Whisky Hammer
Whisky Hammer is a Scottish online whisky auction house that runs monthly authenticated auctions of rare and collectible bottles for global collectors and investors, operating from hubs in Scotland, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong via web and mobile apps.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersEllon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Whisky Hammer does
Whisky Hammer Limited is a privately held Scottish online whisky auction house founded in 2015 and headquartered in Ellon, Aberdeenshire. The company operates a unified monthly online auction through which private collectors and VAT-registered businesses consign rare and collectible whisky bottles, and global buyers bid in real time. The technology stack centers on a web-based live-auction platform augmented by native iOS and Android applications, featuring real-time bidding and an automatic anti-sniping timer that extends lots by 10 minutes if bids arrive in the final 10 minutes. Operations are run from three strategically located hubs: the Scottish headquarters and main warehouse, a wholly-owned European subsidiary (Whisky Hammer B.V.) in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands, and a Hong Kong hub operated in partnership with 13 Degrees Wine Cellar. The platform has facilitated over 200,000 lots since founding.
The customer base segments into two primary personas — Whisky Collectors seeking rare and limited-edition bottles and Whisky Investors treating bottles as an asset class — supplied by two seller tiers, Private Sellers (non-VAT individuals, the primary group) and VAT-registered Business Sellers. Supporting services include a free Whisky Valuation Service, couriered Bottle Collection from the seller's location, two months of free post-auction storage to consolidate shipments, and optional 4% transit insurance. The affiliated brand Still Spirit provides an online retail/whisky-shop channel for non-auction sales. Customer access is supported via SEO-driven website traffic, an email auction-alert subscription, a blog of distillery and valuation content, and Trustpilot social proof. Payment processing is enabled through multiple third-party processors (Stripe, PayPal, Opayo, Global Payments) and international shipping uses DHL globally with FedEx handling last-mile delivery inside the USA.
Whisky Hammer's revenue model is transaction-based. Buyers pay a 12.5% commission on the hammer price (the headline stream), plus optional 4% insurance and shipping/handling fees calculated by weight and destination. Sellers pay a £7+VAT listing fee per bottle plus an optional £10+VAT reserve fee, with seller commission eliminated as of April 2024. A one-off £5+VAT registration fee covers account verification. Regulatory reporting under DAC7 in the EU and the UK Platform Operators Regulations 2023 is already in place, signaling formal marketplace infrastructure built for sustained, compliant international commerce.
Whisky Hammer firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Whisky Hammer
- Legal name
- Whisky Hammer Limited
- Website
- https://whiskyhammer.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Whisky Hammer is a Scottish online whisky auction house that runs monthly authenticated auctions of rare and collectible bottles for global collectors and investors, operating from hubs in Scotland, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong via web and mobile apps.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Whisky Hammer industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Online Whisky Auctions
- NAICS
- Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (44532), Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers (445320)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits) (CRANAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry) (CRAKAKAF)
Keywords
Where Whisky Hammer is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ellon
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Whisky Hammer business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Buyer's Commission: Buyers pay 12.5% commission on the final hammer price of won lots. Additional 4.0% optional insurance premium available at checkout.
- Seller's Listing Fee: Sellers pay £7.00 plus VAT per bottle listed. Commission on sales is 0% from April 2024. Optional reserve fee of £10.00 plus VAT per lot.
- Registration Fee: One-off registration fee of £5 plus VAT to verify user accounts.
- Shipping and Insurance: Revenue from delivery charges calculated based on weight (approx. 2kg per standard bottle) and destination. Optional insurance at 4.0% of hammer price plus VAT.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Buyer's Commission: 12.5% of hammer price |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Seller's Listing Fee: £7.00 +VAT per bottle |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Reserve Fee: £10.00 +VAT per lot |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Registration: £5 +VAT one-time fee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Minimum bid and reserve thresholds |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Whisky Hammer product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Whisky Hammer operates a global online whisky auction platform running monthly live auctions of rare and collectible whisky bottles. The platform connects private collectors, sellers, and investors with buyers worldwide, supported by three strategic warehouse/operational hubs in Scotland (HQ), the Netherlands (Europe), and Hong Kong (Asia), with companion iOS/Android mobile apps for live bidding.
Product overview
Whisky Hammer operates as an online whisky auction platform (core product) with a companion mobile app for iOS and Android. The platform is supported by affiliated brand Still Spirit for direct retail sales, and complemented by services including free whisky valuation, bottle collection logistics, temporary global storage consolidation, and optional transit insurance. All offerings feed into the unified monthly auction accessible to global buyers and sellers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Still Spirit: Whisky Shop and Tasting Room, part of the wider Whisky Hammer group
Products and services
- Whisky Hammer Auction Platform Online whisky auction platform enabling users to buy, sell, and value rare and collectible whisky bottles through monthly live auctions. Operates from three global locations (Scotland HQ, Netherlands, Hong Kong) with a unified monthly auction accessible worldwide.
