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The ULTIMATE Guide To Whisky Casks

Casks, Whisky

Parts of a Cask Infographic-100

Casks are an integral part of the making of whisky. From rare bottles that fetch millions of pounds at auction, to the bottles that line the supermarket shelves: all whisky has to lie in a cask.

Scotch whisky, in particular, must mature in its cask for a minimum of three years, and lots of whisky stays in its cask for much longer. The size of the cask, the previous life of the cask, how the cask is made, and how long the whisky stays inside the cask are all pivotal factors in the whisky-making process; to truly understand how whisky is made, we must first understand the importance of the cask. So, grab a cup of tea (or a dram of whisky), sit back, and read everything there is to know about whisky casks. 

If you are looking for more specific information here are the subheadings that you can use to find the information that most interests you: 

  • What Are Casks?
  • What Do Casks Do?
  • What Sized Whisky Casks Are There? 
  • New-fill VS Virgin-fill Whisky Casks
  • Which Flavours Can Be Imparted Onto The Whisky?
  • How Are Whisky Casks Made? 
  • Ready To Buy A Cask Of Whisky? 
The Lagavulin Distillery

What Are Whisky Casks? 

Casks are the vessel in which Scotch whisky matures for a minimum of three years before it can be classed as whisky. Other whisky-producing nations have their own rules regarding the minimum maturation time of the whisky. The unifying factors of all whiskies are that they must be at least 40% ABV to be legally classed as whisk(e)y, and that all whisky must mature in a cask.

The casks in which Scotch whisky matures are usually sourced from Spain or the USA, where they have been previously used to distil wines or other types of spirits. However, some casks are first-fill casks. More on that later. 

Casks that are used in the maturation of Scotch whisky must be made of oak. However, the oak can come from a variety of places. Usually, the oak comes from America or Europe. The resulting casks are cylindrical but are wider at the middle, and are longer than they are wide. They are made of wooden staves that are fixed together with wood or metal hoops. 

What Do Whisky Casks Do?

Casks are extremely important to the maturation of the whisky inside them. As the whisky matures it interacts with the cask, and takes on the flavours of the wood, and any other liquid that has been previously matured in the cask. The longer the whisky stays in the cask, the more opportunity the whisky has to interact and take on new characteristics and flavours. As a result, every cask of whisky is different, which is why some distilleries blend multiple single malts together for release, to make sure that their single malts are consistent. On occasion, a distillery will offer a single cask release, where the whisky is taken from one particular cask. 

Maturation can make or break the whisky in the cask. Everything about the cask affects the final product. The wood that the cask is made from has a huge influence on the whisky. For example, American oak is not as porous as European oak, meaning that European oak interacts with the whisky much more. Whiskies can also be ‘finished’ in different casks to the ones in which they matured. This allows the finishing cask to impart even more flavour into the whisky without letting it sit for too long.

We have a whole series about the way in which casks affect the whisky inside them. There are four parts to the series, The Romance of the Cask. Read part one here.

What Whisky Cask Sizes Are There?

Casks can come in a number of sizes, with different sized casks being used to mature different spirits and wine. The casks that I will talk about here are American standard barrels, hogsheads, butts, quarter casks, barriques, puncheons, port pipes, Madeira drums. 

These names may seem arbitrary, but each of these casks can hold different volumes of liquid, yielding different numbers of bottles, having different rates of evaporation, and different levels of whisky-to-wood ratio. 

When whisky lovers are looking to buy their own casks, they often want to know how many bottles their cask will yield. This number can change depending on the rate of evaporation for that particular cask. However, we can get a pretty accurate picture with some simple maths. 

The UK standard size for bottles of whisky is 700ml or 70cl. By dividing the number of litres that the cask can hold by 0.70L, we can figure out approximately how many bottles a cask can yield. American standard bottles are 75cl, and so the same logic applies. 

Don’t worry though! I have done the maths for you. 

