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Where are Whisky Casks Stored?

Casks, Whisky

An infographic showing how many bottles are in different whisky casks

Everything you ever needed to know about whisky cask storage

All over the world, whisky must be stored in casks for a certain number of years before it can be called whisky (or bourbon, or whiskey depending on where you are).

Experts suggest 70-80% of a whisky’s flavour is imparted through reactions in the cask. Even a whisky’s colour is created by the cask; the spirit that comes out of a still is clear (like gin or vodka). In most countries whisky only ‘needs’ to be legally matured for 2-3 years, but most single malt Scothc whisky is bottled when it is older, with spirit as old as 72 available (if you have deep enough pockets).

But whether it is for 2, 3, 12, 30 years or longer, where is all this maturing whisky stored?

All over the world maturing whisky casks are stored in bonded warehouses. The size shape and nature of these warehouses vary depending on in which country the whisky/whiskey/bourbon is maturing and within the country when that warehouse was created.

Sell-A-Cask-Of-Whisky SMALL

What is a bonded warehouse?

A bonded warehouse is one in which the goods that are stored inside have had their duty payments suspended. Duty is a type of tax levied on alcohol, but it is not payable until that cask is taken out of bond (i.e. bottled).

In the UK bonded warehouses are very highly regulated and HMRC keeps very close tabs on them due to the millions of pounds in duty owed on whisky.  Even a very small warehouse with 2,000 casks will owe the UK government around £8,000,000.  As such they are incredibly secure and are more like compounds than warehouses.

Given that Scotland is part of the EU (for now) bonded warehouse are also incredibly safe places to work.  Consider the same 2,000 cask warehouse mentioned above.  As well as the £2,000,000 in taxes the stock owes HMRC, it also houses around 400,000 litres of very flamable alcohol.  The EU ensures very tough Health & Safty rules are followed in bonded warehouses for two reasons:

  1. A warehouse fire could lead to a catastrophic loss of life (and stock)
  2. Any fire/theft/damage would have a huge eccenomic impact to the owners of the stock and also (and more importantly?) the government whom the taxes are owed

Given the very tough regulation of Scotish bonded warehouses by the EU, accidents, thefts and fires are almost unheard of. 

This is in stark contrast to the USA where rack houses used to mature bourbon make headlines for fires and collapse.  Needless to say Scotland does not have the searing heat of an American summer, but even if they did the construction and maintaince of the warehouses would make such instances almost impossible.

The most common types of warehouse for maturing whisky are:

  • Dunnage
  • Racked
  • Pallet
  • Rackhouse

What is a dunnage warehouse?

A dunnage is the type of warehouse that was traditionally used to mature whisky in Scotland. They are still used by some distilleries today mature whisky. Because dunnage warehouses are part of traditional whisky making and maturation they are generally located in the distillery grounds, or nearby, and are relatively small.

A dunnage has a dirt floor, thick stone walls and deep tiled roof. Some of the later dunnage’s to be built do have brick walls but traditionally they are stone. They are usually low ceilinged, and the barrels are stored just two or three high.

The dirt floor means a dunnage is traditionally humid and the thick walls mean the temperatures and humidity are fairly constant within the dunnage over daily and yearly cycles. The high humidity has an important impact on whisky as it matures.

Humidity and the Angel’s Share

The humidity within a whisky warehouse has an important effect on the whisky as it matures. In high humidity environments the rate of evaporation is higher for alcohol versus water, whereas in a low humidity environment the reverse is true. That means in high humidity warehouses the alcoholic strength will drop over time; this is the case in Scotland. In low humidity environments the alcohol strength may actually rise as water is preferentially evaporated; this is more typical in hot dry environments like Kentucky.

The dirt floor and low ceiling of a dunnage means that machines cannot be used, so cask management must be done by hand. This high intensity management increases the overheads associated with these types of warehouse.

Because a dunnage is often on the distillery grounds these are the warehouses that most people are familiar with from distillery tours. They also have a somewhat romantic look to them and appeal to people’s ideals of traditional industries. This has given rise to the belief that dunnage storage is better for the whisky than other types of warehouse. While it is true that different storage conditions may have different effects on the maturing whisky, whether this is discernible to the average drinker is debated, as is whether the whisky it matures is eventually better.

What is a Racked Warehouse?

A racked warehouse is a modern style warehouse that is much larger than a dunnage and was designed to deal with the increased volume of whisky needed to meet modern national and international demand.

Racked warehouses are usually made from modern construction; often brick or concrete walls and a thinner lightweight roof. Racked warehouses have a similar average temperature compared to dunnage but a relatively lower humidity due to the concrete floors. There is more of a seasonal change in temperature in a racked warehouse compared to a dunnage, and within the warehouse there can be more variation from the top to the bottom of the racks.

