Find answers to questions about buying and selling whisky at auction, managing your whisky collection online, payment, global delivery and contacting us.
Whisky Auctioneer makes it easy for whisky enthusiasts and collectors worldwide to buy and sell whisky through our monthly online auctions.
For Sellers:
For Buyers:
Whether you’re selling rare vintages or looking for your next great bottle, our online auctions provide an effortless, trusted, and exciting way to buy and sell collectible whisky online.
Yes, you can collect your bottles in person. Please be sure to book an appointment in advance, our booking calendars can be found on our Contact Us page.
Please note:
We ask that all sellers complete our Seller Form and book an appointment via our Contact Us page before dropping off bottles. This ensures our team is fully prepared to support you and that we can provide the best possible service.
You can book an appointment through our Contact Us page. Appointments are available for either dropping off bottles to sell or collecting an order.
Please note: our London Office is drop-off only.
Perth Office Opening Times: Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Book Appointment for Perth Office
London Office Opening Times: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
Book Appointment for London Office (Bottle drop-offs only)
Utrecht Office Opening Times: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm
Book Appointment for Utrecht Office
If you're collecting an order, please bring your order confirmation number. We also operate a strict Challenge 25 policy, so please ensure you have valid photo ID if you appear under 25.
If you're dropping off bottles to sell, our Client Services team will guide you through everything on the day. If you're new to Whisky Auctioneer, we'll collect your personal details to help set up your account, bottle information and any extras such as reserve prices you’d like to include.
The value of a bottle can change based on supply and demand, so it’s important to get an up-to-date valuation. At Whisky Auctioneer, we provide accurate valuations based on the latest market trends.
For a free, no-obligation valuation, simply complete our quick and easy Seller Form, and we'll get back to you with an estimate.
All the information you need to sell your wine can be found in our step-by-step Seller’s Guide. This guide is designed to walk you through our easy, hassle-free process and help you get started with selling your whisky at auction online.
You can find all the details about the fees involved in selling whisky at auction on our Seller Fees and Payment Terms page.
You can submit as many bottles as you like!
For larger private collections, Whisky Auctioneer offers a full range of services to make the process as seamless and straightforward as possible. We work closely with collectors to ensure everything runs smoothly.
To find out how we can help with selling your collection, simply complete our Seller Form and one of our experts will be in touch.
Whisky Auctioneer reserves the right to accept or reject any bottles/items at our own discretion. We do not accept the following items for auction:
For Wine or Rum, please visit our sister sites Wine Auctioneer and Rum Auctioneer!
Sellers are paid within 21 business days after the auction closes, but payment is only processed once the buyer has completed their payment.
Payments are made via direct bank transfer and may take a few days to appear in your account. Please note that any banking fees or exchange rates are paid for by the seller.
To ensure a smooth payment process, please make sure your Seller Payment Details are updated in your Personal Profile.
If your item does not meet the reserve price, the listing fee and reserve fee will still apply.
You can choose to re-list the item (subject to fees) or discuss having the bottle returned to you (subject to delivery charges).
Yes. Whisky Auctioneer can offer sellers a full range of services when it comes to larger private collections. The time and effort required to build such a collection shows commitment, care and enthusiasm and as whisky enthusiasts ourselves, we understand this and use our extensive experience in order to treat collectors prized possessions with the respect, esteem and attention they deserve. We work hand in hand with private collectors to make the process of using our services as seamless and straightforward as possible.
To find out how we can help sell your large collection, please complete our Seller Form and one of our experts will be in touch.
As an online business, Whisky Auctioneer is required by law to collect and report taxpayer information for sellers who earn certain income on our platform, in compliance with the DAC7 Directive (EU Council Directive 2021/514) and the Platform Operators (Due Diligence and Reporting Requirement) Regulations 2023.
Please note: This requirement does not create new tax obligations or change your existing ones. For more information, please refer to our Tax Reporting Obligations for Sellers.
You can find all the details about the fees involved in buying wine at auction on our Buyer Fees and Payment Terms page.
We use a structured bidding system to ensure a fair and smooth auction process.
Whether you set a maximum bid or manually place a single bid, the system will automatically increase your bid according to the following increments outlined in the table below.
We take your privacy seriously - user information and identity are never revealed during the bidding process. For more details, please see our Privacy Policy.
When browsing the bidding history for a specific lot, you will see that all bids are anonymised and only display a date and time stamp.
Our monthly auctions end from 7:00 PM (UK local time) on the closing date. If a bid is placed after 7:00 PM on any lot, the entire auction will be extended by an additional two minutes.
The auction will end once all bidding has ceased for two minutes. Based on previous auction activity, the auction will continue for several hours and is most likely to finish between 9pm - 11pm (UK local time).
Buyers have 72 hours (3 days) from the close of the auction to make payment. If payment is not received within this time, a late payment charge of 3% of the outstanding balance will be applied to the order.