An infographic showing how many bottles are in different whisky casks

Quarter Cask – approx. 45-50 litres.

Quarter casks are the smaller type of cask: they are one-quarter of the size of an American standard barrel. These smaller barrels have much more contact with the whisky, due to a higher wood-to-whisky ratio. As a result, the maturation process in these casks is much quicker. Quarter casks hold from 40-50 litres of liquid. From a quarter cask, you can expect to see 57-71 70cl bottles, or 53-66 75cl bottles. 

Cask Facts: Maturation in quarter casks can have mixed results, and so these casks are more often used for finishing whisky. 

American Standard Barrel – 190-200 litres.

An American standard barrel is named because of its role in maturing Bourbon. They are also very commonly used in the maturation of Scotch whisky after Bourbon has been matured in the same cask. This cask can hold 190-200 litres, meaning it will yield approximately 271-285 70cl bottles or 253-266 75cl bottles of whisky. 

Cask Facts: According to American law, barrels used for maturing Bourbon must be made from American oak, and be virgin-fill, meaning that nothing has ever been matured in that cask before.

Hogsheads – 225-250 litres.

Hogsheads are the second most common cask type used in the maturation of Scotch whisky. The fact that these hogsheads are larger means that they are well-suited to prolonged maturation. Read more about why cask size matters here. Hogsheads hold on average 225-250 litres, meaning that they can yield 321-357 70cl bottles or 300-333 75cl bottles. 

Cask Facts: Hogsheads are typically made from the staves from Bourbon barrels.  Empty Bourbon barrels are shipped from America flat-packed (to save shipping costs).  A cooper will then often use the staves from five barrels to make four hogsheads, hence why the capacity is approximately 25% more than a barrel.

An infographic showing 357 70 centilitre bottles next to a hogshead

Barrique – 250-300 litres.

A barrique is slightly larger than a hogshead and is longer in shape. It is most commonly used in the wine industry. Until recently they have been relatively uncommon in maturing Scotch whisky. They typically hold 250-300 litres, yielding around 357-428 70cl bottles or 333-400 75cl bottles. 

Cask Facts: Barriques are most often made of French oak, but are sometimes made of American oak. 

Puncheon – 450-500 litres.

Puncheons are the second most common type of cask that is used to mature sherry, following butts. They are recognisable for their dumpy shape. Typically they are made of Spanish oak staves. There are also machine puncheons, which are traditionally used to mature rum but have become more popular for maturing Scotch in recent years. They can hold 286-350 litres, meaning they can yield 408-500 70cl bottles of whisky, or 381-400 75cl bottles. 

Cask Facts: Puncheons are most often used to mature sherry and rum. However, more and more distilleries are beginning to experiment with this type of cask. 

Butt– 475-500 litres.

Butts are used commonly to mature sherry, and are the most common ex-sherry casks to be used in maturing scotch whisky. They can hold 475-500 litres, meaning they can yield a large number of bottles. 678-714 70cl bottles or 633-666 75cl bottles can come from a butt. 

Cask Facts: Butts are made from Spanish oak, traditionally, but can also be made from American oak. They are usually used as sherry casks before they are used for maturing Scotch whisky.

Port Pipe – 550-650 litres.

The clue is in the name with these casks! They are most often used for maturing port wine and are similar in shape to sherry butts. They can hold 550-650 litres, meaning you can expect 785-928 70cl bottles, or 733-866 75cl bottles from the cask. 

Cask Facts: Port pipes are typically only used in the final years of maturation, to finish the whisky. 

Madeira Drum – 600-650 litres.

Again, the clue is in the name! These casks are used to mature Madeira wine. They are very squat compared to other casks but can hold a huge amount of liquid: 600-650 litres. This is the equivalent of 857-928 70cl bottles, or 800-866 75cl bottles. 

Cask Facts: Madeira drums are made from very thick French oak staves. They are not often used to mature scotch whisky and are generally used for finishing.

