Well said. Mark Littler has been providing some excellent insight into this scandalous trade. These people are sharks that don't care about their 'clients' or whisky.
As someone who has some casks and I see a lot of people just blindly buy casks because of hype I can say this is one of the best videos I've seen to warn people, never trust a broker, there are some good ones but most will lose you lots of money, love this video and wish people would listen rather than just but loads of casks, I know a friend of a friend who fell for the Annandale distillery where they promised cask investment where each cask was £6k, for a new distillery and one that had dubious investments, unless wanting to wait 20 years for a return it seems mental
Thanks for watching and for the support David! Great to hear cask owners are finding this content useful. I hear what you’re saying about certain new distilleries on the scene selling casks at inflated prices and I agree that there is high risk involved. What I would say in favour of this practice vs. cask brokers/stockists is at least the inflated price you pay to a distillery is being reinvested into the distillery and therefore the industry as opposed to just paying the fat salary of some London trader who adds 0 value to the industry. Again though, casks shouldn’t be sold as an investment and certainly shouldn’t have guaranteed buybacks. Nothing in life is guaranteed as we all well know. Sláinte good sir 🥃
Thanks so much for pulling this video together, Jake. Very informative and helpful! Like the housing market, I hold a dim view of mixing scotch and investment in the same breath, the same as the real estate market. It's basically fed on greed and furtilises inequality. Whiskey is for drinking, houses are for living in. The opportunity cost of mixing investment into the equation is lack of supply and upward pressure on prices. Just drink and share the scotch and they'll be plenty for everyone. Simples
Couldn’t agree more James. No harm in working with clients to mature and bottle casks, but everyone needs to understand the risks involved whilst also having realistic expectations on returns. But you’re right - whisky belongs in the glass and should be accessible for everyone. Sláinte my friend
Extremely well said Jake. Very bold video. I wholeheartedly agree and support your crusade for more equality, transparency and fairness in the whisky cask market. Well done!
Thanks Wouter, really appreciate the support and glad to know I’m not the only one feeling this way. Whisky was made for the people so let’s make sure it stays accessible to everyone. Sláinte 🥃
Good to hear this. Clearly a market that needs improved regulation throughout the end to end process. More transparency and honesty will help redress the imbalance for customers. PS: Are you making change at the Industry regulation level? Have you presented your findings to Government/MPs/Committee/Scotch Whisky Association? Facetious Idea: We need an offshoot of the London Stock Exchange; The London Scotch Exchange
we have indeed been making noise about this being the scenes, unfortunately it's one of those things that will take time to change. we're working on it though, trust me! thanks for tuning in and getting involved. sláinte
glad you haven't got caught up in the murky world of cask 'investments' and are instead enjoying your drams where they belong - in the glass! thanks for watching, we really appreciate your support!
Because casks are often selling at prices that are so high they really couldn't be bottled and sold, these investors are relying on the "greater fool" theory to make money (whether they know it or not), in that the only way to make money on these investments is to find a new investor willing to pay more, rather than to actually bottling and selling the casks. It's one step up from a pyramid scheme.
Thanks for the informative video. It hurts a bit to see maclean in the photo of the group. I just hope he didn't get roped into the picture without full disclosure about what it was for. Self appointed regulating bodies with conflicts of interest are not what the industry should be wanting or accepting. We'll see what happens next.
Thanks for watching Tim, glad you’ve found it useful. I feel the same way - he’s an absolute legend and someone I’ve respected and admired since before joining the industry, so not where I wanted to see him either. Let’s wait and see what happens!
Thanks for the support Dougie, really appreciate it. Always happy to stand up and speak out for end consumers and we’re keen to work closely with distillers moving forward to bring about tangible regulation
Great video. This just popped up in my recommendations and it really was an eye-opening, thought-provoking experience. I'm relatively new to whisk(e)y, only about 3 years, so this is very useful to me. Thanks so much. I do believe that, as with real estate, that the investment culture in a way destroys commodities as they were intended to be used or consumed. I noticed at the 4:00 mark that Charles MacLean is in the video. I have much respect for him, and have learned a few things from him, I hope he's not involved much at all in this legalized scam.
