We are here to help build your legacy

About Whisky 1901

At Whisky 1901, we can help investors build their asset portfolios. What was once only available to savvy industry insiders is now available to all.

The Whisky 1901 team blends in-depth whisky knowledge with hard-headed investment expertise. The brokers you work with are supported by a fully resourced back office team keeping all functions, including accounts and cask management, inhouse.

Whisky cask investment in the UK is a new chapter in whisky’s centuries-old history and no-one involved can claim to have been founded in 1901!

Our name is actually an affectionate nod to our founder’s father. He introduced the Director to the joys of top-quality scotch by sharing the occasional dram of what is now his favourite whisky, a GlenDronach from cask number 1901.

Your guides to the world of Scotch Whisky

Download our free whisky investment guide

Who we are

Whisky 1901 is a leading Scotch whisky investment company. We help connect potential investors with the right cask of Scotch whisky.

Our expert team has years of financial experience and knowledge about the whisky industry. We can help investors through the process to find the best investment for them.

Founded in 2019, Whisky 1901 now works with 250+ clients and has 1,000+ whisky casks under management.

HOW WE OPERATE

Our team of 12 is based in London, in offices opposite the iconic, luxury Harrods store in Knightsbridge. Our brokers visit Scotland several times a month, but we value the detachment physical separation offers. Whisky and the distilleries where it is created are full of romance, something that can distract from clear-headed investing.

Currently our clients are mainly although not exclusively UK-based. Our plans include extending into Europe, then moving further afield with Dubai and the Middle East.

Operating as a compact but fully resourced team ensures all our clients enjoy direct contact with key advisors and the people managing their casks through the course of their investment.

What we do

Our team deeply understands how valuable Scotch can be and we marry our financial knowledge with our deep passion for whisky, bringing our investors a measured, considered approach to investing.

We pride ourselves on our analytical process to whisky investing, where we carefully assess each variable from rarity, collectability and quality to determine the potential ROI.

We use our knowledge of the market, and our relationships with leading distilleries, to identify opportunities and purchase casks for our stock portfolio. So, when you invest in whisky in the UK with Whisky 1901, you almost always buy from our stock.

WHY WORK WITH US

Our principal income is the 10% commission we receive when you realise your investment. Sharing the journey in this way is an excellent motivation for ensuring we offer you casks with the best prospects for appreciation.

There’s another incentive. We own our casks: those few we don’t sell we hold and they must make a profit for us.

To minimise risks and maximise potential, Whisky 1901 deals only with Scotland’s top 10-20 distilleries: proven creators of Scotch that is perennially in demand.

Meet the senior team

Aaron Damiano Sparkes

Managing Director

Aaron has built a career in whisky and wine investment over many years. In that time he has developed detailed knowledge of the workings of the industry and a valuable portfolio of high-level contacts with leading distillers.

Aaron was driven to strike out on his own by a growing dissatisfaction with the real value of some of the casks he was being required to sell as an employee. He created Whisky 1901 so he could have complete autonomy over his product offerings.

Aaron is fully certified by WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) and Edinburgh Whisky Academy in Scotch Whisky.

Robin Sidhu

Head of UK Sales

Robin has many years’ experience in financial services industries. A business studies graduate of Brunel University London, he was for many years a financial advisor at Legal & General before moving into the mortgage sector and brokering.

Robin combines his investment expertise with a lifelong personal passion for whisky, supported with his WSET qualification which together have given him a deep understanding of the qualities of different malts from different regions.

Anthony Hayles

Head of International Sales

Anthony has extensive experience in alternative investments. Most recently he has been matching investors with opportunities in feature film assets. This role has seen him developing relationships and understanding the needs of high net worth investors’ goals at international film events such as the Cannes, Berlin and Toronto festivals.

A graduate of University of London, Anthony’s whisky knowledge and international business experience will support Whisky 1901’s evolving expansion into offshore markets starting with Europe and the Middle East.

Our People

Our team of brokers all have decades of experience in investing and their financial knowledge is unparalleled. Alongside a keen knowledge and interest in whisky, they can give investors expert guidance on the Scottish whisky industry.

In fact, each Whisky 1901 broker is certified and trained by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust, one of the world’s leading authorities on wine and spirits education.

Credentials

Find Out More

WOWGR License

Whisky 1901 is one of the few businesses in the UK to hold a WOWGR licence. A WOWGR licence grants permission for a business to own, buy and sell goods in duty suspension in a bonded warehouse. The application process is rigorous and any applicants must undergo a financial audit. Investing with Whisky 1901 means that all our investors will work with an expert who has been audited and approved by HMRC.

ICO

We are a registered company with ICO (Information Commissioner's Office), and we practise stringent data protection. All our investors’ data and investments are in safe hands and we would never sell their data to a third party.

Lawyers

Making a large investment can be incredibly daunting, but at Whisky1901, we recognise the importance of legal support, and we ensure that our investors will always be in safe hands. Our long-term legal partners guides our investors through the legal process and helps them navigate all the legal jargon. These lawyers are responsible for confirming the casks' transfer of ownership from Whisky1901 to the customer. We advise, consult and guide our investors through the process to ensure that all their questions are answered and they feel secure in their financial decisions.

Forbes Official Member 2022

Forbes Councils is a collective of invitation-only communities created in partnership with Forbes and the expert community builders who founded Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC). In Forbes Councils, exceptional business owners and leaders come together with the people and resources that can help them thrive. Criteria for acceptance include a track record of successfully impacting business growth metrics, as well as personal and professional achievements and honours.

WSET certified

Every broker is certified by the Wine & Spirits Education Trust

We are here to help build your legacy

About Whisky 1901