Racked Whisky Warehouse

The seasonal change in temperature causes slight variations in the volume of the whisky in the cask over a year (warmer liquid takes up more space than colder). It has been suggested that this expansion and contraction of the liquid speeds up the maturation process. Low humidity also causes casks to mature faster than high humidity, and impacts how the angel’s share impacts the alcoholic strength. Therefore, casks may mature quicker in a racked warehouse, and lose less alcoholic strength compared to a dunnage. Whether that is good or not is discussed in more detail below.

In a racked warehouse the barrels or casks are stored on their sides (in the traditional manner) in stacks 8-12 high. The size and layout of the warehouse means the casks can be moved by machines, which allows much more efficient cask management. This makes it easier for the warehouse to manage, and the end result is reduced costs to drinkers.

Racked warehouses can be found on the distillery grounds but are often in a central location. This is a point of consternation for some that we will discuss below.

What is a pallet warehouse?

A pallet warehouse is another type of modern warehouse. The construction and temperature controls are similar to that of a racked warehouse, but the casks are stacked upright (rather than on their side as is traditional) on pallets.

Stacking casks on their end has two significant impacts on maturation.

Firstly, it reduces the surface area for interactions between the cask and the whisky, and this slows down the maturation process.

Secondly, it reduces the rate of evaporation (the angle’s share) and reduced the acceleration of that evaporation over time. This is because when a cask is stood on its end the surface area exposed to the air in the cask is reduced, which reduces the rate of evaporation. In addition, when a cask is stored on its end the surface area exposed to the air does not increase significantly as the level in the cask drops as it would when a cask is stored on its side.

As a working example think about a pop bottle lying down in your fridge. When you first get it the you can see the small oval that is in contact with the air inside the bottle. If you drink a glass and put it back that surface gets bigger, and each time you take a glass it gets bigger again.

This is like the traditional way of storing casks on their side and the angel’s share accelerates over time because the surface area for evaporating increases as evaporation happens – a positive feedback loop.

Conversely if you pour a glass and then store the bottle upright the surface area in contact with the air does not change much as you consume each glass. (If you want to extend the analogy you will find your pop does not go flat so quickly if you store it upright as there is less surface area for the gas to escape). It is the same with casks; the angel’s share accelerates over time because the surface area for evaporating increases as evaporation happens – a positive feedback loop. For casks stood upright this acceleration is reduced because of the shape of the cask.

Whether this has a positive or negative effect is personal preference. Arguably slower maturation is preferred in whisky. But the angel’s share is a traditional part of maturation and development of flavour and helps create a balanced taste profile and palatable abv.

The big thing about pallet warehouses is that they can be completely automated. And the biggest impact that will have on the average drinker is through reduced bottle prices.

What is a rackhouse?

A rackhouse (we have also seen it termed rickhouse too) is the term used for the warehouses used to mature bourbon whiskey. These are very tall buildings often with a metal roof, that are split into several floors (traditionally 9) that each store 2-3 layers of casks.

The traditional construction of rackhouses means the internal temperature and humidity are much more influenced by the external conditions. Hot summers and cold winters cause the bourbon to expand and contract, increasing interaction with the cask and making it matures faster. The low humidity and high temperatures also mean that the alcoholic strength of bourbon tends to increase as it is matures because water is preferentially evaporated as the angle’s share.

A bourbon rackhouse tends to have significant variation in temperature and humidity within the warehouse. The middle of the rackhouse remains relatively constant compared to those on the edges of the warehouse and the top levels tend to be relatively warmer.

The significant differences in temperature and humidity between the different areas of the warehouse also cause variation between the casks as they mature. It used to be that around a third of the warehouse had to be left empty in order to allow cask rotation. This solution was inefficient and time consuming so now master blenders combine casks from different areas of the warehouse in order to create a standard finish for their signature batches.

If a single cask bottling is required, this tends to come from the centre of the warehouse where the temperature is most constant and the humidity highest.

Where is Japanese Whisky matured?

The process of making whisky was introduced to Japan from Scotland. The Yamazaki distillery was the first Japanese distillery and was created with the help of Masetsaka Taketsuru who trained in Scotland. He went on to found Japan’s second distillery, Yoichi.

The result is a strong adaption of Scottish traditions in Japanese whisky including their use of and style of warehouses to mature whisky.

The real difference is the climate. Scotland has a temperate maritime climate with cool wet winters and cool wet summers. Japan has a tropical maritime climate with hot humid summers and cold snowy winters.

This produces very different conditions within Japanese warehouses compared to Scottish ones so that even though the techniques and principles are the same, the end result is very distinctive.

Does warehouse location impact taste?

The big question around warehouses is what impact do they have on taste? We have discussed the basics of the difference between the principle types of warehouse and have touched upon how their construction can shape the whisky stored in them through humidity and temperature regulation.

