Whisky cask ownership: What should discerning cask owners be buying right now – we asked the experts

What whisky to buy right now and why older casks are catching the eye of discerning cask owners.

The Scotch whisky market has had a difficult few years. After the boom of the Covid era, when consumers spent more on premium bottles and confidence seemed almost limitless, demand softened and distilleries were left carrying significant stocks of whisky.

Founded by Simon Aron in 2018, Cask Trade draws on his two decades of experience as a passionate whisky collector.

Now a global marketplace and one of the world’s largest whisky cask stockists, it helps private clients and trade customers buy, manage, bottle, and sell with confidence. Its extensive selection spans distilleries, ages, and cask types, with an expert team helping each customer find the right cask for their individual goals.

Combining personal guidance with insight into market trends, Cask Trade provides ongoing support throughout the cask ownership journey.

Here Cask Trade Sales and Marketing Manager Dr James Phillips* sets out their assessment of today’s market and what he would recommend people buy.

Green shoots for cask owners?

Whisky markets, like most markets, are cyclical. And I think we are beginning to see some green shoots.

The Scotch Whisky Association reported that global exports of bottled single malt rose 13.6% by volume in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. Export value also increased by 2.9%, reaching £2.5bn, with India, Singapore, Spain, China and Japan among the leading markets. That growth is not universal – exports to the US and France fell – but it does suggest that the picture is becoming more nuanced.

For anyone considering buying a cask, that creates an interesting opportunity.

Age is suddenly more affordable

The area I am particularly interested in at the moment is older stock. We are finding excellent availability of casks over 18 years old at prices I have not seen for many years.

If you can buy an 18-year-old cask today for roughly what a 15-year-old might previously have cost, I think it is worth taking a serious look. You already have age on your side, but still have the opportunity to allow the whisky to mature further.

The market is already giving us some fascinating examples. The Thompson Brothers in Dornoch recently released an 18-year-old Highland whisky for around £65 a bottle. It is a good illustration of the quality and age that can now be available without the price tag we might once have expected.

But age alone is not enough.

I would be very wary of buying a cask simply because somebody has put the word “old” in front of it. A genuinely attractive cask needs something else: excellent liquid, a respected distillery, genuine rarity, strong naming rights or, ideally, a combination of these factors.

Think about your timescale

The other question I always ask is: how long do you actually want to hold the cask?

For someone intending to bottle relatively soon, a cask with a lower ABV and a whisky that is already drinking beautifully may make perfect sense. For someone planning to hold for five or 10 years, I would look for something with more room to develop.

We saw this recently with a parcel of 2008 Glen Grant casks. Some were around 55% ABV, potentially yielding about 200 bottles, and were tasting exceptionally well. Others from the same batch were above 59% ABV, with the potential for more than 250 bottles. They were priced similarly, but suited very different strategies.

Neither was inherently better. The right choice depended on what the buyer wanted to do.

That, to me, is the key point in today's market. Cask buying is not simply about finding the oldest whisky or the lowest price. It is about matching the liquid to your timeframe and understanding what you are buying.

For a long-term buyer, younger whisky can still offer an attractive entry point and plenty of time for maturation to add value. But right now, the unusual opportunity is older stock.

An 18-year-old cask bought at today's prices could be 25 years old in 2033. If the market continues to recover, that combination of maturity, scarcity and improving sentiment could make today's softer market look rather different in hindsight.

James' Cask Highlights:

- 2013 Aberfeldy Bourbon Barrel

- 2015 Ben Nevis Hogshead

- 2008 Glen Grant Refill Barrel

Learn more about cask investment

Visit the Cask Trade website here and follow them on Facebook here, to learn more about Cask Ownership and download their newest Cask Whisky Marketplace Guide, released on October 20th 2026.

Contact Cask Trade's Account Managers on +44 (0)203 746 3034 to discuss all the available casks on their extensive stocklist.

* Dr James Phillips has spent close to 20 years in the drinks industry. Prior to joining Cask Trade, he worked as the Spirits Buyer for London wine merchant Jeroboams. James holds a General Certificate in Distillation and regularly judges at the International Wine and Spirits Competition. He also has a PhD in Cultural Studies from Goldsmiths University, London.