By partnering with smaller, start-up bourbon brands, Barrel Global allows customers to purchase a younger spirit at a lower price point and oversee its maturation, resulting in a truly personalized and unique bourbon experience. For those looking for big name whiskey though, don't worry. Barrel Global does offer Scotch Whisky to consumers both in the US and abroad - and has access to casks from all the big names, Macallan, Bowmore, Dalmore, Springbank and many others from suppliers and warehouse partners in Scotland.
Current American Whiskey partners include Revelton Distillery in Osceola, Iowa, Dueling Grounds Distillery in Franklin, Kentucky, and Coal Pick Distillery in Drakesboro, Kentucky.
As of right now, Barrel Global owns around 250 barrels of whiskey between their stocks of Scotch Whiskey and American Whiskey.
As one of the first consumer-facing barrel ownership companies in the US, Barrel Global is focused heavily on pushing the amazing bourbon and American Whiskey categories across the globe. The company's innovative approach to bourbon ownership has garnered attention from whiskey enthusiasts and industry experts alike. While restaurant chains and bars have been able to purchase whiskey by the barrel for special promotions in the past - and in larger volumes for white-labeled spirits as well, this is our opportunity as guys to truly have our own barrel and be part of the maturation process.
As they say, "there are many like it - but this one is mine"
In this article, we will explore the unique features of Barrel Global and why owning a piece of the barrel is the natural evolution for bourbon enthusiasts. We will delve into the company's ownership details, industry trends, and additional services, providing readers with a comprehensive understanding of this groundbreaking service.
Key Takeaways
- Barrel Global is a barrel ownership service that partners with smaller, start-up bourbon brands to give consumers a personal stake in barrel ownership.
- Consumers can purchase a younger spirit at a lower price point, oversee its maturation, and bottle design, putting them in complete control of when it's reached peak maturation.
- Barrel Global facilitates the design, packaging, and legally compliant shipping of bottles, allowing buyers to create personalized labels for their bottles.
- American Whiskey is currently experiencing unprecedented growth both domestically and globally, with private barrels driving enormous gains for distilleries.
Company Overview
Barrel Global is a unique barrel ownership service that offers consumers the chance to own a piece of a barrel and have complete control over its maturation and bottle design. Founded by whiskey expert and entrepreneur George Koutsakis, the company partners with start-up bourbon brands to provide a personalized ownership experience. Barrel Global has an initial focus in the US and Asia and works with up-and-coming distilleries to create a world-class experience.
The company issues legal certification to buyers conveying full barrel rights upon payment, and barrels are stored in a secure warehouse during the maturation process. Barrel Global adheres to a two-year minimum aging to meet legal bourbon requirements, and owners may schedule visits to the distillery or warehouse to check on their barrel.
The company also facilitates the design, packaging, and legally compliant shipping of bottles, and buyers can create personalized labels for their bottles. With its innovative model, Barrel Global has exciting expansion plans in the coming years.
Barrel Ownership Details
Buyers can select from Bourbon, Scotch, or Rye Whiskey options and then the buyer has complete control over when the spirit reaches its peak maturation during the maturation process, while the spirits are stored in a secure warehouse.
Barrel Global adheres to a two-year minimum aging to meet legal bourbon requirements, but owners may choose to prolong the aging process for their barrel. The industry standard for bourbon aging is four years and older, which is why Barrel Global offers spirits that have been aged for longer periods of time, with costs increasing to $6,000+ for a more mature product.
Don't worry though, if your budget is less than that, the entry price point around $1,750 - $2,500 for a new-make barrel (white dog) though a 4 year-old bourbon barrel costs around $5,000 to $6,000 USD.
Buyers have the option to schedule visits to the distillery or warehouse to check on their barrel. Barrel Global also facilitates the design, packaging, and legally compliant shipping of bottles. In fact, buyers can create personalized labels for their bottles, further enhancing the ownership experience.
Additionally, customers may resell the barrel to another interested party at any point of barrel ownership. Overall, Barrel Global's barrel ownership service simplifies the maturation process while making the experience as seamless and fun as possible for buyers.
Industry Trends and Additional Services
The American Whiskey industry is experiencing significant growth both domestically and globally, driven in part by the increasing popularity of private barrel ownership. According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS), American Whiskey sales have increased by over 8% in 2021, with bourbon being the fastest-growing category. Private barrel ownership has played a significant role in this growth, as it allows consumers to have a personalized experience with their favorite spirits and provides a unique selling point for distilleries.
Barrel Global understands the importance of private barrel ownership in the current market and offers additional services to help buyers comply with the US market's three-tier system for selling spirits. The company assists buyers in obtaining a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which is required for all spirits sold in the US market. Additionally, Barrel Global offers a state-of-the-art purchasing and stock management system for client use to simplify the barrel ownership process and make it as seamless and enjoyable as possible.
By providing these additional services, Barrel Global is helping to drive the private barrel surge and promote the amazing bourbon and American Whiskey categories across the globe.
