In 1996 the Scotch Whisky Association released a pamphlet on Personal Investment in Scotch Whisky, which you can read here.
More than 20 years later Scotch Whisky is becoming increasingly popular as a personal investment however much of the information provided is still largely relevant today.
The SWA generally proposes caution and that any budding investor should have an awareness of the industry they are looking to invest in: “[The Scotch Whisky Association] believes that potential investors, in order to assess offers, should understand something of the structure and operating methods of the Scotch Whisky industry.”
The pamphlet covers the basics of how the whisky industry works, and draws buyers’ attention to additional costs such as duty (just £19.78 +VAT (at 15%) in 1996 and £28.74 +VAT(at 20%) per litre of pure alcohol in 2020), as well as annual charges, issues of trademarks and other poignant points. It also runs through some other important aspects of purchasing a cask, such as ensuring you have a copy of such a contract of sale and ensuring you have the details for your cask and know where it is stored in bond.
Adverts as “loose inserts placed in magazines and newspapers” mentioned in the 1996 leaflet have been upgraded significantly to a pervasive presence on the internet. The necessity for the SWA to provide awareness about casks as personal investments have grown over the last 24 years.
We contacted the Scotch Whisky Association at the end of 2019 in order to check their position on casks as personal investment. They provided us with this leaflet and informed us that they are looking to update the content for today’s market.
Until then we hope that our Whisky Education blog series will continue to help people learn more about the Scotch Whisky industry in order to decide whether casks are for them.

At Mark Littler Ltd. we know that casks can be a good investment. We can be confident in this assertion because we have sold millions of pounds of casks for customers who have made anything from £5,000 to over £140,000.
The important thing when buying a cask is to stick to three simple rules:
- Understand that casks are a long term investment
- Buy young casks, and sell them as old casks
- Pay a fair initial price for your cask of whisky
If you want to learn more about cask ownership and investment we have written a 52 page magazine just for you. In it you will find explanations of the three golden rules as well as a comprehensive introduction to the world of cask ownership.
If you would like to receive a copy please complete the form below and we will post one out for you to read at your leisure.
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Simply fill in form below and we will post your 52 page guide to get you started on your whisky adventure.