Process and Fees - VCL Vintners

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Process and fees

Transparent process,
transparent fees.

Investing in spirits should be straightforward. Our simple approach guides you from initial strategy through to long-term portfolio management, with complete transparency about fees and costs at every stage.

The process :

The journey begins

We'll understand your investment goals and build a personalised strategy. Your account manager will recommend specific casks with full details. To proceed, we require your signed agreement and anti-money laundering documentation (photo ID and utility bill).

Acquire & store

Payment is made via bank transfer. Once cleared, we issue your transfer of ownership, unique cask numbers, and storage facility details. Every cask we offer is one we own and have carefully selected. You'll gain immediate access through the VCL Client Portal to track your assets.

Realise your returns

Your account manager provides regular updates on maturation, performance, and market insights. Access your portfolio anytime through the VCL Client Portal. When you're ready to exit, we guide you through available options to maximise returns.

The journey begins

Acquire & store

Realise your returns

The VCL whisky investment process and fees

Our fees

We believe in complete transparency about costs. Here's a clear breakdown of all fees involved in your spirits investment.

Warehousing

Your casks are stored in secure, regulated bonded facilities. We cover all warehousing costs in Year 1. From Year 2 onwards, warehousing typically costs around £40 plus VAT per cask, per year.

Insurance

We include one year of insurance at no cost. After the first year, insurance costs £10 plus VAT per cask, per year.

Management fee

We charge a 1% annual management fee, based on the value of your portfolio. This is invoiced on each anniversary of your purchase and is payable within 30 days.

Performance fee

When you realise your investment, VCL takes 5% commission of any profit made. This aligns our interests with yours. The more profit we generate for you, the more we earn, which incentivises us to maximise your returns.

Tax considerations

All cask whisky is held under bond and is therefore exempt from VAT whilst in bond. If you choose to bottle your cask and remove it from bond, excise duty and VAT will apply at that point. However, most casks are brokered whilst still in bond, meaning these taxes do not apply. For UK taxpayers, cask whisky is treated as a 'wasting chattel' due to the 'angel's share' (natural evaporation), which means UK Capital Gains Tax does not apply. We always recommend obtaining independent tax advice for your specific circumstances.

Fees summary

Fees	Details	When payable
Warehousing	£40 + VAT per cask, per year	Year 2 onwards (Year 1 covered by VCL)
Insurance	£10 + VAT per cask, per year	Year 2 onwards (Year 1 included)
Management fee	1% of portfolio value, annually	On each anniversary, payable within 30 days
Performance fee	5% of profit	Upon realisation