1. Choose
Select your cask
Select from three wood types, each offering its own character and maturation journey, then confirm your purchase.
Own a Cask of Witchmark English Whisky
Important information before you buy
Cask ownership is a long-term purchase and should not be treated as a guaranteed investment. Whisky-cask investments are unregulated in the UK. The value of a cask can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you paid.
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Whisky-cask investments are not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme or the Financial Ombudsman Service. Witchmark does not provide investment advice. Resale is not guaranteed, and Witchmark does not guarantee that it will buy back your cask. Duty, VAT, storage, sampling, bottling, labelling, transport and other costs may apply.
We recommend you read all the information on this page, and you may wish to seek independent financial advice before purchasing.
Our Spring/Summer release is now open.
Own a cask of single malt English whisky from Witchmark Distillery.
Choose your cask. Select a meaningful fill date. Follow its development over time, then bottle when the whisky is right for you.
A personal way to own part of the Witchmark story
This is not an off-the-shelf bottle purchase.
It is the opportunity to lay down your own cask with Witchmark, stay close to its journey through distillery visits and sampling, and bottle when the time is right for you.
Whether you are buying for personal enjoyment, to mark an occasion, or to create something to share for the future, cask ownership offers a more meaningful connection to the whisky itself.
2. Fill
We fill and lay down your cask
Your cask is filled with Witchmark new make spirit and stored in bond at the distillery, where it begins to develop its character over time.
3. Follow
Follow its progress
As your cask matures, you can follow its progress through visits and sampling, before deciding when the time is right to bottle.
Choose your cask
We offer three main cask options, each with its own style and price point.
These are the cask woods which will be used for our inaugural single malt. We also offer Islay, Ex-Madeira, Rum, Sherry and Tawny Port casks. Please speak to our Cask Specialist for more details.
All prices are for casks held under bond. Duty, VAT and bottling costs are payable separately when the whisky is removed from bond.
Ex-Bourbon (200 litres)
£4,995
STR (225 litres)
£5,750
American Oak (200 litres)
£5,495
What your cask purchase includes
What’s included
- Cask fill
- Storage in bond for 10 years
- Insurance for 10 years
- Certificate of ownership
- One sample at three years
- Visits by appointment
Not included / payable later
- Duty and VAT when removed from bond
- Bottling
- Labelling
- Transport
- Additional samples
- Storage and insurance after 10 years
- Any resale, transfer, admin or third-party fees
- Any independent financial, legal or tax advice
Why Witchmark?
Witchmark is shaped by the place it comes from.
The barley is grown metres from the distillery, and the water rises from beneath our feet, naturally filtered through the local limestone. Combined with traditional copper pot distillation and careful cask maturation, it creates a whisky rooted in Wiltshire from the very beginning.
A word from Jon, our co-founder
Questions before you buy?
Speak directly with our Cask Specialist.
If you would like to talk through the programme, cask types, ownership, storage, sampling or bottling, speak directly with James Partridge, our Cask Specialist.
James can answer your questions about purchasing and owning a cask (including options for shared ownership), and help you understand how the process works.
Witchmark Cask Programme – FAQs
Pricing & Payment
Our ex-bourbon casks cost £4,995, STR casks costs £5,750 and our American oak costs £5,495. Please note that HMRC duty and VAT become payable at the prevailing rates when the spirit is removed from bond.
Yes. Flexible payment options can be discussed at the time of purchase.
Ownership & Tax
Under current UK tax treatment, whisky casks may be treated as wasting assets and may not be subject to Capital Gains Tax. Tax rules can change and individual circumstances vary, so you should take independent tax advice before purchasing or selling a cask.
Yes. You can purchase a cask on behalf of someone else; the relevant paperwork will need to be completed.
Ownership of the cask remains with you.
You will own the spirit within the cask, rather than the wooden cask itself. The cask remains the property of Witchmark; however, if you wish to purchase the cask at a later stage, this can be discussed with our team.
Value & Investment
A cask may increase or decrease in value over time, and there is no guaranteed resale value or guaranteed buyer. The value of a cask can be affected by market demand, the distillery, cask type, age, strength, volume remaining, storage history and wider economic conditions.
Witchmark does not provide investment advice and does not guarantee to buy back your cask. If you are considering cask ownership as an investment, you should take independent financial, legal and tax advice before purchasing.
This may be possible, but we cannot guarantee that we will buy it back or at what price.
Storage & Location
Storage is included for the first 10 years. After this period, storage charges will depend on costs at the time, but at today’s prices are approximately £25 per month.
Yes, but duty and VAT become payable when the cask is removed from our bonded warehouse. Please note that the wooden cask itself remains the property of Witchmark and must be returned undamaged after bottling. If you wish to keep the cask after 10 years, you can purchase it from us at the market rate.
Yes, your cask is fully insured for the first 10 years while stored with us.
The Whisky
New make spirit is freshly distilled whisky spirit that has not yet been aged in a cask. It’s the clear, high-strength liquid that will develop into single malt whisky over time through maturation in oak.
Between 240–330 bottles depending on when you choose to bottle and at what strength. After three years’ maturation, we would expect approximately 330 bottles at 46% ABV, or around 240 bottles if bottled at cask strength.
Yes. This is known as the “angels’ share.” It’s not an exact science, but around 3% evaporates in the first year, with slightly less evaporation in each subsequent year.
Duty is currently £33.99 per litre of pure alcohol. This rate may change over time. While your cask is in bond, no tax is payable.
Cask Details
Our ex-bourbon cask and american oak casks have a capacity of 200 litres. Our STR cask is 225 litres.
Yes. Our casks will be first-fill ex-bourbon, STR or American oak. Other wood types may be available subject to availability and may incur an additional cost. This includes Rum, Islay, Madeira, Sherry and Tawny port.
Yes. You will receive a certificate showing your unique cask number, based on the order in which it was filled. Your invoice also serves as proof of purchase. For shared ownership, one certificate in total will be issued per cask.
Your spirit will need to be matured for a minimum of three years in the selected cask to be classed as Whisky, there is no upper limit on how long a whisky can be aged as long as the whisky in the cask does not drop below 40% ABV, just the limit of your patience.
It is worth remembering that different casks produce different flavour profiles over time and can vary more than expected year to year so we recommend regular sampling to ensure you bottle your whisky at the right time for you.
Experience
Yes. Visits can be arranged by appointment. We ask for a minimum of five days’ notice, or longer if you would like to take a sample during your visit.
Yes. One sample at three years is included in the purchase price. If you would like further samples after that, these are available on request at £25 per sample. Samples are usually dispatched within two weeks. This applies to UK shipping only, with overseas shipping available at an additional cost.
When the time comes for you to move your whisky from cask to bottle we will be on hand to discuss custom label options and can also advise on various bottle types and costs in the market at the time.
We currently do not provide a label design or bottling service but can put you in contact with quality third parties.
Multiple options are available for finishing in a variety of casks. More details available on request.
About English Whisky
English whisky is still a young and developing category, with a growing number of small independent distilleries helping to shape its future. For buyers interested in following that journey closely, cask ownership offers a direct connection to the maturation process from the beginning.
Any further questions?
If you purchase as a consumer online, you have a 14-day cooling-off period from the date we confirm your order, during which you may cancel without giving a reason, unless your cask has already been filled, personalised or another statutory exception applies. This does not affect your statutory rights.
