Whisky syndicates are groups of private owners and many have been around for years. The main purpose is to bring together a group of like-minded people to enjoy the benefits of cost sharing in order to invest in whisky casks and to eventually bottle for private consumption. As it will take over five years for one person to get through one cask at a bottle per week, remembering that this is at cask strength which is more like 1? bottles at 40%, it follows therefore that a syndicate of five could organise one cask per year between them and have a regular supply with more variety.

Here is where companies that promote whisky syndicate communities can help; they provide a forum site where syndicate groups and private owners looking to join syndicates can exchange information. This way a syndicate community can be developed and help you find the right partner or partners to share your love of whisky.

This way a syndicate community can be developed and help you find the right partner or partners to share your love of whisky.

Using syndicates can be fun not to mention reducing the cost burden. A private syndicate which is not trading, i.e. buying and selling casks for profit, can be treated in the same way as an individual private owner and do not currently need to be registered with Customs and Excise.

Not only can companies help you to find like-minded whisky enthusiasts but they may also are able to offer you the facilities to support your syndicate.

Many supporting companies can have access to large numbers of casks with whisky from virtually all areas of Scotland being available although the currently fashionable distilleries will of course be scarce and relatively more expensive.

Casks of whisky can be stored in their bonded warehouse until required for bottling when they can withdraw them for processing including reduction of strength, colouring and chill filtration (if required), bottling, labelling (bespoke for each syndicate member if required), through to packaging and despatch.

Most companies will take cask samples at regular intervals that allow you to monitor the development and maturation of your whisky. If you feel that you wish to add a different finish to your whisky you can request a re-rack into a variety of different casks. These vary according to availability and can include cognac, armagnac, rum or freshly re-coopered oak. Bonded warehouses are also able to store the finished product for you in bonded storage. The majority of expense when bottling is incurred in the form of duty and VAT with VAT also being levied on the duty. You can store your whisky under bond and pay the duty and VAT as and when you remove the goods for use.

N.B. - It is always advised to state the terms of your syndicate in writing.

Kevan Jones is the Director of Craigton Packaging Ltd., they are a small privately owned company that specialises in very short run bottling operations. They focus in catering for the needs of whisky syndicates and offer a whisky forum for their users and have a number of whisky casks available to purchase. Craigton Packaging present a variety of services to support syndicates from re-racking of cask (if required), colouring, labelling, bottling and storage of end product in their bonded warehouse.

Craigton Packaging Ltd. are based in Paisley and service UK and international customers.

t: 0044 (0)141 887 0244
f: 0044 (0)141 887 5462
e: info@craigton.com
w: http://www.craigton.com

Forum: http://craigton.forumsplace.com