Sell Your Cask of Ardbeg Whisky
Sell Your Cask of Ardbeg Whisky with Mark Littler
Famed for their numerous no age statement Committee Releases Ardbeg have a very deep following in the whisky world. Like many other distilleries, Ardbeg sold casks to the public in the early 1990’s in order to finance operations until their sales and stock matured. Ardbeg made numerous attempts to buy casks back from their customers over the years, but if you still own you cask you are due for a windfall as the market for Ardbeg has never been stronger.
Ardbeg casks are most sought after by our buyers in Singapore, China and Hong Kong. Early 1990’s Ardbeg casks can sell for over £300,000. This is, of course, dependant on the RLA and the ABV of the cask.
We specialise in the sale and valuation of Ardbeg casks and have buyers all over the world ready to put forward a no-obligation offer.
ARDBEG CASK VALUATION
Are you looking for a quick valuation on a cask you own or are looking to sell? Enter your details below and we will provide you with a free open market valuation of your cask.
Independent Whisky Cask Valuations
Sell Your Cask of Ardbeg Whisky with Mark Littler
We have sold millions of pounds of casks for our customers, consistently achieving the best price for all types of whisky cask. We help you sell your cask for the best price by going direct to our extensive network of buyers.
We pride ourselves on our open and friendly approach to selling a cask of whisky. No question is too small and we are happy to offer complimentary valuations on your cask and expert advice on how to achieve the best price when selling your cask.
At Mark Littler we are committed to providing the foremost independent whisky brokerage service in the UK.
What affects the value of a cask of Ardbeg whisky?
There are a large number of interlinking factors that impact the final valuation of a cask of whisky. It is a combination of all the following features that can make a cask expensive, or worthless:
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The distillery has arguably the greatest impact on the value of a cask of whisky. At the top of the spectrum are premium distilleries and silent distilleries such as The Macallan, Bowmore, Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Port Ellen, Clynelish, Brora, Rosebank, Springbank etc.
The next tier includes well respected distilleries with a cult following such as Bruichladdich, Caol Ila, Aberlour, Tobermory, Arran, Ben Nevis etc. Casks from other distilleries are still valuable but may not command a premium in the current market.
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Over 90% of whisky is bottled before it reaches 12 years old. As such the scarcity of whisky increases exponentially as casks pass this milestone. There are NO leaps in value at specific anniversaries (such as 15, 18, 21) as most people tend to think.
It is fair to say that the older the whisky the more valuable, however as the more air enters the cask the evaporation rate will increase significantly meaning there is less whisky remaining. As such an older cask might well be worth less than a similar younger cask OVERALL as there is less whisky remaining owing to the loss through evaporation.
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As this is written in 2020 sherry casks, especially butts and puncheons, command a premium compared to other casks and are more commercial (easier to find buyers for). Fresh fill sherry are particularly sought after, however if the whisky has been maturing too long in a fresh sherry cask the cask can be over sherried. Sherry casks also carry the risk of being sulphured, and a sulphur taint will bring the price down.
Other casks types can still be valuable but do not command the same premium in the current market.
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There are four common sizes of cask:
American Standard Barrel/Bourbon Barrel 200 litres
Standard Hogshead 250 litres
Butt 500 litres
Puncheon 550 litres
Clearly the larger the cask the greater potential for value as there is simply more likely to be more whisky (and thus litres of pure alcohol) remaining in a larger cask.
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ABV stands for Alcohol By Volume and is measured as a percentage. If the spirit in your cask drops below 40% it is not legally whisky and as such the value is going to be severely affected.
Most casks (the exception being Bruichladdich casks) are filled at around 63.5% ABV and they then fall as the angels take their share. It is too complicated to suggest what an ideal ABV is, but very broadly speaking mature casks with an ABV over 50% command a premium.
RLA stands for Regauged Litres of Alcohol and is the calculation of the remaining contents of whisky within a cask following a regauge. You can learn what a regauge is HERE.
The greater the number of litres of alcohol remaining the greater the value as this indicates a greater remaining volume of whisky inside the cask.
