FAQS

Are there any additional fees out with the cask itself?

In short, yes there can be a few.

The first of these would be if your cask is sitting in a warehouse that doesn’t accept private casks such as Diageo. If this is the case then we will organise the casks movement to our warehouse at Angus Dundee in Coatbridge. As this means the cask is leaving the bonded area where duty is suspended we must move under what is classed as movement guarantee which acts as a temporary bonded area during transportation. The cost of this is between £170-220 depending on the distance of the warehouse the cask is lying in to Angus Dundee. We will also need to re-gauge the cask prior to movement to ensure that the amount of spirit that leaves one bond ends up arriving at the other end.

This can be anywhere from £30-£70 depending on the warehouse in which the cask is lying. Thereafter there is only one other mandatory cost which is an annual storage fee for warehousing. This is £40 per year for Barrels and Hogshead casks, with larger sherry butt casks costing £75 per year.

There are some optional costs such as sampling, insurance and re-racking but these are at your own discretion and are not mandatory.

Should I insure my cask?

We would certainly recommend insurance. We offer all of our cask clan members insurance with Dràm Mòr Group’s own insurers Allianz at the cost of £50 per year.
Insurance covers against all mishaps that may befall your cask with the notable exception of leakage. However in the event of leakage we promise to buy the cask back from you at its’ original value, or offer a replacement cask of equal value. This is written into our cask management agreement, making Dràm Mòr Group, to our knowledge, the only cask brokers to offer this service.

Do I need to bottle my cask?

While we do offer full bottling services for all our Cask Clan members, there are a few important caveats to add;

Can I move my cask?

By Law every cask of whisky must sit in a bonded warehouse until bottled, stored under a WOWGR (Warehousekeepers and Owners of Warehoused Goods Regulations) License.
As any cask bought will be stored under Dràm Mòr Group’s WOWGR, in order to move your cask to another warehouse Dràm Mòr Group would need to be consulted and transportation costs would likely incur.

How long should I keep my cask before selling?

This is entirely up to you. For the vast majority of casks we can expect to see an increase in value of between £500-£800 per year. You can keep your cask for as long or as short a time as you would like depending on your preference. There are no penalties or hidden costs involved in selling, so you can sell your cask at full market value at any time.

How do I sell my cask?
When the time comes and you are ready to sell, we will handle the sale on your behalf, finding a buyer and ensuring that the cask is sold at full market value. As per our cask management agreement Dràm Mòr Group also holds the right of first refusal on any cask sold, so if we think that your cask is something we would like to bottle, we will pay full market value for it ourselves. If we do not buy your cask ourselves we will find a buyer for it, typically within 1-2 months. Alternatively should you wish to sell it yourself you can approach a reputable cask seller such as Whisky Broker.

Can I have a sample of my cask?

Once we have your cask in situ under our WOWGR, at Angus Dundee’s warehouse, we can arrange samples of your cask to be drawn whenever you like. Each sample drawn will cost £30.

Can I Re-rack my cask

Yes, you can. Re-racking (moving the spirit into a new cask) is an excellent way to boost the flavour profile of a cask, as well as potentially make it more valuable & desirable should it appear on the market. We have excellent contacts for all varieties of casks whom we work with to tweak and tailor our own releases. We are more than happy to source any new oak you would like for your own whisky. Cost will vary by cask. We can also advise on flavour profiles, profitability and any other aspects of re-racking that you would like to know about.