Thanks so much for commenting and delighted to hear you’re enjoying the content and finding it educational. I agree with your point about investment culture and hope we can drive some change within the industry. Sláinte!
I appreciate your comments! Bought a cask of Whisky at a very realistic cost (price), not out of financial motives (greed), but rather to enjoy its contents once my daughter turns 18y/o. Markets in a free economy are what its participants make of it. Bubbles all over the place are an indication of where people are headed.
Thanks Anza, we appreciate your interest! Buying a cask for the sole purpose of enjoyment is exactly the sort of thing we support here at The Whisky Baron - I hope it brings both you and your daughter a lot of joy in the years to come 🥃🥃 sláinte
@@Anza_34832also missed the last part of your comment where you talk essentially about markets being based on supply/demand and as such, bubbles are indicative of future trends. Spot on - it’s a shame so many people buy the hype as opposed to selling it
@@TheWhiskyBaron I’ve worked capital markets for many years…people trying to outsmart each other…greed & fear cycles. That’s why I knew from the beginning that Whisk(e)y is to be enjoyed, not an ‘investment’ or display of status. Equities and gold are investments - you can’t eat them. Obviously, many disregard this basic truth. Excellent to see that you are aware and vocal about it!
@@Anza_34832so great to hear a private cask owner with this outlook. Unfortunately not everyone is as educated as you and as already highlighted, there’s a lot of people buying the hype. Thanks again for the support in driving this content forward 🥃🥃
I have worked with some of the organisations within CWA, they have as far as I can see acted with integrity and in good faith. Is it possible that you hold an altruistic view of the far left of the scale (standby if you ever release anything above fair market value) whilst dishonest and fraudulent cask investment companies operate on the right hand side. The CWA is a distinct group in the centre who seek to improve transparency within the sector through self regulation commonly agreed (sounds like a guild to me) to separate isolate and ultimately remove the far right hand side from the industry? Are they in it to get themselves and their clients rich of course they are but doesn’t mean they are crooks.
Thanks for joining UA-cam to engage with our content Luke, it’s greatly appreciated. We are by no means altruistic and in no way have we stated any members of the CWA are crooks. We are simply highlighting some key information that we believe is important for private cask owners/‘investors’ to understand. In that vein, I’d advise keeping your eyes on the news these coming weeks as there’s a lot more about to be uncovered
While there are certainly some shady practices going on, I firmly believe that not over-paying for anything is the only way to save the whisky industry. Speculators will exit the market when people stop paying ridiculous prices. Anyone watching this has enough whisky for several years of personal quality consumption. Enjoy your whisky 🥃 and forget about traders and corrupt practices. Slainthe. Kind regards, SF.
I couldn’t agree more. Again, the idea that casks are an investment is untrue and misleading. There can be financial benefits, but whisky is made to be enjoyed and overpaying in order to enter a market makes speculation far riskier. Bottles are always a safer bet as they’re easy to understand and you can be hands on with them. Plus you’re more likely to open and enjoy your whiskies! Thanks for commenting Sandro, really appreciate your thoughts and input 🥃🥃 sláinte
Thanks for this informative video. Ralfy I think has made some cask investments in the past. Maybe do a livestream where you and him discuss this? Also does this mean now I stop patronizing some IBs because of these bad businessmen?
Thanks for watching Dean! I’ve got big love for Ralphy and would always be open to collaborative content with such a gent. Perhaps someone in the comments could introduce us.. I’ll leave that for you to decide but IMO independent bottlers who are working to provide value for the industry need as much support as they can get - it’s not always easy for us!
