What Does It Mean to Buy a Cask of Scotch Whisky?

Sep 22

3 min read

Buying a bottle of whisky is pretty straightforward. Simply pop into your local bottle shop, have a browse, a little taste perhaps, and a few moments later you are walking out with a bottle of malt. Buying a whole cask is a little different.

Instead of buying a glossy and nicely presented finished product, you’re buying something in its infancy. At North Point, that means owning a cask of spirit crafted here in the Far North of Scotland and following its exciting journey towards becoming Dalclagie Scotch Whisky.

So, what does that actually mean?

You’re buying ‘whisky before it’s whisky’

Fresh off the still, this liquid carries a special designation called New Make Spirit. For this liquid to become Scotch Whisky, it must mature in an oak cask in Scotland for at least three years. There is no wiggle room and no flexibility on this point.Until the spirit hits the magical three-year point… it is New Make Spirit.

Buying a newly filled cask means joining that journey right at the beginning. We craft your spirit, fill your cask and look after it while it matures.

Over the years, the spirit interacts with the oak, gradually developing its colour, aroma and flavour. The natural evaporation, called the “Angel’s Share”, and the cask influence from our hand-selected barrels ensure that what you take from the cask will be very different from what went into it.

You can make it your own

Part of the joy of cask ownership is selecting the cask and what your spirit goes into.

Dalclagie is offered in two varieties, always using heritage grains and Kveik yeast. Unpeated is our ‘house-style,’ with the peated variant produced once a year. Due to its popularity and the limited production season, our peated offering is currently on a waiting list. So if peat is your thing, you might want to reach out now!

In Alex’s blog on the influence of Oak, we explore how the choice of barrels impacts spirit flavour, character and desirability. If anything, you probably have too much choice. But we can assure you that every barrel, from Kentucky Bourbon to Palo Cortado sherry, has been hand-selected by us for the Dalclagie programme. So if there is a particular influence, flavour, or preference for what you want your spirit to age in, we are on hand to support making that happen.

When you have selected your mashbill (peated or un-peated) and your barrel type, we will book you in for a filling slot, either in person or remotely. After your cask has been filled, you are presented with three really important things: your cask ID, a cask certificate, and a delivery order (DO). You should keep these documents in a safe place, as they prove legal ownership and if you ever need to contact us regarding your cask, your cask ID will be your reference.

Then you wait

Just because Scotch Whisky needs at least three years in oak before it carries its world-renowned moniker, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be ready to bottle on its third birthday.

In fact, it almost certainly needs more time.

Every cask develops differently. Even those filled on the same day, with the same spirit, into the same type of cask.

Our operations team monitors your cask as it matures and will help you decide what comes next. You might wish to bottle your malt, give it more time or explore further maturation or finishing.

And when bottling day eventually arrives, the number of bottles will depend on the cask, maturation time, Angel’s Share and your chosen bottling strength.

Why buy a cask?

For some people, it's simply about owning something genuinely unique. For others, a cask marks a wedding, anniversary, birthday, new baby, new business or another milestone worth remembering.

Families can buy one together. Friends can share one. Businesses can create something special for a future anniversary or celebration.

And there’s something rather nice about knowing that, somewhere in a warehouse in the Far North of Scotland, your whisky is getting older alongside you.

Your own cask of Dalclagie

Buying a Dalclagie cask means becoming part of our story before the whisky is finished.

You choose your spirit and cask. We make it, fill it, and look after it.

Then oak, spirit, and time take over.

And one day, when the whisky is ready, you can open a bottle knowing exactly where it came from.

Learn more about our Whisky production

Interested in owning a cask of Dalclagie?

Get in touch with Alex at alex@northpointdistillery.com to find out more about our Cask Ownership Programme and the options currently available.