New-fill VS Virgin-fill Whisky Casks

Still with me? Good. Now I am going to talk about new-fill casks in comparison to virgin-fill casks. 

New-fill casks are sometimes called first-fill casks. The two terms are interchangeable. New-fill casks are, simply, casks that have never been filled with or used to mature Scotch whisky before. However, this does not mean that they have never been used to mature other wines or spirits before. Most barrels used to mature Scotch whisky have been used to mature other drinks, such as wine, port, Bourbon, or sherry prior to their use in the whisky industry. 

Virgin-fill casks are casks that have never been used to mature anything before. These are rarely, if ever, used to mature Scotch whisky. This is because distilleries rely on the casks to impart flavours and mouthfeel to the whisky that they are maturing. If the cask has never been used to mature anything then it will have much less flavour to impart to the whisky. 

How whisky casks change the colour and profile of whisky over a 30 year period

Which Flavours Can Be Imparted Onto The Whisky?

Different casks impart different flavours onto the whisky depending on what they have already been used for. The previous life of the cask makes a huge difference to the whisky that it matures. Below is a list of liquids that can be matured in casks that have a second lease of life in maturing Scotch whisky, and the flavours that are born from this winning combination. 

Bourbon: Bourbon an American whisky usually made from corn. Is usually matured in American standard barrels. When these barrels are used to mature Scotch whisky, they impart wonderful flavours of fresh fruit, vanilla, caramel, coconut, and toffee. 

Oloroso sherry: Oloroso sherry is a dark, fruity, and nutty fortified wine that is made in Spain. Oloroso means “scented” in Spanish, which explains that deep, aromatic notes of dried fruits, wood, spice, and nuttiness that ex-Oloroso sherry casks impart on Scotch whisky.

Pedro Ximenez sherry: Pedro Ximenez is a Spanish white grape variety that is used to make Pedro Ximenez sherry: a very sweet dessert sherry. Ex-Pedro Ximenez sherry casks can impart bold flavours of figs, blackberries, dates, syrup, and honey onto Scotch whisky that is matured inside them. 

Manzanilla sherry: Manzanilla is a Spanish variety of fino sherry. It is produced in Andalusia in Spain. It is called “manzanilla” because that is the Spanish term for camomile infusion. The sherry carries a strong camomile flavour. Therefore, when Scotch whisky is finished in ex-manzanilla sherry casks it takes on flavours of salt/coast, dried fruit, citrus, and camomile. 

Fino sherry: Fino sherry is dry and pale sherry made from white grapes. Scotch whisky takes on a dry, floral, and peachy flavour when matured in ex-fino sherry casks. 

Madeira: Madeira is a fortified wine made on the Portuguese island of, you guessed it, Madeira. The wine is sweet and, as a result, imparts flavours of tropical fruit, spice, cherries, and flowers onto Scotch whisky that matures in the casks. 

Marsala: Marsala is a fortified wine that is made in the city of Marsala in Sicily, Italy. This Italian wine can have different levels of sweetness. When Scotch whisky is finished in ex-marsala casks, it takes on fantastic flavours of nuts, spice, apricot, and brown sugar. 

Chardonnay: Chardonnay is a sweet and crisp, white wine made from the chardonnay grape variety that originates from France. When Chardonnay is matured the wood in the cask is infused with flavours of tropical fruit, green apple, pear, and honey. These flavours are then imparted onto the whisky that is finished in the cask next. 

Bordeaux: Bordeaux refers to any wine produced in the Bordeaux region of France. The region’s most famous export is Bordeaux red wine, which is what I am making reference to here. The red wine infuses the cask with notes of pepper, dark fruits, nutmeg, berries, and honey. These flavours are, in turn, imparted on the Scotch whisky. 

