ProtectYourCask.com Helps Cask Whisky Investors Avoid Scammers

Whisky writer and Keeper of the Quaich Felipe Schrieberg and whisky broker and consultant Mark Littler have launched ProtectYourCask.com, a website resource dedicated to providing clear, transparent information about purchasing and owning a cask of Scotch whisky while minimising the risk of becoming a victim of fraud. 

In recent years, the Scotch whisky industry has been concerned about the recent proliferation of whisky cask investment firms offering consumers the chance to make money by buying and reselling casks of Scotch whisky. Some of these companies have made misleading claims about potential return on investment, provided incorrect information to prospective clients, or even committed outright fraud where investors were swindled out of their money. 

Alarmed by this disturbing trend and the lack of information available on safely purchasing, owning and selling casks in an unregulated market, Whisky writer and Keeper of the Quaich Felipe Schrieberg and whisky broker and consultant Mark Littler have launched ProtectYourCask.com, a website resource dedicated to spreading awareness on safely purchasing and owning a cask of Scotch whisky while minimising the risk of becoming a victim of fraud.

The site draws attention to and amplifies the excellent guidance on Scotch whisky cask investment written by the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), the industry body representing the vast majority of Scotch whisky producers (ProtectYourCask.com is not affiliated with the SWA).

Designed to be accessible and easy to understand for anyone who is thinking about buying or who already owns a cask of whisky, information on ProtectYourCask.com includes a helpful summary of the legal framework governing the purchase and sale of Scotch whisky casks, suggests red flags to watch out for when Scotch whisky cask investment firms are pitching their services and details stories covering historical Scotch whisky cask investment scams.

To Schrieberg, the promises of potential profits on Scotch whisky casks carry disturbing echoes of the past:

“Every few decades, there’s been waves of new companies, many of them incompetent at best or perpetrating fraud at worst, promising fast and profitable returns on the purchase of Scotch whisky casks using aggressive sales tactics” he says,

“We’re seeing more than a few such firms today using similar techniques to generate enthusiasm and sales as fraudsters from over 20, 50, and even 100 years ago. We think it’s important to fight the misleading claims that have been going around in order to protect the integrity of the Scotch whisky industry.”

Littler warns that the Scotch whisky cask investment market is far from a rosy opportunity and stresses the importance of genuine ownership:

“Investing in whisky casks is inherently risky as it is an unregulated and volatile market. When it comes to cask investment, one of the fundamental issues we’ve come across is ensuring an investor actually owns their cask rather than having rights to a cask through a third party. This is something that the SWA itself affirms in its own advice on the matter. We hope ProtectYourCask.com can help others successfully navigate this precarious landscape or decide they’re better off investing in something safer.”

About Felipe Schrieberg

Felipe is a whisky writer, musician, author, and tastings host. He is the co-director of independent bottler/record label Rhythm and Booze Records and he is also a Keeper of the Quaich.

For his work, he was awarded the 2022 Icons of Whisky Communicator of the Year and the 2021 Alan Lodge Young International Drinks Writer of the Year. He was named in the shortlist for the 2022 Fortnum and Mason Drinks Writer of the Year and the 2022 IWSC Spirits Communicator of the Year awards.

As a musician, he is the co-founder of The Rhythm and Booze Project, a duo fusing live music and whisky through gigs, tasting events, and multimedia.

About Mark Littler

Mark Littler is an independent whisky broker, market analyst and consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. He is the owner and Editor in Chief of The Whiskey Wash (an award winning US whisky blog) and a regular contributor to Forbes.com.

Mark founded his own firm in 2016, creating Mark Littler Ltd after a 10 year career as an auctioneer where he founded the whisky and wine department of a prominent UK auction house. Mark Littler Ltd provides advice around and arranges the sale of whisky bottles and casks as well as collectables, watches, and other luxury goods through auction and private sales.

For more information contact Mark Littler at info@protectyourcask.com

NEW SINGLE CASKS MURRAY MCDAVID

Exciting new single casks, recently in from excellent indie bottler, Murray McDavid!

Glen Spey 16 Year Old – 2007 | Benchmark

Distilled in 2007 and matured for 16 years in total with the final 4.5 years in a Murca Tawny Port barrique. 324 bottles filled from cask #804943 at 54.7% vol.

Glentauchers 26 Year Old – 1996 | Mission Gold

An absolute splendid old and rare release. A UK exclusive distilled at the Glentauchers distillery in 1996, matured for 26 years in total with some time in an Oloroso sherry cask. 131 bottles only.

