874 Club FAQ’s

Got a question? Read on below to find answers to the most common questions about our 874 Club packages. If you can’t find the info you need drop us a line at 874club@8doorsdistillery.com and we’ll get back to you.

Why 874 Club?

We see the creation of single malt whisky as a great journey.  Our 874 Club takes its name from one of the greatest journeys in the UK - the Lands End to John O’Groats road trip which is the length of Great Britain and 874 miles long.  As a member of the 874 Club you’ll start our whisky journey with us helping to the launch the distillery, follow the journey as the new make spirit comes off the stills, and reach our final destination when we release the first single malt whisky in John O’Groats for 180 years.

What memberships are available in the 874 Club?

We have 2 tiers of membership in the 874 Club:

874 Club – this is our bottles package
874 Founders Club – this is our cask packages

See Cask Packages FAQs below and Bottle Package FAQ’s here.

Cask Packages FAQ’s  

What do I get in the cask package?

The 874 Founders Club offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to own one of the first casks from 8 Doors Distillery. We have a limited number of 250 founders casks available in 2 sizes:

50 litres
250 litres

What are the wood types and how are the casks seasoned?

You can choose from the following 5 combinations of wood types and seasonings which have been pre-selected by John Ramsay for the 874 Founders Club:

Quercus Robur (Spanish Oak) ex-Oloroso Sherry
Quercus Robur (Spanish Oak) ex-Pedro Ximenez
Quercus Petraea (European Oak) ex-Oloroso Sherry
Quercus Alba (American Oak) ex-Oloroso Sherry
Quercus Alba (American Oak) ex-Brandy

What will the cask filling strength be?

The casks will be filled with 8 Doors spirit at a strength of 63.5% abv.

Will the spirit be peated or unpeated?

The spirit in the 874 Founders Club casks will be unpeated.

Will I get cask samples?

Yes, every year we’ll send you 2x 100ml samples from your cask along with tasting notes from John Ramsay. One sample to taste and one to add to your display stave which is sent to you as part of your ‘whisky journey pack’.

Can I visit my cask?

You get free tours for life as part of your member benefits so you can visit your cask as part of any booked tour.

How will the casks be matured?

The casks will be matured in our dunnage style warehouse on our coastal site in John O’Groats. To be called Scotch Whisky the spirit must be matured in Scotland for a minimum of 3 years in an oak cask. We will only release these casks when we and John believe they are ready.

Are there any additional costs over and above the purchase price?

Yes, other charges will apply once your cask has matured. Summary below, but please see individual FAQs and our Terms and Conditions for more information on each of these.

Bottling

Bottling costs apply and will be charged at standard industry rates at time of bottling

UK Duty

HMRC charge Duty on liquid based on the percentage of pure alcohol. This is due when the cask is to be removed from our bonded warehouse and is measured in alcohol per volume (abv.)

VAT and other Taxes

UK VAT (Value Added Tax) is currently 20% and is due after your cask has been bottled and the finished goods are removed from our bonded warehouse. Different rates of Duty apply throughout the EU and the rest of the world.

Tax variations

All taxes and duty are subject to change by the UK or country specific governments.

Delivery

Delivery costs will apply and will be charged at standard rates at the time of bottling. You also have the option of collection at the distillery.  

Duty and tax examples:

Duty and Tax are subject to change over time, so the information below should be used as a guide only based on current rates.   

50 Litre Cask:

Your 50 litre cask, which was filled at 63.5% abv. and has been subject to 5% angel’s share evaporation is estimated to hold 24.47 litres of pure alcohol after 5 years maturation. Based on current duty rates of £28.74 (valid at 1 September 2020) per litre of pure alcohol, this equates to a total of £703.33 alcohol duty to be paid at time of bottling.

250 Litre Cask:

Your 250 litre cask, which was filled at 63.5% abv. and has been subject to 3% angel’s share evaporation is estimated to hold 122.68 litres of pure alcohol after 8 years maturation. Based on current duty rates of £28.74 (valid at 1 September 2020) per litre of pure alcohol, this equates to a total of £3,525.88 alcohol duty to be paid at time of bottling.

The table below gives an idea of the potential total cost of ownership for each cask size and the final payments that will be due upon maturation.  The figures used in this table are all subject to change.

We have estimated the bottle count at the end of the maturation period. The final bottle count may vary according to the length of maturation and the resulting angel’s share which is the natural evaporation and subsequent loss of spirit that occurs during maturation in the cask.

In these examples the final payment due at the time of bottling would be:

50 litre cask: Total Price £2,992.00 minus initial purchase £1,600.00 = £1,392.00
250 litre cask: Total Price £11,014.06 minus initial purchase £4,700.00 = £6,314.06

How do I place my order and what happens next?