Yes, you can collect your bottles in person. Please be sure to book an appointment in advance, our booking calendars can be found on our Contact Us page.
Please note:
Due to the governing laws for licensing in Scotland, there is a minimum price for alcohol units.
As a result we have introduced a minimum bid price for each item, £20 will be the starting bid for most bottles of whisky, but this will be calculated on a lot by lot basis (for example, multiple bottle lots will have a higher starting bid).
Yes, Whisky Auctioneer offers secure storage services. For more information and details on applicable charges, please visit our Storage page.
You can store your bottles with Whisky Auctioneer for as long as you like! Storage is charged at 3% (ex. VAT) of the bottle's hammer price for the first 90 days. After this, storage is charged at 1% (ex. VAT) for every 30 days your bottles are in storage with us.
Please note: there is a minimum storage fee of £5 per order (per 30 day period).
For full details, please visit our Storage page.
Yes! If you selected "Store" during checkout, your order will automatically be added to your Collection in your Personal Profile under "Stored." From there, you can select individual bottles and use the "Manage" three-dot icon to choose "Ship."
You'll then receive a shipping calculation for those bottles and have the option to proceed to checkout for payment.
Our initial storage term lasts for 90 days. After that, your storage will automatically extend on a monthly basis, charged at 1% for every 30-day period, as agreed during checkout. Extensions will renew on the 15th of each month.
To avoid automatic renewal, simply select "Ship" for your stored orders (this can be managed through your Collection on our website) or book an appointment to collect your bottles. Please contact our Client Service team for assistance.
Yes, we can ship to many countries worldwide. For a full list of available destinations, along with shipping costs and any restrictions, please visit our Shipping page.
We use DHL exclusively for all shipments (excluding U.S. orders), as we’ve found it consistently offers the best reliability and service. In fact, many customers used to request a switch to DHL, which led us to make it our standard courier.
Unfortunately, we’re unable to accommodate courier change requests. We’ve chosen DHL to ensure fast, secure, and professional delivery every time.
Please note: CID shipments are for U.S. bound orders only and are not available to buyers based elsewhere.
All Whisky Auctioneer orders are fully tracked, so you can easily follow your bottle’s journey. Tracking updates will begin once your order has been dispatched from our warehouse.
For orders processed by a forwarding company, such as those to the U.S., you'll receive additional tracking information as soon as it's available.
We aim to ship all orders within 10 business days of receiving payment. Once your order has left our warehouse, you can expect delivery within 5 business days to most locations. Please visit our Shipping page for more information.
Loss and Breakage Assurance (LBA) covers any breakage or loss that occurs during transit. Please note, it does not cover damage resulting from an item's condition, such as seal failures, cosmetic damage, or leakage due to natural deterioration.
LBA is optional and, if selected, is charged at 4% of the Hammer Price.
If breakage occurs during transit, it’s important to keep all original packaging and contact us immediately.
Despite the new regulations, we remain committed to providing a compliant shipment service to the U.S., ensuring you can continue adding to your collection without interruption.
Starting April 5th, the U.S. government will apply tariffs to all imports, including whisky. These are based on the product’s country of origin and calculated as a percentage of the hammer price. As per an update on 9th April 2025, a universal 10% tariff applies to all countries (excluding China, Mexico and Canada) for 90 days. Please note, U.S. products are exempt from tariffs.
If you are shipping lots to the U.S., please complete checkout as normal. Tariff fees for your order are now automatically calculated and applied at checkout as part of the normal process. The tariff is not included in your bid price and is charged in addition to the buyer’s commission and shipping costs.
Please note: Your order will not be dispatched until we have received full payment for your order, including the tariff.
Please note, the tariff landscape is subject to change and we recommend staying informed with the latest updates.
If you have any questions, please contact our Client Service team.
In compliance with EU Directive 2020/262, an excise charge will be applied to all EU Lots (per bottle) for clients based within the EU. This is a legally required charge for alcohol shipments from our Netherlands operations.
If your items are being shipped, this will be calculated during the checkout process. The amount is calculated based on the bottle's size, ABV (alcohol content) and the duty rate of the destination country. It ensures your purchase is fully compliant with local regulations.
To find the duty rate for alcohol in your country, you can consult the Taxes in Europe Database (TEDB) provided by the European Commission
Our Buying and Selling pages have all the information you need to help you through our auctions. Whether you are a buyer, a seller, or at the start of your journey with Wine Auctioneer, our helpful guides will give you the tools to make the most of our services.
If you still can’t find the answer you’re looking for, please contact our Client Services team, and they’ll be happy to assist you.
Discover and bid on old, rare and collectible whiskies in our online auctions each month.
Our global whisky auctions give your bottles the attention they deserve. Get started with a free valuation today.