Sauternes: Sauternes is a sweet, French dessert wine from the region of Sauternais. It can be very expensive to buy due to high production costs. However, you can get a taste of this wine in a glass of whisky, as ex-sauternes casks impart flavours of apricots, peaches, honey, nuts, and zest. 

Cognac: Cognac is a type of brandy that is named after the Cognac commune in France. This popular brandy imparts flavours of rich fruits and spices, caramel, nuts, and vanilla onto the Scotch whisky that lies in ex-cognac casks. 

Light rum: Light rum has a wonderfully light, and sweet taste. Scotch whisky that is matured in ex-light rum casks takes on flavours of vanilla, pepper, citrus, honey, and spices. 

Dark rum: Dark rum is more reminiscent of its key ingredient: molasses, and has a somewhat bolder and deeper taste compared to its lighter counterpart. Therefore, when whisky is finished in an ex-dark rum cask it takes on flavours of molasses, oak, dried fruit, vanilla, and caramel. 

How Are Whisky Casks Made? 

Casks are always made from oak. The selected oak is left out to dry for an extended period of time, usually a few months and up to 36 months, before it is used in making casks. This lets the moisture from the oak evaporate, and anything unwanted in the wood to break down. 

The oak is cut into strips, or staves, to be used in the making of the cask. These staves are fit together to create a watertight seal and fixed together using dowels. On average, there are 31 staves per barrel. The staves are steamed to make them pliable so that they can be formed into the shape of a cask. Before the lids of the cask are fitted, the interior is charred according to the requirements of the distillery or winery. The cask can also be toasted. Charring is when the interior of the cask is set alight for a very short period of time, just to char the interior. Toasting, however, involves holding the cask over a heat source for an extended period of time. Both of these processes can impart flavours. 

The cask is then quality tested to ensure that there are no leaks. If not, then the cask is ready to go! Most casks are used to mature wines, sherries, rums, or brandies before they are used to mature Scotch whisky. 

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The End

Congratulations! You made it to the end, and now you know all there is to know about casks and why they are so important in the whisky-making process. It takes a long time for whisky to go from the field, to the cask, to the bottle. However, the end results and the unique flavours in each bottle are definitely worth it. 

Ready To Buy A Cask?

Here at Mark Littler Ltd, we provide balanced, impartial advice to anyone wishing to buy a cask of whisky. We also have some fantastic casks on offer for you to buy! If you would like more information about investing in whisky casks, you can sign up to our cask buying guide, watch our cask investment video guides, or read our informative blogs. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to get in touch. 