Ben Nevis 10 Year Old – 2012 | Benchmark

Distilled in the beautiful Highland town of Fort William at the Ben Nevis distillery, this 10 year old single malt spent the final 5 of those years maturing in a red wine barrique from the famous vineyards of Chateau Lafite, Bordeaux!

Coastal Embrace 28 Year Old – 1995 | Mission Gold

This well aged blend has been crafted from single malt distilled at three legendary coastal distilleries, Bunnahabhain, Laphroaig and Highland Park, along with further Speyside malts including some from a certainly distillery starting with M!

For further details on any of these drams, head over to Abbey Whisky via the link below.

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Signatory Vintage North British 31 Year Old

£141.29 / $148* / c$201* / €136*

1991 vintage single Oloroso sherry butt bottle for the Cask Strength Collection. North British 31 Year Old 1991 vintage Lowland single grain Scotch whisky. Refill Oloroso sherry butt #272163 bottled October 2023 by Signatory Vintage for the Cask Strength Collection. 560 numbered bottles.

North British Distillery was established on farmland to the west of Edinburgh in 1885 by Andrew Usher, John M. Crabbie and William Sanderson. Since then the city has expanded ever outwards and now the distillery resides in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh. North British opened in 1887 to guarantee supplies of grain whisky for its owner’s cordials and scotch whisky blending businesses. It is equipped with four Coffey stills to produce grain spirit at 94.5% alcohol and multi-million litres of spirit annually. Whilst most of its whisky matures in racked warehouses in the central Lowlands, a small number of casks spend at least eight years at the distillery in dunnage Warehouse No.1. Official releases are very few but excellent independent ones are available from Hart Brothers and Hunter Laing.

Tasting Notes from TWB.

Nose: The olfactory profile of this 31-year-old whisky presents a harmonious fusion of aromas. Initial impressions reveal robust notes of seasoned oak intertwined with delicate nuances of vanilla and caramel. Aromatic spices, notably cinnamon and nutmeg, impart depth, while the presence of dried fruits, such as figs and dates, contributes to a layered sensory experience. Subtle undertones of tropical fruits, including pineapple and mango, add a touch of exotic allure.

Palate: On the palate, this whisky exhibits a lusciously smooth texture, indicative of its considerable age. Rich oak flavors dominate, complemented by a pronounced sweetness reminiscent of honey and toffee. Dark chocolate undertones, accompanied by hints of freshly brewed espresso, provide depth and complexity. Orchard fruits, notably apples and pears, lend a refreshing fruitiness, while warm baking spices, including cloves and a hint of pepper, add a subtle yet invigorating warmth.

Finish: The finish is prolonged and satisfying, characterized by a lingering warmth that gracefully recedes. Oak influences persist, offering notes of leather and tobacco, which contribute to a refined and contemplative denouement. A delicate balance between residual sweetness and a subtle bitterness ensures a harmonious conclusion, while lingering spicy notes, underscored by a hint of citrus zest, provide a tantalizing finale.

AON – SINGLE CASK 18-443
SINGLE MALT WHISKY

70cl | 57.1% ABV

Aon, or “One” in Gaelic, is a collection of single cask whiskies from Nc’nean Distillery. This exceptional single malt was matured in a single STR red wine cask that yielded just 302 bottles. The Whisky offers delightful flavours of English sweet treats, sticky toffee pudding, fudge, and fruit crumble with a buttery texture and a long finish. Bottled at a robust strength of 57.1% ABV, without chill-filtration and with no added colour.

£93.95

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LOCHLEA PLOUGHING EDITION SECOND CROP

£49.99

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This is the last release in the 2nd Crop set from Lochlea distillery and is even smokier than last year having been matured exclusively in ex-Laphroaig barrels! The seasonal small batch releases showcase the signature Lochlea style in four different ways each year. The icy blue label represents the cold and frosty Ayrshire mornings at the distillery…

As ever, if you have any questions or queries, please just get in touch.

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BLENDED SCOTCH DISTILLERY

Old School Malts 31 Year Old Signatory (2024)

£327.12

Old School Malts 31 Year Old is a blended malt Scotch from Signatory Vintage containing whisky from these remarkable distilleries: Ardbeg, Balvenie, Bruichladdich, Banff, Brora, Caperdonich, Clynelish, Coleburn, Convalmore, Dallas Dhu, Dunglass, Dufftown, Glen Albyn, Glen Mhor, Glenfarclas, Glendronach, Glen Garioch, Glenugie, Glenlochy, Glenury, Imperial, Killyloch, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Ledaig, Littlemill, Linlithgow, Lochside, Longrow, Macallan, Millburn, Oban, Pittyvaich, Pulteney, Port Ellen, Rosebank, Springbank, Scapa, Strathisla, Talisker and many more. Matured in sherry casks and bottled 2024.

