Just Whisky
Just Whisky is a Scotland-based online auction platform founded in 2013 that runs monthly specialist whisky auctions for 17,000+ buyers and 4,000+ sellers across 60+ countries, charging 0% seller commission.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersDunfermline, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What Just Whisky does
Just Whisky Limited is a privately held Scottish online auction platform founded in 2013 and headquartered in Dalgety Bay, Scotland. The company operates monthly specialist whisky auctions running for five days each, hosting roughly 1,186 lots per recent auction across bottles and casks. It serves a global base of 17,000+ registered buyers and 4,000+ registered sellers spanning 60+ countries, with worldwide insured shipping available on every lot.
The platform's underlying technology is a self-service online auction system with automatic proxy bidding, time-extension (anti-sniping) software that extends a lot's end time by 15 minutes when bids are placed in the final 5 minutes, and an account dashboard for buyers and sellers to track bids, watchlists, valuations, and lot progress. Free whisky valuations, courier collection (DHL/DPD), in-house photography and cataloguing, and dedicated storage (45 days free, then 3/6/12-month paid blocks) supplement the core auction product. A blog with educational resources such as the SMWS Bottle Codes database supports content-led customer acquisition.
Revenue is generated through multiple transaction-based streams: a flat £7.50 (+VAT) entry fee per bottle, a £15 (+VAT) entry fee for group lots, a £7.50 (+VAT) reserve-price fee per item, a buyer's premium on winning bids (rate not publicly disclosed), a 5% (+VAT, £10 minimum) post-auction negotiated sale fee, optional shipping fees, and insurance at 3% of hammer price. The 0% seller commission policy is the company's primary commercial differentiator, positioning Just Whisky against traditional auction houses that typically charge 10–25% seller fees. The company is founder-led, with two named directors (Graham and Yuri) plus a small support team, and operates without disclosed external funding.
Just Whisky firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Just Whisky
- Legal name
- Just Whisky Limited
- Website
- https://just-whisky.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Just Whisky is a Scotland-based online auction platform founded in 2013 that runs monthly specialist whisky auctions for 17,000+ buyers and 4,000+ sellers across 60+ countries, charging 0% seller commission.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Just Whisky is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dunfermline
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Just Whisky 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
- Seller's Commission: 0% commission charged to sellers on all whisky bottle sales. This is a key differentiator allowing sellers to receive maximum value for their items.
- Entry Fees: Flat fee of £7.50 (+VAT for UK sellers) charged per bottle entered into auction. Group lots combined into one lot cost £15.00 (+VAT). Reserve prices cost £7.50 (+VAT) per item.
- Post Auction Sales Fee: 5% +VAT of negotiated sales price (or £10 minimum) charged when items that didn't sell in auction are negotiated to highest bidder after auction ends.
- Buyer's Premium: Percentage-based buyer's premium charged on winning bids. Rate shown as NaN in source data, suggesting variable or undisclosed rate.
- Shipping and Insurance: Shipping fees to over 60 countries with competitive rates. Insurance available at 3% of hammer price for breakage and loss coverage.
- Storage Services: Free storage for 1 month after purchase. Paid storage options available in 3, 6, or 12 month blocks after free period expires.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | 0% Commission for All Sellers |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry Fee per Bottle |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Buyer's Premium |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Registration Fee |
| Subscription | Monthly | Storage Options |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Just Whisky product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Just Whisky operates a monthly online whisky auction platform where private collectors and investors can buy and sell rare bottles and casks worldwide. The service runs 5-day specialist auctions with automatic proxy bidding, charges a 0% seller commission and a flat £7.50 per-bottle entry fee, and offers worldwide insured shipping plus paid storage for purchased lots. Complementary services include free valuations, courier collection, photography and cataloguing, and cask sales with ownership transfer handling.
Product overview
Just Whisky operates as a monthly specialist online whisky auction platform founded in 2013, offering a unified marketplace for buying and selling rare and collectable whiskies globally. The core product is the auction platform itself, which supports both bottle auctions (0% seller commission) and cask sales (0% commission). Complementary services include free whisky valuations, worldwide shipping with optional insurance (3% of hammer price), and storage solutions (free for 45 days, then paid). The platform also provides educational content through its blog, including the SMWS Bottle Codes reference database. Users access the service through account management features enabling proxy bidding, bid tracking, watchlists, and real-time auction monitoring. The company serves over 17,000 buyers and 4,000 sellers across the globe.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Just Whisky Auction Platform Monthly specialist online whisky auction platform hosting 5-day auctions with automatic proxy bidding, real-time bid tracking, reserve price options, and worldwide buyer access. Used by private collectors and sellers to transact rare whisky bottles globally.