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Charles McCue
Charles McCue
10:52 20 Jan 21
During the last 12 months I have been actively making tentative enquiries to sell my whisky collection, which I had been collecting for more than 20 years. During this time I had been in discussions with various very well known whisky retailers online, with a view to them purchasing the bottles from me or finding prospective buyers. After many phone calls, emails and conversations, I was left feeling very frustrated and bewildered at their lack of communication in general and commitment to providing me with a service. That was until I discovered Mark Littler through an oline post that had been sent to me from a family member, which highlighted a high profile sale Mark had recently been engaged in. I decided to contact Mark the following day and within hours he had come straight back to me and offered to work with me to sell my collection. This was quite astonishing given the lack of communication that I had received from others. From the outset Mark has always been professional, courteous and friendly, which has made my own experience of using Mark's services an absolute pleasure. His individual care and approach to everything he undertakes on your behalf in providing you with a service is nothing short of exemplary. In no time at all Mark has already sold a much sought after vertical in my collection and I am delighted with the outcome. I would not hesitate in recommending Mark to anyone attempting to sell their own collection.
phill capo
phill capo
20:19 19 Jan 21
I got in touch with Mark having read one of his articles online. I was thinking of investing in a cask and had an offer from a company that shall remain nameless. At this point I thought I should seek independent advice. Mark's professional and informative approach to my questions was excellent. He basically saved me from making a huge potential mistake investing with a company that were not throwing straight dice and trying to pitch sales based on false information. I may add that at this point Mark was not pitching any sale to myself, merely offering good, genuine and free advice.I later had the opportunity to use Mark as a consultant to invest in my first Cask. I have found him to be very professional, knowledgeable, courteous and friendly.I feel lucky to have sounded out Mark as a broker and hope to be using him again in the future. I can not recommend him and his team highly enough for their help and time!
Pankaj Khushani
Pankaj Khushani
07:57 06 Jan 21
It was an absolute pleasure dealing with Mark. I was looking to buy a cask of whisky and spoke with numerous brokers. The response, transparency and authenticity from Mark was the one that I liked the most. I highly recommend visiting Mark's website and the process outlined by him to own a whisky cask is the most exhaustive and helps you understand the nuances of owning the cask. I highly recommend Mark and will surely be buying through him again.
Dean Reeves
Dean Reeves
15:16 29 Dec 20
Recently, I made enquiries with Mark about buying a whisky cask.He very promptly answered all my questions and gave me all the information I needed to make an informed decision.He was thoroughly professional and there was never any pressure to buy, just support and step-by-step instructions.I am very pleased with the outcome of my cask investment and I look forward to working with Mark again in the future.
Barbara Powell
Barbara Powell
10:49 23 Dec 20
Can definitely recommend Mark Littler and his staff. He is helpful, communicates, and is very sincere in achieving a successful outcome.
Stephen Ferrie
Stephen Ferrie
13:05 22 Dec 20
Mark was thoroughly professional and efficient in helping my family get a great deal in buying some whisky casks.We received a very friendly, quick and personable service with regular updates throughout the process.Highly recommended and greatly appreciated!
Darroch Willock
Darroch Willock
20:05 21 Dec 20
Great service from Mark, would recommend and would use again. Easy to contact for updates or advice and guidance throughout the process. Very helpful at all times and the final result was exactly what I had hoped for.
Neil Clements
Neil Clements
15:53 20 Dec 20
Mark did exactly what he promised to do and achieved a good price for the whiskey cask which he sold for us. We were kept informed of what was going on and the whole transaction was hassle free.
Nigel Danhash
Nigel Danhash
09:28 20 Dec 20
Mark was true to his word when he advised how long the process would take with selling our Cask of Whisky and what we would expect to receive. He has been very attentive and continued to provide feedback during the sale process and he managed to achieve an exceptional price for us. Thank you Mark, we will be sure to come back to you when we sell our next cask.
Karken Chung
Karken Chung
16:17 10 Dec 20
First rate service - achieved a good price for one bottle and coordinated a forwarding service to an auction house for the bottles they didn't receive any offers for. Getting the bottles to them was quick and simple. Communication was quick and courteous. Highly recommended
