Top 10 Whisky names, every Cask Investor needs to know

1. Macallan

We've ranked Macallan as our number one, naturally. It's perennially popular, synonymous with luxury spirits across the globe, and breaks records for the most expensive casks sold at auction (famously a 'forgotten' cask of Macallan 1988 sold for £1 million in 2022, after the distillery reminded the cask's owner). Bottles of Macallan remain a mainstay of the secondary whisky market, regularly achieving six figures, obviously making the acquisition of their casks, when available, a highly profitable investment.

2. Ardbeg

This connoisseur's favourite remains elusive, and a unicorn of whisky cask investment; exactly who purchased what's now known as 'Cask No. 3', a single cask which sold for £16 million in 2022, remains unknown - what's clear is the rarity value of this Islay-based Scotch brand. Sensible investors will look to purchase casks from other Islay distilleries nearby, with similarly unique, peaty marine flavour profiles.

3. Dalmore

There are Scottish single malts that are rare, and there's Dalmore. With a history dating back to the 1800s, it's famous for blending rare vintages - notably 1868, 1878, 1926 and 1939. Of the Dalmore 62, only three bottles are thought to still exist (though perhaps they've been drunk by now) and one sold at auction in 2017 for £114,200, with two bottles selling at Sotheby's in 2020 for a reported £266,200 each.

4. Glenfiddich

Again, a consistently popular producer of single malts, with bottles which regularly sell for high prices at action. In 2011, a single bottle of rare Glenfiddich Janet Sheed Roberts Reserve 1955, went under the hammer in New York for £46,850, making it the most expensive single malt Scotch whisky sold at auction at the time. Glenfiddich's association with Aston Martin (as well as James Bond), is yet another mark of this canny brand's global, high-status profile.

5. Springbank

One of the world's most respected whisky names, this Campbeltown distillery is listed in the Guinness Book of Records for producing the highest-priced miniature bottle of whisky - a rare 50 ml bottle of 1919 50 year old sold for £7,360 back in 2022, while a full size bottle of the same 1919 sold at Sotheby's in 2020 for £220,000. At the time of writing, a bottle of Springbank 1919 is currently online with a winning bid of £180,000 (reserve has been met) [source: www.whiskyauctioneer.com]

6. Laphroaig

Similar to its neighbouring distilleries on the Isle of Islay, including Ardbeg and Lagavulin, Laphroaig's reputation precedes it, but it still feels like a well-kept secret due to the heritage and traditions surrounding this brand, including the fact members of the Laphroaig society each own a square foot of turf on the island, which only adds to the mystery and desire of owning a cask of Laphroaig whisky itself.

7. Lagavulin

One to look out for, amongst the industry expert's favourites is Lagavulin's 1985 Diageo Special Releases, originally matured in Spanish sherry European Oak casks for over twenty years. It was bottled in 2007, with a release of just 6,642 bottles. Savvy investors should take note, distilleries which carefully limit their output are worth considering for investment.

8. Speyside

Something of an outlier in this list, Speyside Distillery happens to be one of the smallest, and prettiest in Scotland. Its fairy-tale setting in woodland - inside a converted 18th century stone croft with only four full time workers - belies the reality of rare, carefully curated single malts produced with profits in mind. Their Spey single malt has a Royal license while their Beinn Dubh, matured in imported port casks, has a distinctive dark colour. Fine and rare - we think this distillery is one to watch.

9. Bowmore

This particular single malt from Islay has captured whisky enthusiasts' imagination the world over, with extended periods of maturation lasting over 50 years. Bowmore's Crystal Decanter 1957, for instance, is a 57-year-old whisky that was finally bottled in 2011, with only 12 hand blown bottles ever produced. Bowmore's Archive Cabinet, featuring five of its whiskies, was sold at Sotheby's Hong Kong in 2021 for £409,000.

10. Highland Park

Finally, another rogue outsider, but one we think worth knowing. Highland Park distillery in Orkney rests at roughly the same latitude as southern Greenland, and has always done things its own way. After years hiding bottles under his pulpit, founder Magnus Eunson - a local church beadle and part-time whisky smuggler - finally went legal in 1798. Smart, savvy and far from traditional, Highland Park now focuses on sustainable local heathered peat, resulting in highly distinctive sweet, smoky and complex floral aromas.

Let our experts guide you

The whisky experts at London Cask Traders are here to help you every step of the way. Our experienced team will hand-select the most promising casks and bottles to help drive maximum returns and enhance your collection’s value. We’ll use our expertise and industry knowledge to help ensure you make savvy choices you can raise a dram to.

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