Tips for Buying Whisky at Auction

Back to help

Tips for buying whisky at an online auction

NAVIGATING AN AUCTION 

Exploring the entire auction? Sort by the highest bid price, lowest bid price, lot title A-Z and lot title Z-A. If you are looking for a bargain, then sort the auction by Bid Price (Lowest) to explore the lower end of the auction and perhaps discover an overlooked gem! 

Exploring a specific area? If your interest lies in a specific area then use our handy filter bar to narrow down your search. Our filter terms cover a wide range of criteria, so whether it is a specific distillery, region, type, age or a combination of these things, select all of the options that apply to your search and discover what the auction has to offer.  

Know exactly what you are looking for? Enter the details of the bottle into the search bar at the top right of the page to bring up all the relevant lots in the current auction. Perhaps you would like to know what this bottle has sold for in a previous auction? Just tick the previous auction box next to the search bar to find every example previously sold by Whisky Auctioneer. 

 

USING THE WATCH LIST FEATURE 

So you’ve found multiple bottles that you are interested in, but are not ready to place a bid?  

Don’t lose track of them in the wider auction and add them to your Watch List by selecting the star in the top right corner of the lot image. You can then access your full Watch List via your personal dashboard, monitor the bottles over the course of the auction and place that bid when you are ready. 

 

REVIEWING A LOT BEFORE BIDDING 

We provide clear images of every lot in the auction so that you have a good understanding of what you are bidding on. Lots are sold as seen, so before placing a bid be sure to carefully review the images and the lot description including any reports on condition and get in touch with any questions that might arise. Our team are also happy to provide further images or a condition report on request.

Make sure you read the Guide to Lot Icons here. This guide provides all of the information that is relevant to you dependant on whether you are a Buyer based in or outside the UK. 

 

SOME USEFUL LINKS 

There is so much to explore and learn about the world of whisky, we love to provide insight into the bottles featuring in our auctions through our social platforms, e-newsletters and news articles but there are also many excellent websites that you can reference. We've listed some of our favourites below that can help expand your whisky knowledge if you're interested -  

ScotchWhisky.com - Although no longer in operation, there is still a font of knowledge and information on the site, particularly in the Whiskypedia section.

The Scotch Whisky Association - The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is a trade organisation that promotes, represents and protects the interests of the whisky industry in Scotland and around the world.

FAQs

How can I appear as an anonymised bidder?

When browsing the bidding history on a specific lot,  the list of recent bidders is shown as 'anonymised bidders' with the exception of any bids placed through your account - which would appear as your username.

When logged into your account your bids are shown with your username, however, other users are not able to see this and you will appear as an 'anonymised bidder'.

User information/identity will never be revealed in the bidding process. We take user data and information protection very seriously at Whisky Auctioneer.  Find further GDPR info here

How does an online whisky auction work?

Customers across the world can choose to sell their whisky or other spirits with Whisky Auctioneer. Our Client Services team will support sellers by providing valuations for their bottles and advice on the best way to get their bottles to one of our offices for sale in our next auction.

The bottles will be checked-in, authenticated, photographed, and then listed into the next available auction by our expert team. Whisky Auctioneer hosts monthly auctions, where registered users from across the globe can bid on bottles via our website.  

After the auction closing date, the highest bidder will be notified by email. Payment is required within 72hrs. The buyer can then choose to ship, store, or collect the bottle(s). Buyer fees are applied during the online checkout process.  

The seller will receive payment within 21 working days of the end of the auction, directly to their chosen bank account. Seller fees will be applied to the seller’s invoice after the auction.  

When and how does an auction end?

The end date of the current auction will always be clearly displayed on the orange notification bar at the top of the website.

Our auctions will end anytime from 7pm (UK Local Time).  Once 7pm is reached, activity on any item will prolong the ENTIRE auction by a further 2 minutes.

This means that the entire auction will end when there has been no bidding activity placed within the last two minutes after 7pm. The auction will usually take several hours to finish after 7pm has passed.