Why The Borders Distillery Is Launching A Cask Transparency App
The Borders Distillery has launched an app that lets whisky cask owners track every stage of their spirit’s journey.
In a category where cask ownership can sometimes feel like sending money into a dark warehouse and hoping for the best, the Scottish Borders producer says it wants to make the whole process visible.
Whisky cask ownership has had a lot of headlines recently because of scams, speculation, and general confusion. Regulators and industry bodies are warning consumers to tread carefully.
If you’re thinking of investing in a cask, make sure you do your research first
The Borders Distillery launches 1837 private cask app
The new digital app is called 1837. It allows cask owners to track the full lifecycle of their whisky. It provides updates when a cask is filled, moved, sampled, or re-racked. That, along with maturation insights and notifications about key milestones, makes this sound more comprehensive than a glorified “your cask still exists” notification.
Whisky still matures at the same speed it always has. The app just means you can watch it happen.
The Borders Distillery directors have released 1,837 whisky casks (hence the name) for private sale for £2,995 per cask. This is quite a common way for a new distillery to raise capital. Brands also advertise it as a way to help people to be part of their story. While the romance is nice, without transparency, it’s a dangerous game. The Borders’ own website acknowledges that it is not authorised by the FCA to offer investment opportunities, and this scheme is aimed at whisky enthusiasts.
Wider reform around cask investment is still sorely lacking. Be very wary when it comes to anyone promising high percentage returns. For more info, be sure to read our guide: Tips For Investing in Whisky (And Avoiding Scammers). And be vigilant out there!
The Borders Distillery will soon be releasing a first single malt
“Cask ownership shouldn’t be mysterious”
The platform links to The Borders Distillery’s 1837 Private Cask programme. This allows whisky enthusiasts to own part of a limited number of individually numbered casks. Each is filled with new‐make Borders spirit and matured under bond at the distillery in Hawick. Cask owners choose their fill date and have five different choices of cask type to choose from.
The chosen cask will be filled with new make spirit at 63.5% AVC. Exact capacity varies by cask, but the aim is to fill to the cask’s full potential – typically 190-200 litres. Each individually numbered cask is stored under bond and bottled when the owner wishes.
“Cask ownership shouldn’t be mysterious. It should be something people can follow, learn from, and enjoy along the way. For many, buying a cask can feel like putting it in a cupboard and waiting years to hear anything. With our 1837 Casks, owners stay connected with their whisky and feel part of the journey, not just observers,” says Nathan Cahoon, COO at The Borders Distillery.
“This is an exciting time for The Borders Distillery – with our first single malt almost ready, we’re proud to be bringing whisky back to the region for the first time in nearly 200 years and showing the world what the Borders can do.”
The Borders Distillery is the first Scotch whisky producer in the area since the 1830s
The Borders Distillery prepares for its first single malt
The investment in the new digital platform is just the latest of a string of digital initiatives from the Hawick distiller. Late last year, the distillery invested in Bottle ERP technology to track whisky production from field to glass.
The Borders Distillery brought Scotch whisky production back to the Scottish Borders for the first time since 1837. Founded by John Fordyce, the £10m distillery began distilling in 2018, and the launch of its first single malt Scotch is imminent.
For more information on The Borders Distillery’s Cask 1837 programme, visit https://thebordersdistillery.com/private-whisky-cask.