So glad the Whisky Baron is there to shine a light on the murky going on's and scandalous actions, and to keep fighting the good fight against these fraudsters (also well summed up by Forbes). We need the Indi bottlers to survive and thrive. Slainte Jake
Appreciate the support as always Euan, you’re a gent and a valued member of our community. The issue here is that all the information is available if you know where to look, but most inexperienced ’investors’ in the space can easily be misled on such an esoteric asset. Hopefully the likes of Forbes will continue to be outspoken so that Indies like myself will continue to grow and prosper in the wonderful world of whisky
“Hi Jake, there seems to be a misunderstanding. The Cask Whisky Association is an organisation open to everyone involved in buying and selling casks. Since you also buy and sell casks you are very welcome to join. Here is a link to the application form. If you have any further questions, please get in touch.”
Iam expecting a phoncall on thursday from riverside whiskey partners based in london and wanting 6200 for cask of whisky and been promised about insurance and all the sales pitch to go with it i think with a few of your videos i wont go through with it
. . . articulate and well presented commentary. There will be more on this subject soon.
wow, the legendary Ralfy in our comment section - I'm honoured! and you have my attention.. I'd love to talk if you're open to it. sláinte good sir
Great stuff Jake! I’ll add this to the list of you tube videos I recommend to anyone who asks me about cask investing.
Thanks Ben, appreciate the support! Sláinte my guy
Well said. Mark Littler has been providing some excellent insight into this scandalous trade. These people are sharks that don't care about their 'clients' or whisky.
Thanks for the support! Big fan of Mark’s content and glad there are others in the industry being vocal about these issues
As someone who has some casks and I see a lot of people just blindly buy casks because of hype I can say this is one of the best videos I've seen to warn people, never trust a broker, there are some good ones but most will lose you lots of money, love this video and wish people would listen rather than just but loads of casks, I know a friend of a friend who fell for the Annandale distillery where they promised cask investment where each cask was £6k, for a new distillery and one that had dubious investments, unless wanting to wait 20 years for a return it seems mental
Thanks for watching and for the support David! Great to hear cask owners are finding this content useful.
I hear what you’re saying about certain new distilleries on the scene selling casks at inflated prices and I agree that there is high risk involved. What I would say in favour of this practice vs. cask brokers/stockists is at least the inflated price you pay to a distillery is being reinvested into the distillery and therefore the industry as opposed to just paying the fat salary of some London trader who adds 0 value to the industry.
Again though, casks shouldn’t be sold as an investment and certainly shouldn’t have guaranteed buybacks. Nothing in life is guaranteed as we all well know.
Sláinte good sir 🥃
Thanks so much for pulling this video together, Jake. Very informative and helpful! Like the housing market, I hold a dim view of mixing scotch and investment in the same breath, the same as the real estate market. It's basically fed on greed and furtilises inequality. Whiskey is for drinking, houses are for living in. The opportunity cost of mixing investment into the equation is lack of supply and upward pressure on prices. Just drink and share the scotch and they'll be plenty for everyone. Simples
Couldn’t agree more James. No harm in working with clients to mature and bottle casks, but everyone needs to understand the risks involved whilst also having realistic expectations on returns. But you’re right - whisky belongs in the glass and should be accessible for everyone. Sláinte my friend
Extremely well said Jake. Very bold video. I wholeheartedly agree and support your crusade for more equality, transparency and fairness in the whisky cask market. Well done!
Thanks Wouter, really appreciate the support and glad to know I’m not the only one feeling this way. Whisky was made for the people so let’s make sure it stays accessible to everyone. Sláinte 🥃
Well done Jake ! This is a must watch video for anyone who has interest in the Whisky market as a investor an as whisky enthusiast.
Thanks for the support Guilherme, really appreciate it and glad you’re finding value in our content
Good to hear this. Clearly a market that needs improved regulation throughout the end to end process. More transparency and honesty will help redress the imbalance for customers.
PS:
Are you making change at the Industry regulation level?
Have you presented your findings to Government/MPs/Committee/Scotch Whisky Association?
Facetious Idea: We need an offshoot of the London Stock Exchange; The London Scotch Exchange
we have indeed been making noise about this being the scenes, unfortunately it's one of those things that will take time to change. we're working on it though, trust me! thanks for tuning in and getting involved. sláinte
Idk anything about all this, I just like to drink Bourbon. These videos are still entertaining and educational. Good job!
glad you haven't got caught up in the murky world of cask 'investments' and are instead enjoying your drams where they belong - in the glass! thanks for watching, we really appreciate your support!
