Sell Your Cask of Macallan Whisky

Macallan casks are by far the most sought-after single malt whisky casks on the market. Figures in excess of £300,000 per cask are now common for Macallan, with most of the demand being driven by the Asian market.

Macallan began focusing on the production and sale of single malt whisky in the early 1980’s. Prior to this most of their output had been sold for use in blends, something most people find hard to believe today.

Most Macallan casks were released to the public in the early 1990’s, often via brokers, and some for less than £1,000. Their casks were still expensive compared to others on the market, but their strict use of the very best sherry casks and excellent cask management has proven them to be a worthwhile investment in the long term.

We specialise in the sale of Macallan casks and have buyers in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, China and the Middle East as these are the markets where Macallan demand the best prices.

The most desirable Macallan casks are fresh fill sherry oak casks, however, refill sherry casks are also in demand and can still sell for £100,000+. Bourbon casks (not as common at Macallan) do not command the same premium as sherry casks as they are not as sought after by the Asian market however they can still demand high prices.

Macallan Cask Values & Valuations

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.

MACALLAN CASK VALUATION

Are you looking for a 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.

What affects the value of a cask of Macallan 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:

Distillery

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.
Age of the whisky

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.
Type of cask

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.
Size of cask
Regauge details: ABV and RLA

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 Macallan 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 client’s bottles.

How to Sell Your Macallan Cask for the Best Price

We achieve market-beating prices for Macallan 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 likley 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 Asisa where any form of Single Malt Scotch Whisky is now positioned as one of the most sought-after assets. It is the demand from Asia that has driven record prices for casks culminating in the sale of a 1988 Macallan cask which sold for over £1,000,000 in 2022, and the Ardbeg cask which sold to an Asian customer for £16million, also in 2022. 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 Macallan Cask With Mark Littler Ltd.

The process for selling your Macallan 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 Macallan 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.

Reviews

Below are a few of the testimonials we have received from happy clients. You can find these reviews and hundreds more on Google, Facebook and Yell.

Mark Littler LTD - Independent Antiques Consultant and Whisky Broker

5.0

Based on 349 reviews

See all reviews

Thomas N.

1701003500

Great service from beginning to end when we wanted to sell our Ben Nevis cask.Buyer was found very quick and the transaction went smooth.We also got to keep six sample bottles which we finally got delivered, after some issues with swedish Customs (again great support from Hannah at ML).Thanks for everything!

Rena Z.

1700395543

I had several casks of Scotch for many years and wanted to sell them. I'm in the US and was completely unaware as to how to do so. I cannot recommend Mark Littler LTD highly enough. Mark walked me through the steps of the process of selling from start to finish and it was flawless. Communication was excellent. My casks were sold quickly and for a very fair price.

Gary B.

1699129136

I’ve waited a while to write a review but after 9 months of buying a cask of whiskey through mark littler ltd must say very happy how everything was explained and discussed mainly with HannahOnce we decided to go with mark littlerEverything was done extremely professional and quite quick always informed what was going onNow, very excited to let our cask mature over many years and hopefully both parties can earn a little bit of profit in the future thanks

Fredrik O.

1698768408

Helped with selling of my Bruichladdich whisky cask.Excellent services from first contact to payment.Good information and updates along the way.

Nick H.

1694427184

After 20 years I'm a bit maudlin at seeing my madeira butt go but the process was made easier by recruiting Mark Littler to assist.Communications with Mark and his team are quick and simple. What Mark says, he does, with openess and integrity which in these times of charlatanism is a relief to come across. His counsel and advice held water and helped me realise one of my ambitions.I contacted Mark after hearing him speak on the BBC's 'The Food Programme'. My thoughts were that if the BBC's... production team had vetted him and found all wholesome then he would be good enough for me. As a result, I can reccomend Mark wholeheartedly. I will be going back to Mark in 5 years time when those casks I bought for our children will need to be sold to help them onto their respective property ladders.Many thanks Mark and team.read more

QUICK MACALLAN CASK VALUATION

Are you looking for a quick valuation on a Macallan 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.

Macallan Cask Selling FAQ

What details do I need to provide about my cask?
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)

Do you need a sample from my cask?

What happens if I want to accept your offer?

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.

What does Mark Littler LTD charge for selling a cask of whisky?

Am I tied into a contract for a certain period of time?

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 Macallan 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 a 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 Macallan 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

The History of The Macallan Distillery

Macallan’s story starts all the way back in 1824, when Alexander Reid obtained a licence to distill on the site after the 1823 Excise Act was passed. The ownership of the plant passed to James Stuart in 1868 and he decided to overhaul and rebuild the plant.

In 1892, James Stuart sold Macallan to Roderick Kent – a distilling mogul – who previously owned Talisker. The distillery stayed in the family until 1996 when Highland Distillers (now Edrington) bought Macallan.

Macallan has seen a number of expansions since its inception. In 1954 the original two stills were increased to five and then in 1965 a new stillhouse was built and seven new stills were installed. By 1975 Macallan had 21 stills at their disposal.

Macallan whisky was mostly used in blends up until the 1980s. This period saw a downturn in the market for blends, and so Macallan decided to focus more heavily on single malt expressions in order to survive. Macallan did extremely well at rebranding as a single malt, and is now considered one of the most luxurious whiskies in the world.

In the first instance, a rebranding team decided to market Macallan as a ‘first-growth whisky’. Before long, Macallan were offering bespoke casks using specific trees – mostly from northern Spain – to create their casks, drying these casks for a very specific length of time, and seasoning with Oloroso sherry. The use of these so-called bespoke casks helped curate the image of Macallan as a luxury brand that took great care in creating their whisky.

Further adding to the image of Macallan as a luxury brand like no other are the number of limited edition and special releases that have come from Macallan in recent decades. For example, the Fine & Rare series contained a bottle that dated back to 1926. The Macallan Exceptional Single Cask Series contains whiskies hand-selected by Macallan’s Master Blenders for use in the series because of their excellent and unparalleled quality. There have also been 40, 50, and 60-year-old bottlings.

In 2013, Macallan announced a new distillery would be built. The new distillery – costing £140 million – would be an undulating subterranean design. It opened officially in 2018.