports drop by almost 31% compared to the record-breaking sales of 2019, the year began with something of a gloomy outlook for the whisky industry in general. Exports of Scotch Whisky to the EU fell in the first three months of 2021 as lockdowns on the continent continued and producers adjusted to new post-Brexit t ..read more