This is a great video. Well done buddy 👍
thank you! really appreciate the support and glad you're finding it useful
Well done jake , it’s good to hear the truth about what’s really going on .
Appreciate the support - felt that someone had to tie all of these stories together and paint a clearer picture
Because casks are often selling at prices that are so high they really couldn't be bottled and sold, these investors are relying on the "greater fool" theory to make money (whether they know it or not), in that the only way to make money on these investments is to find a new investor willing to pay more, rather than to actually bottling and selling the casks. It's one step up from a pyramid scheme.
you're exactly right Nicholas; couldn't put it more succinctly myself
Thanks for the informative video. It hurts a bit to see maclean in the photo of the group. I just hope he didn't get roped into the picture without full disclosure about what it was for. Self appointed regulating bodies with conflicts of interest are not what the industry should be wanting or accepting. We'll see what happens next.
Thanks for watching Tim, glad you’ve found it useful. I feel the same way - he’s an absolute legend and someone I’ve respected and admired since before joining the industry, so not where I wanted to see him either. Let’s wait and see what happens!
Brilliant video, Jake. I really appreciate you sticking your neck out on this important topic. Thanks!
Thanks for the support Dougie, really appreciate it. Always happy to stand up and speak out for end consumers and we’re keen to work closely with distillers moving forward to bring about tangible regulation
Wow - sounds like the wild west out there. Glad that you're helping to keep things honest!
More or less unfortunately. Just doing what we can to educate and inform
Great listen
Perhaps you should direct some questions at one of your old guests who seems to be listed on the CWA
Thanks Jo, glad you enjoyed it and appreciate the support! Not sure what you mean by old guests though?
Great video. This just popped up in my recommendations and it really was an eye-opening, thought-provoking experience. I'm relatively new to whisk(e)y, only about 3 years, so this is very useful to me. Thanks so much. I do believe that, as with real estate, that the investment culture in a way destroys commodities as they were intended to be used or consumed.
I noticed at the 4:00 mark that Charles MacLean is in the video. I have much respect for him, and have learned a few things from him, I hope he's not involved much at all in this legalized scam.
Thanks so much for commenting and delighted to hear you’re enjoying the content and finding it educational. I agree with your point about investment culture and hope we can drive some change within the industry. Sláinte!
I appreciate your comments!
Bought a cask of Whisky at a very realistic cost (price), not out of financial motives (greed), but rather to enjoy its contents once my daughter turns 18y/o.
Markets in a free economy are what its participants make of it. Bubbles all over the place are an indication of where people are headed.
Thanks Anza, we appreciate your interest! Buying a cask for the sole purpose of enjoyment is exactly the sort of thing we support here at The Whisky Baron - I hope it brings both you and your daughter a lot of joy in the years to come 🥃🥃 sláinte
@@TheWhiskyBaron 👍
@@Anza_34832also missed the last part of your comment where you talk essentially about markets being based on supply/demand and as such, bubbles are indicative of future trends. Spot on - it’s a shame so many people buy the hype as opposed to selling it
@@TheWhiskyBaron I’ve worked capital markets for many years…people trying to outsmart each other…greed & fear cycles. That’s why I knew from the beginning that Whisk(e)y is to be enjoyed, not an ‘investment’ or display of status. Equities and gold are investments - you can’t eat them. Obviously, many disregard this basic truth. Excellent to see that you are aware and vocal about it!
@@Anza_34832so great to hear a private cask owner with this outlook. Unfortunately not everyone is as educated as you and as already highlighted, there’s a lot of people buying the hype.