Mike Thompson
Mike Thompson
10:06 03 Dec 20
I am delighted to have engaged with Mark Littler and Hannah Thompson. They have provided a professional and trustworthy service that puts my best interests at the heart of their business. The process of selling my whisky collection has been clear and remarkably easy and efficient.
Diana Doyle
Diana Doyle
14:58 21 Nov 20
Mark was an absolute pleasure to work with. Delighted to have discovered him during an internet search researching how best to sell two casks of 50 year old Scottish whiskey. He is professional, knowledgeable and quickly responded to my endless questions. It was a smooth transaction and am very pleased with the price he was able to secure. Highly recommend!
Neil
Neil
13:35 12 Nov 20
Fantastic service from Mark and the team selling some bottles of whisky on their store. Right from valuation through to sale and payment he kept me informed. And he got a great price for me. Would definitely recommend.
Lesley C
Lesley C
15:30 08 Nov 20
Thanks Mark And Hannah for all your great advice in helping us make the sale! We were thrilled with the results!
bernard green
bernard green
21:55 05 Nov 20
Robin Hodgson
Robin Hodgson
10:04 01 Nov 20
I recently had the pleasure of dealing with Mark and his colleagues. From my first phone call to the completion of my sale the service was exemplary. The sale of my whisky collection was made so easy, and a fast payment was made directly into my bank after the sale was completed.If you are looking to sell your whisky don't waste your time looking anywhere else. I can thoroughly recommend this company.Thank you Mark once again for a fantastic service.
Michael Carpenter
Michael Carpenter
14:17 24 Oct 20
Very pleased with Mark's ease of transaction in disposing of some antique silver cutlery. Have no hesitation in recommending his professional services and advice.
Diane Fyles
Diane Fyles
11:18 19 Oct 20
Selling things for the first time, you are very apprehensive, about how to go about it?? But on the Phone Mark was very reassuring, and although Mark was called away, we saw Hannah, and she really put us at ease, explained everything, and answered all our questions! The sale went through really smoothly, and Mark kept in contact all the way! Will highly recommend them to others!!....... Russ & Di Fyles
David Charman
David Charman
16:42 06 Oct 20
Have several casks of high end whisky, I decided to sell one of my investments. An internet search revealed Mark Littler. Only person to respond to my email. Mark sold my first cask in weeks. New exactly what he was talking about and doing . The price was at the very high end of his valuation. He did all the work, I just signed the sales document. as easy as that. Money transferred into my account, and you are talking thousands too. Much appreciated, will now sell another cask as the time is right.
Robert Chell
Robert Chell
15:27 06 Oct 20
Really excellent service, from the valuation to the completion of a sale. Communication was excellent through out the process. I would highly recommend Mark to anyone.
Samuel Hutchinson
Samuel Hutchinson
15:02 06 Oct 20
Great website, lots of useful information.
Geoff Fuller
Geoff Fuller
22:34 25 Sep 20
Mark brokered the sale of a rare bottle of Irish whiskey on my behalf. He knows the market and had placed the item with a private buyer within days of taking the brief. Very professional service throughout. Would certainly use in the future.
John Maguire
John Maguire
21:42 24 Sep 20
Mark Littler 's services can only be rated as Excellent.From Start to finish even in these most difficult times was outstanding. Sale of my Whisky bottle was completed within 10 days and the money in my Account. First class.John Maguire
Matthew Robson
Matthew Robson
08:43 23 Sep 20
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.
Iona Thomson
Iona Thomson
07:14 16 Sep 20
Mark provided us with an excellent service for the sale of a cask of Springbank Whisky. He provides a professional, friendly and responsive service, guiding you every step of the way. My mother was delighted with the result. I recommend his end to end service. Thank-you!
Alan Perkins
Alan Perkins
11:56 26 Aug 20
The experience of dealing with Mark and his staff could not have been better. Communication was clear and the process to sell my whiskey was straightforward. I was happy with the price offered and less than 48 hours after sending the bottle in the post the money was I my current account. I will be dealing with Mark again in the future.
Mike Malkoun
Mike Malkoun
08:18 15 Jul 20
Great experience from the very friendly and knowledgeable Mark who was able to help me buy a cask, and made the process seamless even during the lock down! Five star experience.
Ian Braithwaite
Ian Braithwaite
15:45 03 Jul 20
