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Private Cask
Your whisky barrel
Your Private Cask in 6 steps
From the construction of the barrel to the label - We have thought of everything.
This is the path of your Private Casks:
Buy your own whisky cask
Your personal St. Kilian whisky - that is a 30-liter barrel specially made by our cooper from the wood, pre-filling and recipe of your choice. Whether mild or smoky, sweet-vanilla or fruity-spicy - you decide how your whisky should taste.
In the small oak casks, the spirit matures into an aromatic whiskey with depth and complexity after just three years - and is ready for bottling in our iconic pot still bottle (0.5 liter). One cask yields up to 50 bottles of your whisky - individually labeled by hand, of course.
Whether as a special gift for friends or colleagues, for extraordinary occasions or simply for yourself: We make it possible for you to have your own Private Cask!
1. construction of your private cask
Every year we produce a limited number of customer casks. We have the small private casks rebuilt at great expense by a cooper from well-deserved large casks in which, for example, bourbon or sherry was previously stored.
2. selection of your barrel
What do you want your whiskey to taste like? Depending on this, you select an available cask type in which your single malt should mature. You can choose between Virgin Oak Casks (American white oak or European oak), Bourbon and Sherry Casks.
3. filling your barrel
We fill your cask with 30 litres of our smoky or mild distillate, straight from our Scottish copper stills - with an ideal 63.5% alcohol by volume for the perfect maturation of the whisky.
4. three years maturing time
In our cask store, your private cask matures into genuine single malt whisky in three years. Part of the spirit evaporates in the process - the so-called "Angels' Share". By the way: Once a year, you can visit your cask in our distillery during this time and taste a sample.
Bottling and labelling
Finally, the time has come: Your whiskey is bottled - at cask strength and with an individual label. A Private Cask yields up to 50 bottles of 0.5 liters each - depending on the exact filling quantity and evaporation during maturation.
6. your Private Cask is ready
Bottled and labelled, your own whisky is ready - for personal collection or dispatch.
This is included in the Private Cask package
The price of a Private Cask depends on the cask type, recipe and exact fill quantity and ranges from 2,400 to 3,200 euros. This is what is included in the Private Cask package:
- Barrel
- Distillate (mild or smoky recipe)
- Storage in our warehouse
- Barrel label with individual dedication
- Bottling at cask strength (up to 50 bottles of 0.5 litres)
- High quality labelling
- All applicable taxes (VAT and alcohol tax)
- Barrel insurance
By the way: Barrel owners are welcome to visit us and their barrel in Rüdenau.
Frequently asked questions about our whisky casks
What are the cask types and recipes for the Private Cask?
We offer each type of barrel with our mild or peaty recipe. Our peated malt is produced in the Highlands of Scotland and transported to Germany with the corresponding additional expense, consequently the price for the peaty recipe is somewhat higher.
Will there be any additional costs for the Private Cask?
Not with us - after receiving the signed order we will send you the invoice. The price includes all applicable taxes (VAT and AlkSt.) and costs (for e.g. bottling). After receipt of payment, the barrel certificate will be created and sent to you by mail. After that there will be no further costs for you.
Can I visit my whisky cask?
Of course, you may visit your barrel at reasonable intervals during the storage period and taste a sample. Please make an appointment for this in advance.
How does the ripening take place?
The maturation of the distillate in our individual 30-liter private casks is significantly faster (approx. factor 3x) than in standard casks (e.g. 190 liters). This is due to a more favorable surface-to-volume ratio, which is exponentially greater than in large casks.
How is the filling done?
After the individual storage time, we fill your Private Cask unfiltered and at cask strength into bottles (0.5 l - up to 50 pieces, depending on the storage period and filling quantity). Bottling and labeling is also included in the price. Refilling and re-stocking of your cask is possible on request.
What is the capacity of the whisky barrel?
The private casks of St. Kilian are built back with great effort from large barrels in the cooperage and are not calibrated. For this reason, each barrel has a different filling quantity (about 30 liters +/- 10%) and the prices of the individual barrels are correspondingly different.
How is my whisky barrel stored? Is it insured?
Your barrel will be stored in our customer barrel warehouse in Rüdenau. The 3-year storage including insurance is included in the purchase price. Longer storage periods are possible on request and for an additional charge.
What are the alcohol strength and Angels Share?
We fill the customer barrels with our distillate with approx. 63.5% vol. Alcohol. Various criteria, e.g. the type of barrel or the climate, influence the evaporation during storage. During storage, the amount of alcohol in the whiskey slowly decreases. The evaporated proportion of alcohol is called the Angels ́ Share. This amounts to a few percent per year, but cannot be precisely determined in advance due to the individuality of a cask. The alcohol strength also drops by a few percent during storage, usually to just under 60 percent by volume.
Can I store my whisky barrel at home?
You have a nice bar, a wine cellar or a suitable storage room at home and would like to set up and mature your barrel there? We would be happy to make that possible. We will provide your barrel with a wooden stand and tap and grant you a storage discount on the price when you purchase it.
Arrange a visit
Are you interested in a Private Cask and would like to learn more? Then make an appointment with us right away. On site at the distillery or online, we will advise you personally on your whisky.