Thanks again for the support in driving this content forward 🥃🥃
I have worked with some of the organisations within CWA, they have as far as I can see acted with integrity and in good faith. Is it possible that you hold an altruistic view of the far left of the scale (standby if you ever release anything above fair market value) whilst dishonest and fraudulent cask investment companies operate on the right hand side. The CWA is a distinct group in the centre who seek to improve transparency within the sector through self regulation commonly agreed (sounds like a guild to me) to separate isolate and ultimately remove the far right hand side from the industry? Are they in it to get themselves and their clients rich of course they are but doesn’t mean they are crooks.
Thanks for joining UA-cam to engage with our content Luke, it’s greatly appreciated.
We are by no means altruistic and in no way have we stated any members of the CWA are crooks. We are simply highlighting some key information that we believe is important for private cask owners/‘investors’ to understand.
In that vein, I’d advise keeping your eyes on the news these coming weeks as there’s a lot more about to be uncovered
While there are certainly some shady practices going on, I firmly believe that not over-paying for anything is the only way to save the whisky industry. Speculators will exit the market when people stop paying ridiculous prices. Anyone watching this has enough whisky for several years of personal quality consumption. Enjoy your whisky 🥃 and forget about traders and corrupt practices.
Slainthe. Kind regards, SF.
I couldn’t agree more. Again, the idea that casks are an investment is untrue and misleading. There can be financial benefits, but whisky is made to be enjoyed and overpaying in order to enter a market makes speculation far riskier.
Bottles are always a safer bet as they’re easy to understand and you can be hands on with them. Plus you’re more likely to open and enjoy your whiskies! Thanks for commenting Sandro, really appreciate your thoughts and input 🥃🥃 sláinte
Hey, how about posting links to the mentioned articles.
Also great video, this needs to be said.
Great point Daniel - missing this was a complete oversight on our behalf.
Appreciate the input my friend, links are now in the description 🥃
What an informative video - thanks Jake!
Thanks for watching Koski, glad that you found it useful my friend
Eloquent and clear - top job
Thanks Mark; glad it’s well received and appreciate the support
Thanks for this informative video. Ralfy I think has made some cask investments in the past. Maybe do a livestream where you and him discuss this? Also does this mean now I stop patronizing some IBs because of these bad businessmen?
Thanks for watching Dean! I’ve got big love for Ralphy and would always be open to collaborative content with such a gent. Perhaps someone in the comments could introduce us..
I’ll leave that for you to decide but IMO independent bottlers who are working to provide value for the industry need as much support as they can get - it’s not always easy for us!
So glad the Whisky Baron is there to shine a light on the murky going on's and scandalous actions, and to keep fighting the good fight against these fraudsters (also well summed up by Forbes). We need the Indi bottlers to survive and thrive. Slainte Jake
Appreciate the support as always Euan, you’re a gent and a valued member of our community. The issue here is that all the information is available if you know where to look, but most inexperienced ’investors’ in the space can easily be misled on such an esoteric asset. Hopefully the likes of Forbes will continue to be outspoken so that Indies like myself will continue to grow and prosper in the wonderful world of whisky
If you can not collect what you bought, it's a SCAM???
I wouldn't quite agree with that but it's definitely important to understand what you're buying and the process of ownership
Paying a fox to look after your chickens. CWA
well put!
I appreciate this video
Thanks for commenting Morgan and glad you’ve found it useful/interesting. Sláinte
Great advice are stick to buying bottles cheers jake
Bottles are definitely less esoteric and better suited to the average ‘investor’ so I can only agree with that. Sláinte Liam 🥃
again it's all about....MONEY!!!
For most people it seems to be
“Hi Jake, there seems to be a misunderstanding. The Cask Whisky Association is an organisation open to everyone involved in buying and selling casks. Since you also buy and sell casks you are very welcome to join. Here is a link to the application form. If you have any further questions, please get in touch.”
Iam expecting a phoncall on thursday from riverside whiskey partners based in london and wanting 6200 for cask of whisky and been promised about insurance and all the sales pitch to go with it i think with a few of your videos i wont go through with it
I'd certainly advise caution - £6.2k is no small amount of money!
When it smells and looks like poo, take a guess.
Whilst this is a serious topic, your comment has brought some levity to the situation for me so thank you for the laugh