Mark recently helped to successfully sell my cask of Macallan single malt whisky.From our initial discussion I was impressed with the depth of his knowledge and his professional approach. Mark guided me through each step of the process, providing reasons and insights to ensure I made the correct decisions. His estimate of the value of the cask was spot on.I would have no hesitation in using his professional services again.
fran stokes
fran stokes
10:58 13 Jun 20
Mark is a good professional agent true to his word keeps you connected very efficient, would recommend mark to any body in the future.
Football Freestyler
Football Freestyler
17:26 02 Jun 20
Mark was very helpful to me and my family , he is so knowledgeable about whisky, and with his valued advice I was able to sort out my children’s investment easily with confidence. Thank you so much Mark for all your advice and help, I would strongly recommend Mark to anyone.
Jennifer Telliam
Jennifer Telliam
23:34 15 May 20
Very reliable and professional company who I will use again in the future.
David McDonnell
David McDonnell
07:41 15 May 20
Professional service who are also adapting to the challenging new world we are all living in.
James Ritchie
James Ritchie
10:16 22 Apr 20
Fantastic service from start to finish well informed about my item will not hesitate to use again.
Tom Withycombe
Tom Withycombe
10:37 19 Apr 20
Mark and Hanna were a pleasure to deal with when selling my bottle of Macallan 25 y.o. whisky. Everything was handled smoothly, expertly and with no pressure. The courier facility offered is excellent and the sale concluded very quickly and simply. In these days of increasingly doing business on the Internet this experience was top class and I have no hesitation in using Mark's company for similar future business; Top Class!!
Stuart fox
Stuart fox
23:13 14 Apr 20
Thanks mark for your professional advice on selling my whisky very happy with the outcome.Will definitely use again thanks.Stuart.
Georgina Shreeve
Georgina Shreeve
12:33 14 Apr 20
Brilliant service from start to finish, highly recommend Mark! Thank you so much for making the sale so easy for me and for providing such a personal service. Thanks again, Georgina Russell
Dot Penn
Dot Penn
15:26 30 Mar 20
Be patient for great returns.When I came to sell my 10yr old Hogshead of whisky Mark was able to obtain a final price for me that was more than three times the sell back figure to Bruichladdich.Professional from the start. Once Mark had the re-guage figures all I had to do was sit back and let him do the rest. Very efficient and hassel free.A pleasure to do business with and will definetly be contacting him again when my next barrel matures.Thankyou Mark for doing all the hard work.
Steve Pears
Steve Pears
19:37 26 Mar 20
Just over 10 years ago I visited the Bruichladdich distillery and bought a newly filled fresh bourbon barrel. Having allowed it to mature I needed to decide what to do with it. Bruichladdich made an unattractive offer to buy it back.I became aware of Mark Littler, from a Google search. I contacted him based on the many positive reviews. After talking to him and learning of his experience of selling casks I commissioned him to sell my cask.Dealing with Mark has been a pleasure, he has guided me through the process and I have received over 3 times the offer from Bruichladdich.I have found Mark to be realistic and helpful and I recommend his services.
James Godfrey
James Godfrey
10:36 26 Mar 20
Mark was excellent from start to finish in dealing with our whiskey cask sale. I highly recommend his services and wouldn’t hesitate to use him again. 5 Star!
Genny Bobroff
Genny Bobroff
17:33 18 Mar 20
Thank you so much Mark for your knowledge, help, support and finally arranging the sale of my silver flatware. With your expertise and knowledge of the market, you found a buyer very quickly, keeping me in the loop all the time and the transaction went through very smoothly.From our first conversation to the conclusion of the sale, everything was handled very professionally. You provided all the packaging and return addresses and all I had to do was take the box to the post office. Simple!I could not be more delighted and would not hesitate to come back to you if need be, or to recommend you and the company very highly on every level.
Ron Hilditch
Ron Hilditch
15:10 18 Mar 20
First class in every way! Excellent communications and service. More than happy with the experience.Mark thanks once again.
Jacky Stark
Jacky Stark
16:56 09 Mar 20
Mark sold two casks of whisky for me. He got a very good price for them and kept me informed through the rather slow process (which he had warned me about). Very pleased with the service.
Andrew Makepeace
Andrew Makepeace
17:04 04 Mar 20
Excellent professional service, Mark kept us well informed throughout and even obtained a higher price when it came to the sale. Would have no hesitation in using again or recommending. Thank you
Christine Jones Bateman
Christine Jones Bateman
10:37 04 Mar 20
Very happy with the service that Mark provides. He is very professional and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him.