Auction Your Cask Is the World's First Dedicated Whisky Cask Auction Site

Maybe you’ve been thinking about buying a rare bottle of whisky.

Here’s a thought — go bigger. Get yourself an entire cask.

Auction Your Cask is a just-launched company that wants help private owners/investors sell their whisky casks to independent bottlers or other individuals. They’re launching the world’s first live online cask whisky auction, starting on January 22nd. (Update 1/21/20: A site called Cask 88 started hosting online cask auctions last July, a few months before Auction Your Cask.).

The great thing about buying casks versus bottles (besides getting “more”) is that you’re buying a product that’s entirely unique — the vast majority of the flavor of your hooch is coming from the wood, and each cask is going to impart its own unique character. Plus, your whisky won’t be watered down — a “cask strength” spirit is going to be well above the usual bottling standard of 40% ABV.

If you’re interested in a rare cask, you’ll can register online and sample the available casks before you buy (either at a live event on January 15th or by ordering samples online). Casks available at the first auction include an Aberfeldy 2005, Bruichladdich Chateau Margaux, Aberlour 1990 and Springbank 1995 (all the available casks are single malt Scotches).

Note that you will not be receiving a cask per se — the lots will need to stay in a government bonded warehouse until the contents are bottled.

If you’re wondering about the investment opportunities in casks, consider them on par with bottles. The most expensive cask ever sold actually happened just last month, when a cask of Macallan 1989, ex-sherry Hogshead, sold at auction in Hong Kong for roughly $574,000.

And as Cask Trade notes, rare whisky grew at a 584% growth rate over the last 10 years, making it a better investment than wine, coins or classic cars.

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