We have partnered with Whisky Hammer for the sale of our 874 Founders Club Casks. All orders should be placed via their website where you can specify the cask size and wood type/seasoning and name for the Founders Display (if applicable). Whisky Hammer will take payment for your chosen cask at time of order. The 8 Doors team will then contact you by email to provide your cask order confirmation. You will then be sent the various items that form part of the 874 Founders Club benefits as mentioned above. Once your cask has been filled you will be sent your cask certificate of ownership.

How many bottles will I get at the end?

As part of the maturation process, natural evaporation and the subsequent loss of spirit from the cask will occur, and this all has an impact on the final number of bottles that can be filled.

An estimated evaporation rate for a 50L cask can be up to 4-5% per year, and a 250L cask can be estimated at 2-3% per year. However, the size of the cask, cask location, filling strength and length of maturation can all affect this rate of loss. Therefore, we can’t guarantee the amount of spirit remaining in the cask at the end of the maturation period.

Estimates below are based on 5% angel’s share for the 50L casks, and 3% angel’s share for the 250L casks, both bottled at 46% abv. These numbers are approximate and actual results may vary based on the factors above.

50 litre cask would yield approximately 76 x 70cl bottles after 5 years
250 litre cask would yield approximately 380 x 70cl bottles after 8 years

How does the bottling process work and are there any charges?

All bottling will take place on site at the distillery.  You will have the choice of bottling your whisky at cask strength or at 46% abv.  The cost of bottling is not included in your initial purchase and will be charged based on standard industry rates at the time of bottling.  We will contact you at the time of bottling to confirm the bottling strength and applicable charges.

If you choose to bottle your whisky at 46% abv. the water used to reduce your spirit down to this strength will be the same water as used throughout our process.

Can I decide when to bottle my cask?

We will contact you to advise when your Cask Contents can be bottled, it is estimated that this will not be before it has matured for a minimum spirit maturation period of 5 years. You may request that your cask gets bottled at any time after our initial recommendation. If you request to bottle your cask after our initial recommendation you need to give us three months’ notice in writing to allow time to schedule bottling, labelling and duty preparations.

We will cover the cost of warehouse insurance, rent and repairs for a time period of up to eight years. If you wish to leave your cask maturing for longer than 8 years then additional costs will apply. Sampling and cask repair will also be chargeable after the 8 year period and we will not replace spirit losses which may occur, nor spirit in your cask which has not matured to the quality standard expected by us.

Can I partially bottle my cask?

If you own a 50 litre cask the Cask Contents must be bottled in its entirety. If you own a 250 litre cask it may be possible to bottle the Cask Contents in two stages, please contact us to discuss your requirements at that time, additional charges may apply.

Can I get my whisky delivered in the cask it was matured in?

We do not currently offer the option to keep your cask and all whisky must be bottled by us at the end of the maturation period. We will retain the cask after your whisky has been bottled. Scotch Whisky Regulations specify that Single Malt Scotch Whisky can only be exported from Scotland in bottles.

What are my delivery & collection options?

The cost of delivery is not included in your initial purchase and will be charged at standard rates at the time of bottling.

Please note that deliveries to the United States of America will need to be managed through our nominated distributor.

We welcome you to come to the distillery and collect your bottles personally by prior arrangement. Just let us know if this is your preferred option and we will agree a mutually suitable date and time. All costs for any collections are your responsibility.

Where do you deliver to outside the UK?

We aim to ship to as many locations globally as possible, but there are some restrictions out with our control - please check that we can deliver to your location before ordering. Please note we can only deliver to the following states in the USA: AK, CA, CT, DE, FL, ID, LA, MA, MD, ME, NE, NJ, NM, NY, OR, RI, TX, VA, VT, WY and Washington DC.

What will the bottle labels look like?

The images on our website give a good indication of what these labels could look like, but final labelling and packaging details will be confirmed by us with you at the time of bottling.  Labels must comply with all Scotch whisky legislation and any other relevant legislation at the time. The label will record that the product has been distilled, matured and bottled at 8 Doors Distillery and we shall endeavour to accommodate any reasonable requests for customisation of labelling (at your cost and provided that we shall be under no obligation to accommodate any customisation that may, in our opinion, adversely affect the Brand).

Why are you offering small casks?

With a higher liquid-to-wood ratio the maturation time is quicker and the extra contact with the wood and previous oloroso sherry seasoning will enhance the final flavour profile.

What are the additional membership benefits of being in the 874 Founders Club?

The names of 874 Founders club members will be recorded on the distillery tasting table as a permanent reminder of those who joined us at the start of our journey.  If you’d prefer to remain anonymous, just let us know when you order.

Other member benefits include:

*note that these timescales are subject to change

Capital Gains

Whisky purchased in a cask in the UK that is for personal use (e.g. a gift for family, a special birthday or wedding present etc.) is considered exempt from Capital Gains Tax.  This is because in the UK, Capital Gains Tax is not applicable to whisky as it is regarded as a ‘tangible’, ‘wasting’ asset.  On realisation of the asset you would not be expected to pay Capital Gains Tax.

Cask Terms & Conditions

Download the full terms and conditions here.