- Whisky Selling Service Consigned selling service for private collectors and investors offering 0% commission on whisky bottle sales, free valuations, courier collection via DHL/DPD, in-house photography and cataloguing, and seller payment within 14 days of auction end.
- Whisky Cask Sales Specialized auction service for selling whole whisky casks at 0% commission, including re-gauge report procurement, auction listing with worldwide buyer access, and handling of cask ownership transfer paperwork for sellers.
- Storage Services Storage solution for purchased and consigned whisky, offering 45 days of free storage for buyers after purchase, with paid storage available in 3, 6, or 12-month blocks for sellers and other customers at daily-rated fees.
- Worldwide Shipping and Insurance International shipping of auction lots to over 60 countries via reputable couriers, with optional insurance at 3% of hammer price covering loss and breakage (excluding leakage) and shipping costs based on weight with VAT applied for UK deliveries.
- Free Whisky Valuations Expert estimated sales price valuations for whisky bottles submitted by sellers via the website with photographs, with responses typically delivered within 2-3 business days.
Quantifiable outcome
- Seller payments typically completed within 7-14 days, guaranteed within 21 working days
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Just Whisky
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Just Whisky technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Just Whisky partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Rothes Sports Development GroupminorJust Whisky partnered with Rothes Sports Development Group in April 2026 to host a charity auction raising money for local sports and social projects in Rothes, Moray. All proceeds from bottle sales were donated directly to the charity. The auction included lots generously donated by local distilleries including Caley Casks and Ballindalloch.
- The MacallanminorThe Macallan contributed a Legacy Experience prize to the Rothes Sports Development charity auction - a private visit to The Macallan Estate for up to six people with rare expression tastings and behind-the-scenes access.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Just Whisky competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Catawiki: Large online curated auction marketplace with a dedicated whisky category — competes for collector transactions but as one of many collectibles verticals rather than a specialist.
- Bonhams: Global auction house with a dedicated whisky department running live and online sales — overlaps with Just Whisky in rare whisky transactions but operates across many categories and at higher price points.
- Sotheby's: Premier global auction house with a spirits and whisky category — competes for high-end rare whisky consignments but as part of a much broader luxury auction portfolio.
- Christie's: Major international auction house featuring rare whisky and spirits auctions — competes for premium consignments while serving a broader luxury collectibles audience.
Direct peers
- Whisky Hammer: Online whisky auction platform running regular timed auctions aimed at collectors and investors — closely mirrors Just Whisky's monthly specialist auction model and global shipping proposition.
- The Whisky Exchange: Major UK-based online whisky retailer that also runs auction activity — competes with Just Whisky for both buyers and sellers of collectible whisky through a hybrid retail/auction model.
- Scotch Whisky Auctions: Scotland-based online whisky auction house running regular specialist auctions with worldwide shipping — a like-for-like competitor to Just Whisky in both category specialization and auction cadence.
- Whisky Auctioneer: One of the largest dedicated online whisky auction platforms globally, offering monthly auctions of rare bottles and casks to an international buyer base — directly comparable to Just Whisky in product, format, and target customer.
- Whisky-Online Auctions: Long-running UK-based online whisky auctioneer with strong collector following and global buyer reach — competes head-to-head with Just Whisky for sellers of rare and collectible Scotch.
Emerging players
- Master of Malt: Established UK online whisky retailer with significant collector following — adjacent competitor that overlaps with Just Whisky's buyer base and could expand into auctions or buy-now inventory that competes with monthly auction cycles.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Just Whisky social profiles
Digital presenceJust Whisky financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Just Whisky leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Just Whisky funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Just Whisky 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 Just Whisky
What does Just Whisky do?
Just Whisky operates a monthly online whisky auction platform where private collectors and investors can buy and sell rare bottles and casks worldwide. The service runs 5-day specialist auctions with automatic proxy bidding, charges a 0% seller commission and a flat £7.50 per-bottle entry fee, and offers worldwide insured shipping plus paid storage for purchased lots. Complementary services include free valuations, courier collection, photography and cataloguing, and cask sales with ownership transfer handling.
Is Just Whisky a public or private company?
Just Whisky is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Just Whisky founded?
Just Whisky was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Just Whisky based?
Just Whisky is headquartered in Dunfermline, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Just Whisky make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Seller's Commission is the primary driver. The others are entry Fees, post Auction Sales Fee, buyer's Premium, shipping and Insurance and storage Services.
Who are Just Whisky's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Catawiki, Bonhams, Sotheby's and Christie's. Direct peers are Whisky Hammer, The Whisky Exchange, Scotch Whisky Auctions, Whisky Auctioneer and Whisky-Online Auctions. Master of Malt is listed as an emerging player.
Does Just Whisky have an API?
No public API is recorded for Just Whisky.