As whisky cask investment faces growing scrutiny due to unregulated third-party schemes, CVH Spirits, owners of Bunnahabhain, Deanston and Tobermory, is launching a direct-to-consumer alternative rooted in transparency and heritage. For the first time, private investors can purchase peated new make spirit casks directly from the historic Bunnahabhain distillery on Islay.
“Too many have entered the space offering unclear ownership structures and unrealistic returns,” says Ronan O’Rahilly, CEO of CVH Spirits. “As producers, we believe in doing things the right way, with full transparency, legal clarity and a long-term view.”
This limited release features Staoisha, a rare peated expression traditionally reserved for blending. Casks are available in 200-litre ex-bourbon barrels, 250-litre refill hogsheads or 500-litre Oloroso sherry butts. Each will mature for at least five years in Bunnahabhain’s coastal bonded warehouses, shaped by Islay’s rugged climate.
“This isn’t just any Bunnahabhain,” adds Master Blender Julieann Fernandez. “It’s a bold, smoky twist on our distillery’s character, produced in small batches and rarely seen outside our blending house.”
Unlike many cask schemes, CVH Spirits’ programme gives investors full legal title, annual updates and distillery-managed storage. There are no brokers, no middlemen, just spirit in oak, cared for by the team who made it.
“This is not a financial product dressed up in whisky branding,” says O’Rahilly. “It’s a tangible, provenance-led investment in a whisky that has never left our hands.”
With only a limited number of casks available, this marks a rare opportunity to own a part of Islay’s whisky-making legacy, direct from the source.
