Spear’s Review

Former Diageo adviser Rupert Patrick set up WhiskyInvestDirect in 2014 ‘to change the status quo’, he says. The idea was to enable anyone to own maturing Scotch whisky in an industry where ‘historically, only distillers and blenders benefited from the good returns’.

According to the company, it allows private investors to buy quality whiskies at wholesale prices. Meanwhile, economies of scale mean that users benefit from ‘exceptionally low costs’ while storing their whisky in the original distiller’s warehouse.

Users buy and sell their spirits through a peer-to-peer trading exchange where ‘transparent and competitive prices are provided 24/7 by other users and industry bidders’. 

Patrick is also the co-founder and CEO of James Eadie, an independent Scotch whisky blender and bottler.