Getting started
After her father passed away, Jemma Selves invested almost £6,000 of her inheritance in a whisky cask. She purchased a barrel of Glen Moray single malt Scotch whisky from the Speyside region via Whisky 1901.
“My Dad was a whisky drinker; he loved a bottle at Christmas – albeit the cheaper blends – so he would appreciate that I invested some of his money in this way. It feels fitting somehow”, explained Jemma.
Luxury lifestyle
Jemma is no stranger to a luxury lifestyle, working as a flight attendant on private jets. Her profession has taken her all over the world, including to India, her “favourite place”, which also happens to be Scotch whisky’s second largest export market by volume.
In addition to full-time employment, Jemma is the founder of tech start-up Senergi, and mum to a seven-year-old boy and a foster daughter.
Whisky tastes and tasting
“Since the birth of my son, nothing tastes the same”, says Jemma. “I used to prefer the smoky and heavily peated whiskies from the Islay region of Scotland. Now, particularly in the summer months, I love nothing more than a dram or two of a Speyside single malt with plenty of ice.”
Jemma has been on several whisky tours and tastings to learn about the five Scotch whisky regions: Speyside, Lowlands, Highlands, Campbeltown and Islay. These experiences have given her the opportunity to try a variety of whiskies and discover new distilleries and regions.
From enthusiast to investor
“As a whisky enthusiast, I’d heard quite a lot about whisky cask investment before I decided to invest. A friend of mine was one of a group of ten that collectively purchased a barrel, although they did so more for pleasure than as an investment. They bottled the whisky and divided the produce between them. After that, I knew I wanted to purchase my own cask. I knew it would be a good investment. I know the value fluctuates but performance is comparable, if not better, than gold”, explained Jemma.
While she’s never really dabbled in investments like stocks and shares, Jemma considers herself to be savvy with money. She owns a property with her partner and has invested in Premium Bonds. But made the decision to invest in barrelled whisky as an alternative to more traditional investments.
Enduring asset
Explaining why she decided to purchase Glen Moray, Jemma said, “I enjoy drinking it. It’s lovely as a single malt, but it’s also used in popular blended whiskies too, like Cutty Sark and Whisky Label 5 blend. I’m confident it will always be around and retain its value. Although this is a financial investment for me, it’s good to know that I will always own an asset, something I can bottle and drink if nothing else.”
Jemma is undecided on what she’ll do with her cask ultimately, i.e. whether she’ll sell it to realise a profit, or bottle it for consumption. “It really depends on whether I end up investing in more casks, as is my desire in future”, she explained. “I’d like to be able to sell a cask for a profit in the mid-to long-term and keep a cask that will mature and increase in value as it ages. Glen Moray is mass produced so this might not be the one to keep long-term but I’m learning so much as I go along from attending whisky events.”
Why Whisky 1901?
On why she decided to work with Whisky 1901, Jemma said, “I appreciated the way their advisors speak to me – they’re lovely people and I like the business set up – everything is clear and easy to understand, particularly when it comes to cask ownership. Other whisky cask companies operate differently, but with Whisky 1901 the cask is in your name, it’s yours.
“I’d been speaking to Whisky 1901 for around a year and a half before I invested. They would regularly contact me with details of casks available for purchase and I always said that when the time was right, I would invest. I know this isn’t always the case with other brokers, but there was never any pressure to purchase. When I was ready, I went with Whisky 1901 because I trusted them and appreciated their knowledge.
“Now when I speak with my portfolio manager, Michael Sparkes, we just have a chat. I managed to meet him and the whole team in person on the Whisky 1901 stand at the Game Fair recently. It was a fabulous day and the first time I’d met Mike in person after speaking for a couple of years. It was lovely to put a face to a name and a privilege to try Whisky 1901’s recently launched whisky, Edition One, from their independent bottling line, The Collection.
“I was also invited to Whisky 1901’s recent whisky tasting event in London. It was an amazing evening – we were well and truly spoilt by the Whisky 1901 team. This demonstrated the care and attention they give to each of their investors.”
To find out more about Whisky 1901 and how we can help you on your investment journey, contact one of the team.