Blended Scotch whiskies are produced by blending whiskies distilled at two or more different Scottish distilleries and the whiskies may be single malt whiskies, single grain whiskies, or single malt and single grain whiskies.

Tasting Notes from TWB.

Nose: Rich and complex, with notes of dried fruits such as raisins, dates, and figs. Aromas of oak, vanilla, and toffee mingle with hints of dark chocolate and espresso. There’s a subtle smokiness reminiscent of a distant bonfire, with a touch of brine from coastal distilleries like Talisker and Scapa.

Palate: Luxuriously smooth and velvety on the palate, with a symphony of flavors unfolding. The sherry cask influence is evident, with layers of sweet, sticky dried fruits, complemented by baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. There’s a gentle peat smoke that adds depth without overpowering the palate, reminiscent of Lagavulin and Laphroaig. The whisky evolves with time in the glass, revealing hints of honey, marzipan, and dark berries.

Finish: The finish is long and warming, with lingering notes of oak, dark chocolate, and a touch of sea salt. The sweetness of the sherry casks lingers alongside a subtle earthiness and a hint of leather, leaving a satisfyingly rich and complex aftertaste.

Overall, this whisky offers a remarkable balance of flavors and a depth of character that reflects the influence of its long maturation in sherry casks, combined with the distinctive characteristics of the various distilleries represented in the blend.

NEW LIMITED EDITION:
BALLANTINE’S x RZA

We’re delighted to share a highly collectible Ballantine’s collaboration with Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA – the 2024 release of its seven-year-old blended whisky. A partnership rooted in history, love of music, good taste and a belief in doing things your own way, this limited-edition bottle features handwritten words from a poem RZA wrote on his first visit to Ballantine’s, along with the iconic Wu-Tang Clan hands.

Matured exclusively in American oak barrels, this blended Scotch whisky offers notes of toffee apples, vanilla, and honeysuckle, with a burst of pear, caramel, and baking spice on the finish.

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LOST IN TIME
SINGLE CASK SERIES

There are millions of casks of whisky maturing in warehouses across Scotland. Many are destined to become part of signature single malts or fine blended whiskies, while others are left to mature indefinitely, lost in time as they await their destiny. This collection contains eight single cask whiskies, each one bottled at a point where distillery character and the influence of ageing are in perfect balance.

These eight casks, selected by Chivas Brothers and The Whisky Exchange, showcase some of Speyside’s great distilleries. As casks filled before the great single malt boom of the early 2000s become increasingly scarce, we are proud to offer a snapshot of these Speyside distilleries at the turn of the millennium.

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The Single Cask Benrinnes 10 Year Old

£91.34 / $96* / c$130* / €89*

Benrinnes 10 Year Old 2012 Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single First Fill Ruby Port Wine Barrel #313795F bottled 2022 by The Single Cask. 65 numbered bottles. 2012 vintage single ruby port cask selected for the Connections series. Just 65 bottles.

A Celebration of the Deliciousness of Grain Whisky

Last week, Hedonism 2024 – the first of its kind in a series of limited annual releases – was unveiled to the world.

As the calibre of whiskies we need for Hedonism have grown ever harder to find, we’ll be releasing a limited number of bottles each year. In the 2024 release where we’ve utilised the last of our stocks of grain whiskies distilled in the 1990s, a period when some of the distilleries featured still used maize in their mashes.

Order today to secure your own bottle of Hedonism 2024

“Recognisably Hedonism, this is quite a gorgeous whisky.”

Whisky Advocate

Tasting Notes

Enjoy a complex array of patisserie aromas, with exotic vanilla and clove-infused caramel. Layers of creamy custard arrive on the palate, with accents of honey and mascarpone. A delicate citrus accent appears on the finish.

Serving Recommendations 

Ideal enjoyed neat and slightly chilled. Alternatively, add an ice cube or splash of water and serve in a large wine glass. Works both before and following a meal.

Technical Details
Bottled at 43% ABV.
Natural colour.
Not chill-filtered.
A limited release of 7,746 bottles.
February 2024.

Lead Whiskymakers
John Glaser & James Saxon

BUY HEDONISM 2024