- Whisky Hammer Mobile App Native mobile application for iOS and Android enabling users to bid live on auctions, watch lots in real time, and manage their whisky collection from a mobile device.
- Still Spirit
Quantifiable outcome
- 200,000+ lots facilitated
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Whisky Hammer
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Whisky Hammer technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature2 records
Whisky Hammer partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- 13 Degrees Wine CellarcoreHong Kong-based 13 Degrees Wine Cellar serves as Whisky Hammer's official operational hub in Hong Kong, supporting the company's expansion into the Asian whisky market. The partnership enables local collection and logistics support for Asian collectors and sellers, with 13 Degrees managing bottles at their warehouse in Aberdeen, Hong Kong.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Whisky Hammer competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Scotch Whisky Auctions (SW_A): Long-running Scottish online whisky-only auction house running regular timed and live auctions. Highly comparable on geography, single-category focus and collector/investor target buyer.
- Just Whisky Auctions: UK-headquartered online whisky-only auction platform facilitating monthly live auctions to global buyers. Closely comparable business model, customer base (collectors and investors), and product category to Whisky Hammer.
- Whisky Auctioneer: Online-only whisky auction platform founded in Scotland, offering monthly global auctions of rare and collectible Scotch, Japanese and Irish whisky. Directly comparable on product focus (rare whisky), GTM (online global auction), target buyer/seller segments, and fee structure.
- The Grand Whisky Auction: Online whisky-dedicated auction platform serving global buyers and sellers. Directly comparable product focus, online live-bidding mechanic, and international shipping model.
- Acker Merrall & Condit: US-headquartered spirits and wine auction house with strong rare-whisky inventory. Comparable in selling rare and collectible bottles via global auction, with overlap on luxury buyer profile and premium lot types.
Regional players
- 13 Degrees Wine Cellar: Hong Kong-based fine wine and spirits retailer/cellar serving as Whisky Hammer's operational Asia hub. Comparable through trading in collectible whisky and wine; relevant as both partnership counterparty and an adjacent regional player in Asia luxury spirits.
Broad incumbents
- Sotheby's: Global luxury auction house with periodic wine and spirits auctions including rare whisky. Comparable on buyer/seller profile and auction-driven distribution, but multi-category mandate and far greater scale.
- Bonhams: Global auction house with a dedicated Hong Kong and London whisky auction programme. Comparable as a competing venue for high-net-worth whisky collectors, but operates across many luxury categories rather than whisky-specialised.
- Christie's: Global fine-art and luxury auction house running online and live rare-whisky sales. Comparable destination for premium whisky consignors and buyers, but with much broader luxury-category scope and brand reach.
Others
- Still Spirit: Sub-brand of Whisky Hammer operating a direct-retail whisky shop and tasting room. Adjacent / internal comparability rather than a competitor; included to clarify the company's existing horizontally-related retail arm.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Whisky Hammer social profiles
Digital presenceWhisky Hammer financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Whisky Hammer leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Whisky Hammer subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Whisky Hammer funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Whisky Hammer M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Whisky Hammer
What does Whisky Hammer do?
Whisky Hammer operates a global online whisky auction platform running monthly live auctions of rare and collectible whisky bottles. The platform connects private collectors, sellers, and investors with buyers worldwide, supported by three strategic warehouse/operational hubs in Scotland (HQ), the Netherlands (Europe), and Hong Kong (Asia), with companion iOS/Android mobile apps for live bidding.
Is Whisky Hammer a public or private company?
Whisky Hammer is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Whisky Hammer founded?
Whisky Hammer was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Whisky Hammer based?
Whisky Hammer is headquartered in Ellon, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Whisky Hammer make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Buyer's Commission is the primary driver. The others are seller's Listing Fee, registration Fee and shipping and Insurance.
Who are Whisky Hammer's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Scotch Whisky Auctions (SW_A), Just Whisky Auctions, Whisky Auctioneer, The Grand Whisky Auction and Acker Merrall & Condit. 13 Degrees Wine Cellar is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Sotheby's, Bonhams and Christie's. Still Spirit is listed as an others.
Does Whisky Hammer have an API?
No public API is recorded for Whisky Hammer.
What industry is Whisky Hammer in?
Whisky Hammer's product category is Online Whisky Auctions. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRANAAAJ, Premium, Rare & Collectible Alcohol Retail (Fine Wine/Spirits), with a secondary code of CRAKAKAF, Auction Houses (Luxury Watches & Jewelry). Its NAICS code is 44532 and its SIC code is 5180.