Of course, the warehouse’s location is going to have the biggest impact on the humidity and temperature experienced by the maturing whisky. Japanese whisky is the perfect example of this; even though they have adopted similar techniques to those used in Scotland, the whisky they produce is inimitable.

The evolution of whisky storage

Traditionally distilleries had small dunnage warehouses on their grounds, but as production grew and whisky became an international product the space needed to store the millions of litres of alcohol produced each year quickly outgrew the storage available on site.

Did you know?

Scottish distilleries alone have the capacity to make over 400 million litres of pure alcohol each year. At an average fill percentage of 63% that is over 2.5million hogsheads every year.

The costs associated with shipping casks to bottling facilities once they had matured drove up prices – especially from remote distilleries like those on Islay. Not to mention the fact that many of the distilleries are in stunning settings in rural Scotland; locals and the booming whisky tourism business might not appreciate huge warehouses marring the story book setting of many of the most famous distilleries.

Many modern distilleries, especially those owned by the big names such as Diageo, make the spirit on site and then ship it in tankers to centralised warehouses in Scotland where it is decanted into casks and stored until it is ready to be bottled. This reduces costs hugely by vesting improving cask management and reducing transport and bottling costs (which are often nearby too).

Diageo maintain that because Scotland has a generally maritime climate that there is no discernible difference between maturing the whisky on site at the distillery and in these centralised warehouses. They say that the local climate around the distillery would not impart any influence on the cask and so the end product is the same but at a reduced cost for them, and drinkers.

Variations in local climate

Scotland does have a maritime climate, but actually so does the whole of the UK. Suggesting the climate in the Outer Hebrides is the same as Edinburg, never mind Norfolk or Cornwall is a vast simplification.

The fact is that the geology of Scotland produces microclimates, with relatively wetter, colder, drier and warmer areas that will all impact the humidity and temperature within the warehouse. Which as we discussed earlier, impacts what proportion of alcohol to water the angel’s take.

In fact, purests suggest that even the local micro-fauna (that is the fungi and mould to be found in the distillery’s locality) would shape the way the whisky matures and impart flavours to the whisky.

The argument perhaps is how much difference does it make to the average drinker’s palate.

What’s in a name?

Outside of the pure taste considerations, one of the loudest discussions we have encountered about this in recent times revolves around the issue of provenance. How much of something has to be produced in a place, or for how long is should be there, in order to be named after that place?

Which becomes important when you consider how popular certain whisky regions are; Speyside and Islay being the two standout examples. Distilleries like Bruichladdich have argued that just distilling the spirit on Islay should not be enough; the whisky should be matured there too in order to benefit from the marketing of the Islay name.

However, visitors to Islay might not appreciate their view of the bay being marred by the vast warehouses that would be necessary to store tens of millions of litres of whisky produced in Islay each year.

Perhaps then question becomes one of balance. Taste versus cost; authenticity versus practicality. Diageo’s solution is expertly blending casks matured in different locations within their warehouses to create a comparable effect. Bruichladdich’s is keeping batches small and the increased costs associated with that choice.

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How does the speed of maturation effect whisky?

The rule of thumb is that the longer a whisky takes to mature, the better. But why?

Longer maturation favours bigger casks like butts and puncheons that command a premium, high humidity dunnage warehouses that are small and inefficient to manage (or super modern air conditioned warehouses that are expensive to run) plus long periods of storage for extended maturation. So, is it that whisky that takes longer to mature is better or just that whisky that takes longer to mature is more expensive because it necessitates bigger overheads?

By contrast whisky matures faster in smaller casks and in low humidity modern warehouses that are cheap to manage. Because they mature faster the storage costs are lower. This is why barrels and even quarter casks are popular in the professional whisky industry; they get the whisky from potential to profit faster and cheaper.

Arguably, the time for maturation means the time to reach the optimum drinking point. A smaller cask means a bigger surface area to volume ration for which additive and subtractive actions happen. A warm, low humidity environment promotes reactions to happen faster. This is basic chemistry. All your doing by taking longer, is upping your costs and making the whisky more expensive. Which gives the impression that slower is better.

Whether it is based on economics or taste you cannot argue that older, bigger casks are more valuable in the current market. So, if you are looking at buying a cask as an investment looking at slow maturation and keeping your cask for a long time is a good way to think about getting the best from your investment.

Get in contact with your questions

We hope you’ve enjoyed the discussion about warehouses. But if you have any questions about buying, owning or selling a cask of whisky then please get in touch. No question is too small.

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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.
Jochmoal Baxter
Jochmoal Baxter
13:08 17 Feb 20
A friendly and honest service
Gary Toyne
Gary Toyne
19:14 13 Feb 20
Excellent professional service. Thanks Mark!
Caroline Hart
Caroline Hart
13:03 03 Feb 20
Mark offers a brilliant, easy and efficient service. I have used this twice now and both occasions have been simple and fast. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
jane lee
jane lee
20:26 02 Feb 20