A Guide To Selling Whisky
Are you looking to sell whisky but don’t know where to start?
At Mark Littler LTD we make the selling process as simple as possible by handling all of the logistics, paperwork and fully insured shipping.
How to sell whisky with Mark Littler?
Simply fill in the valuation form and we will provide you with a valuation for your bottles and advice on how best to sell. All of our advice is without obligation.
Looking to sell a cask of whisky instead? We also have a dedicated cask brokerage service.
How We Can Help You Sell Your Whisky
Simply fill in the form below and we will put you in contact with a specialist whisky retailer. If your bottle is suitable they will make you an offer directly for your bottle. This is perferable for those wanting a quick sale, or for those who are not prepared to take the risk that auctions entail. There is no charge for our assistance if you accept a private sale.
Alternatively we can help you sell your bottles through auction. With close to 30,000 bottles being sold at auction every month you have to be sure that your bottles are being sold in the right auction to achieve the highest price. There is no charge for our assistance selling at auction
Free Specialist Whisky Valuations
Please use the form below to submit images of your bottle and receive a free, no-obligation valuation from a specialist auctioneer. We will also actively seek the highest offer from our network of private collectors to help you sell your whisky.
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What Our Customers Say
Whisky Valuation Tips
Are you looking to sell your whisky for the highest possible price? It might surprise you to learn that one of the most important actions you can take is to capture high-quality images of your bottles. This ensures we can offer you the best prices and accurately appraise your bottles. Here are our top tips for submitting images of your bottles:
- Stand the bottle upright so that we can clearly see the level of the whisky in the bottle.
- Do you have the original box? If so, place it next to the bottle in the photo.
- Capture the images in a well-lit room, ideally against a neutral background.
What Affects The Value Of Your Whisky
Age of whisky
This refers to the number of years the whisky has spent maturing in the cask, not how long it has been in the bottle. The age is indicated on the label and can vary from 3 to over 50 years old. Most collectible bottles are over 10 years old and value usually increases with the age of the whisky. Whisky over 30 years old is the most sought after as it is the rarest.
Any whisky bottled at over 50 years old is highly desirable and a very limited number of distilleries have released whisky over 50 years old.
Bottling date
This relates to when the whisky was bottled. As bottles from a specific year are consumed, the remaining bottles become rarer, so even a ‘standard’ malt released in the 1980’s can become sought after.
If vintage is not stated bottle volume can be an indicator of bottling era. Bottles from the 1970s and earlier use fluid ounces (FL.OZ). In the 1980s standard bottles size was 75cl and in 1991 the standard size (in the EU) changed to 70cl. Note that standard bottle size is still 75cl in the USA, and other bottle sizes are occasionally used, in which case you will have to use other indicators.
Distillation year
The distillation year might also be described as the bottle vintage, and refers to the specific year in which the whisky was distilled (made). It is one of the most important factors that can impact the price of your collectible whisky.
In general, the earlier the distillation year the more collectible your bottle of whisky. Bottles from the first half of the 20th century are highly valued by collectors and fetch a premium. That being said, the bottler is also important, and so two whiskies distilled in the same year, at the same distillery, but bottled by different bottlers will vary in value.
Label & packaging
The label on a bottle of collectible whisky is very important and should be in pristine condition to fetch the highest value. If the label is damaged in any way, such as scratching, blemishing, pealing or mould, then this will have a negative impact on the value.
The box condition is almost as important as the label condition, and the correct box is very important to collectors. A bottle with a damaged or marked box will be worth less, and a bottle without its original box could be worth up to 30% less.
Level
The level of the whisky has a large impact on the value. On almost all bottles it should be well into the neck, a level in the lower half of the neck is worth less and levels into the shoulder will significantly impact the value.
Older bottles are more prone to a drop in level as the bottles were not intended for storage. A drop in level implicates the long term storage prospects for any collector but as alcohol is more volatile than water it is the alcohol that will evaporate first, which impacts the flavour.
Single Cask Bottlings
Single cask bottlings are generally more sought after, as by default they are unique and usually of a significantly limited edition. Look out for numbers on your bottle like XXX/250, with the second number generally being less than 500, which would indicate a single cask edition.
Longer edition numbers such as XXX/5000 are often also collectible. These longer numbers usually indicate that the release is a vatting of a number of casks.
Do You Remember This Story?
In 2020 we sold a vertical of Macallan 18 year old for Matthew Robson for £44,000!
The story went viral being covered from the BBC, to India, to the USA.
Matthew had been given a bottle every year from his father as a birthday gift and at the time of sale amounted to 28 bottles, all with their original boxes.
Now We Can Help You
It was a pleasure to work with Matthew, assisting him in obtaining the highest possible amount for his collection. Now, let us use our experience and connections to assist you.
“I was looking to sell my whisky collection of 28 bottles of Macallan 18 year old to fund the purchase of my first house, so I got in touch with Mark.
My father gave me 1 bottle each year for a birthday present so that by the time that I was 18 I would have 18 bottles of 18 year old Macallan. (Yes I’m that guy who was plastered over the media)
Mark did a great job of getting professional photos taken of them and creating a PR buzz around the collection and I even ended up on BBC breakfast news, lad bible, and various radio stations around the world.
At one point my story was the second most viewed story on BBC world wide news app for the whole weekend with over 2 million views.
Needless to say within a day or two of this PR Campaign there was numerous offers.
I would like to thank Mark for all his work and helping me with everything.”
What Is Your Whisky Worth
Do you want to know what your whisky is worth but don’t know where to start?
Use these guides to help you.
What Is Your Whisky Worth? – An in-depth look at the factors affecting your bottle’s value.
A Beginner’s Guide To Selling Whisky – Everything you need to get started selling your whisky.
How To Sell Whisky Online – A rundown of all the online selling options available.
Sell Your Whisky Today – A simple way to sell your whisky fast.
Macallan Specific Guides
The Complete Guide To Valuing Macallan Whisky – Selling Macallan? This is your starting point.
What Is Macallan Whisky Worth? – Unsure of your Macallan’s value? Begin here
Single Malt Whisky Guides
Explore our detailed guides and introductions to some of the most popular and collectable bottles of single malt whisky.
Verticals & Large Collections
In 2020, we made headlines around the world when we sold a vertical of Macallan 18 Year Olds for one of our clients.
Pete Robson bought a bottle of Macallan 18 year old every year since 1992, as a birthday present for his son, Matthew. The collection consisted of 28 bottles by the time Matthew decided to sell the collection through our brokerage service.
We sold the collection to a private buyer in Asia for £44,000. Matthew planned to use the money to put down a deposit on a house.
As such, a yearly birthday present from father to son turned out to be a brilliant investment that will now help Matthew put a foot on the property ladder. It also serves as a visual history lesson that details the development of Macallan, an internationally renowned whisky brand.
We have also sold a vertical of Port Ellen Annual Releases, and we are currently selling the ultimate Collector’s Collection of whisky for £86,020.
Postage Service
We make getting your bottles to us simple.
We have a fully insured postage service. We send you specialist packing materials and instructions together with a pre-paid returns label so that you can ship your bottles back to us quickly and safely.
For large collections and very high-value bottles we also have a hand-courier service available.
Learn More…