Bottles & Mementos From Your Cask
After waiting decades for your cask of Ardbeg to mature wouldn’t it be nice to keep a bottle or two? That’s what we think too, and as long as we know the number of bottles you want to keep (up to 6 is normally fine) we can work that into the negotiations.
We have worked with the award winning designer Tom Niklin to design an incredible label for our clients’ bottles. Tom has worked with the likes of Johnnie Walker, Singleton, Bulleit, Haig, Royal Lochnagar, Dalwhinnie, Lagavulin and Talisker.
This means that when you get your memento from your cask it will look like any other premium bottle of whisky you would find in a whisky retailer. We also have personalisation labels so you can use your bottles as special gifts.
We worked with the award-winning designer Tom Niklin to design our bespoke labels for our clients’ bottles.
How to Sell Your Ardbeg Cask for the Best Price
We achieve market-beating prices for Ardbeg casks by finding you the perfect end-user for your cask. We work our networks in Europe, the USA, the Middle East, and Asia to find the person whose requirements perfectly match those of your cask. This means it can take a few weeks for us to get offers for your cask, but as you most likely have waited several decades for the cask to mature we hope you can wait a few more weeks.
The majority of our clients are based in Asia where Single Malt Scotch Whisky, and particularly brands such are Ardbeg, are now positioned as one of the most sought-after assets. It is the demand from Asia that has driven record prices for bottles and casks, and in 2022 Ardbeg made headlines when they sold a cask for £16million to an Asian buyer. As whisky is now seen as a status symbol the ultra wealthy see casks of whisky as the ultimate status symbol.
If you have a cask you would like valued please use the form below or contact Mark Littler direct at: [email protected]
Sell Your Ardbeg Cask With Mark Littler Ltd.
The process for selling yourArdbeg cask with Mark Littler Ltd is straightforward, we can offer help and advice at every stage of the journey.
The Cask Selling Process
Please send the details of your Ardbeg cask to [email protected] alternatively please use the form below.
Once we have the relevant details from your cask we provide an initial valuation, then work with our network of international buyers to negotiate the best offers for your consideration.
If you decide to proceed with the offer we will make sure you understand the process and issue you with a contract. At this stage we can work with you to draw off a number of bottles for personal use.
We manage all transfer paperwork and guide you through the selling process stage by stage. Once the paperwork has been transferred to the new owners we release the funds to you.
ARDBEG CASK VALUATION
Are you looking for a valuation on a Ardbeg cask you own or are looking to sell? Enter your details below and we will provide you with a free, no-obligation, open market valuation of your cask.
Ardbeg Cask Selling FAQ
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There are lots of different factors that can affect the value of your cask. You can read more about them here.
The essential information we need is:
- Distillery
- Year of production
- Cask type
- Age
- Regauge details
All of this information can be provided by the distillery and is a very common, straightforward process. You simply need to call the distillery and ask for a regauge (read more about what a regauge is here)
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It is not industry practice to require a sample in order to collect offers, therefore we will not ask you for a sample until you decide to accept an offer.
We do require a photograph of a sample, which you can request when performing a regauge.
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We act as your agent through the process and there is a formal agency agreement/contract that we will post out to you. This outlines all of our legal obligations as your agent
Once we have received the contract we then invoice the buyer and await payment.
After the funds have cleared we help you transfer ownership of the cask to the buyer and we release the funds to you (less our 10% commission).
If you would like to read reviews from our customers you can search Google for Mark Littler and see hundreds of independent, 5 star reviews from happy clients.
We can also provide references upon request.
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Our fee is a flat 10% with no hidden fees.
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No. Unlike other brokers we work on a successful offer only basis. This means that we secure offers from clients who are ready to move forward with the sale of the cask immediately.
Other brokers may take your cask on consignment and then advertise the cask for sale for a set period, say 6 months. They would ask for complete exclusivity even though they may not even be able to find you a buyer.
Why choose Mark Littler to Sell Your Whisky Cask?
