Last week marked an exciting event in the Whisky 1901 calendar.
Along with four of our whisky investment clients, we visited the Lowland Bond facility in Fife where we are moving the majority of our casks.
When making an investment, tangibility and accessibility are extremely important. At Whisky 1901 we pride ourselves on the transparency and openness we offer to clients when it comes to their whisky cask investment. We want them to be able to see and experience it and have real confidence in the choices they make.
This means showing them the product, giving them regular updates and advice, and providing them with the reassurance that their investment is being looked after. As part of this process, we recently took four of our investors to the Lowland Bond facility to see – and even sample – their cask investments.
The facility can hold up to 20,000 casks and provides a premium service to investors. Custom-built racked storage means samples can be turned around in a matter of days rather than months. This is also one of the key reasons for the cask movement and reinforces our commitment to customers to provide them with the highest levels of service.
To aid transparency, all casks are barcoded and carry information from source to bottle. Cask safety and integrity is also a top priority. CCTV coverage, fire and intruder alarms provide added reassurance and added protection.
A weekly visual leak check is also performed by facility staff, to make sure casks have not sustained any damage. If a leak is detected, the facility will contact the client directly and exchange the casks immediately. Strict temperature controls also ensure casks are kept at the optimum temperature to minimise the risk of cask expansion.
Through our customer portal, investors will also be able to speak to Lowland facility staff directly to check in on their cask investment and request a regauge or sample without going through a broker. Casks can also be moved at the customer’s request.
On visiting the facility, our clients were extremely impressed with the operation and the ability to ‘experience’ their investment.
According to Allan Bell, “I have seen a few warehouses in my lifetime, and I am very happy with the facility here. The visit also gave a good insight into how the casks are stored. It’s fantastic seeing the operations being run so well.”
Paul McDonald added, “I have been incredibly impressed with the facility. It is a pretty exceptional thing, to be given a physical representation of such a precious investment.”
Following the Lowland Bond visit, investors were treated to a whisky tasting event at the Canonball Restaurant in Edinburgh.
The evening provided an opportunity to meet other investors, speak to the Whisky 1901 team and learn from whisky expert and consultant, Matt Chambers from Whisky for Everyone.
