What is Beyond the Cask?
Beyond the Cask is our annual cask whisky marketplace report. It's written by experts who actually work in the industry and covers everything going on in the market including flavour trends, world whisky, independent bottling, and distillery fact files.
We write Beyond the Cask because we aren't just passionate about whisky but also about sharing our knowledge with everyone from complete beginners through to self-proclaimed whisky fanatics.
Beyond the Cask is your ultimate guide to cask ownership and provides everything you need to know about the whisky market moving into 2027. You won't want to enter the new year without it!
Sign in to read Beyond the Cask now.
New to Cask Trade? Register today to download your copy.
In This Issue:
Here's an overview of what you can expect to read about in edition four of Beyond the Cask:
The Cask Ownership Journey:
We have helped thousands of people purchase whisky casks, from initial contact all the way through to bottling! We sat down with one of our clients, Chris Harley-Martin, to get his thoughts on the process and give a real insight into the cask ownership journey.
Beyond the Tartan:
Earlier this year, we were honoured to have award-winning fashion designer Siobhan Mackenzie create our very own Cask Trade Tartan. To celebrate, we bottled a 2018 STR Red Wine cask from Nc'nean Distillery and debuted it at our annual Summer Event. Head of Marketing, Keira Watkins, breaks down the entire project and explains why this collaboration was so much more than just another marketing campaign.
You can also learn about the Cask Trade Tartan including where to purchase our limited edition bottling HERE.
New World Distilleries:
Keeper-of-the-Quaich, Colin Hampden-White, explores three distilleries from England, China and Vietnam who are creating spirits shaped by local ingredients, climate and culture rather than simply copying Scotch.
Did you know that we don't just stock Scotch casks at Cask Trade? Explore all the world whiskies on our stocklist by contacting our Account Managers today.
Flavour, Not Finish: A Shift in Whisky Thinking:
After years of increasingly elaborate experimental cask finishes on the market, we've noticed a rise in people seeking a spirit with a true distillate forward character. Keeper-of-the-Quaich, Colin Hampden-White, takes a look at how this flavour profile is formed and perhaps why it has returned to the spotlight.
Independent Bottling in Asia:
As you may already know, through Cask Trade Bottling, we help people to bottle their own whisky and work with many independent bottlers across the globe. Over the years, we have noticed some key differences between the independent bottlings happening in Europe vs in Asia. Ciara Sims, explores some of the flavour and packaging trends that we have seen, and loved, occurring in Asian independent bottlings.
Why Today's Scotch Whisky Market May Offer the Opportunities of Tomorrow:
Cask Trade's Head of Business Development, Scott MacDonald, assess the current whisky market and the recent changes in the industry while highlighting the opportunities that are to be had if you know where to look.
Trade Name Casks:
You may have heard the words "Trade Name Cask" before, but what do they actually mean? Does every cask have a trade name? Do trade names even matter? James Phillips, Cask Trade Account Manager, gives you the answers to all these questions and more. You'll also find a handy A-Z of every trade name cask out there to assist you with your next purchase.
What to Buy Right Now:
While it's important to understand the status of the current whisky market, arguably what is even more useful is to know how to use this knowledge to your advantage. Account Manager, James Phillips, talks you through some of, what we believe, are the best buys available at the moment.
To see our full stocklist of available casks, please get in touch to speak to one of our account managers.
Dos and Don'ts of Investing in 2027:
Thinking of purchasing a whisky cask in 2027? Make sure you read our dos and don'ts first!
Completely new to cask ownership? Read our handy beginner's guide HERE.
Factors Affecting the Value of a Cask:
There are many factors that affect the value of a whisky cask and it's important to be aware of them before buying anything. Our handy guide will help with your pre-purchase research.
Distillery Focus:
We've chosen ten stand out distilleries to profile for you this year. These range from reputable heritage giants to smaller kids on the block that we think are underrated gems. Brush up on your distillery knowledge with our fact files.
Interested in learning more about a particular distillery? Visit our Whiskypedia Hub.
What We've Been Up To:
2026 has been an exciting year for us at Cask Trade! We've attended some amazing trade shows, refurbished our warehouse tasting room and thrown some pretty spectacular events of our own! Peek inside our scrapbook.
Events to Keep on Your Radar:
Events and festivals aren't just a great way to explore new flavours and distilleries; they also support the industry. We've compiled a list of all the big whisky events that happen across the globe. We hope to see you at one soon!
Want to discuss any of the topics raised in Beyond the Cask? Get in touch with our Account Managers today.
Summary