Trusted Brokers
At Mark Littler Ltd we sell your Ardbeg cask to make a profit for you. We are an independent whisky broker and we are different from other cask selling services in that we help you sell your cask direct to the end user, which means we can get you the best price for your cask. Many other cask selling services buy your cask and then resell it themselves, which means it is not in their interest to get you the best price. Our fees are a flat 10% so you know exactly what to expect when you sell your cask through us.
Don’t just take our word for it. Mark Littler Ltd was established in 2016 and we have over 300 five-star reviews on Google, Facebook and Yell from our contented customers. We understand that selling a cask is significant transaction and can offer independent references on demand.
Delivering Profit to Our Customers
Our international network of buyers ensures we can match your cask with the right consumer to get you the best possible price for your whisky cask. Our extensive network of buyers means we consistently deliver offers that are higher than those put forward by distilleries or other brokers. We work on a flat 10% commission rate, no hidden costs, just us ensuring you get the most out of your cask.
Already have an offer on your cask? Our advice is completely free and as part of our drive to increase transparency in the cask industry we would be more than happy for you to get in touch for a no-obligation chat about selling your whisky cask.
Experience Your Cask
As well as ensuring that selling your whisky cask is a straightforward experience, because of our exclusive industry contacts we can offer a series of unique opportunities when you sell your cask with us.
- Keep 1-6 bottles of your cask, at cost
- Have just a portion of your cask bottled
- Get a custom cask head as a memento of your cask
Bottle up to 6 bottles at cost (plus duty, VAT and bottling fees (aprox. £10-£20 per bottle for a bespoke label design), which can be deducted from the final profit from your cask. If you would like to bottle more than 6 bottles we can also arrange part bottling of your cask. If you would like any bottles from your cask please let us know at the start of the process so we can let any potential buyer know.
Independent Ardbeg Whisky Cask Valuations
In order to provide you with an accurate valuation please provide as much of the below information as you can.
All of our valuations are without obligation. You can also call the Mark Littler direct on 01260 218718
Ardbeg Whisky History
With a name that has been derived from the Scottish Gaelic words for Small Promontory, Ardbeg Whisky has a long and illustrious history which dates all the way back to the late 18th century.
The Ardbeg distillery is located in Ardbeg on the isle of Islay, in Argyll & Bute in the Inner Hebrides. Owned by Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, this distillery is known for produced a peaty Islay whisky using malted barley which has been sourced from maltings in Port Ellen.
Having been producing fine whisky since 1798, the Ardbeg distillery started its commercial production a few years into the 19th century, in 1815. For much of its long history, similar to most other Scottish distilleries, it produced whisky to be used in blended whiskies, instead of as a single malt. By the end of the 19th century, the distillery was producing an impressive 300,000 gallons of whisky every year and had 60 workers.
In 1981, production temporarily came to a halt, however in 1989 it resumed once more, albeit on a limited basis, and went on at a low level until 1997 when the distillery was finally purchased and then reopened by Glenmorangie Plc. Full production resumed a year later and the distillery has continued to thrive ever since.
Ardbeg’s whiskies have earned a number of highly regarded awards over recent years, including the Whisky Bible 2008 award for Scotch Single Malt of the Year and World Whisky of the Year for the Tens Years Old expression. Ardbeg Galileo also won the category of World’s Best Single Malt Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards in 2013.
Ardbeg distillery has participated in numerous interesting marketing campaigns andtakes part every summer in Islay’s festival of music and malt whisky, Feis Ile. In 2011, there were 20 vials of Ardbeg sent up to the ISS (International Space Station) to see how they interacted. They returned to Earth 3 years later.
Interestingly, there are numerous cultural references to the Ardbeg distillery. In 2003, Ardbeg inspired Osmo Tapio Raihala, a Finnish contemporary music composer, to compose a symphonic poem which was then recorded in 2011 and offered for sale in 2014. It has also featured in several TV series and movies, with John Constantine, played by Keanu Reeves, drinking Ardbeg in the movie Constantine in 2005. Harry Pearce, a character in the BBC TV series Spooks, is also seen regularly drinking the whisky.
Distillery Specific Pages
We can help sell casks from all distilleries, find out more about selling your specific cask of whisky on our specialised distillery pages.
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