Heretofore the only way to auction your own Irish whiskey bottles was to pack them up in numerous layers of bubble wrap, box them up, find a delivery company that would agree to ship liquid/alcohol internationally and ship them off to the UK or Europe to the likes of Whisky Auctioneer etc. Thankfully, that ends here and now!
For the first time ever our small Island, with it’s thriving whiskey industry and whiskey history, has it’s very own online auction site. Today marks the launch of the Irish Whiskey Auctions, Ireland’s first online auction platform for whiskey. Nine months in the making, this is the brain child of husband and wife team, Anthony and Catherine Sheehy and hails a new beginning for collectors and drinkers of Irish whiskey.
The first auction is due to start next month which will run for 9 days, with a new auction every month. Similar to other platforms, Irish Whiskey Auctions will have a closing time that will extend each time a last minute bid is placed. This is to protect both the seller and the buyer, insuring that a bottle isn’t “swiped” from a bidder at the last moment without them having a chance to re-bid for it. This morning I had the chance to view the website before launch and I must say I was impressed. It wasn’t what I was expecting. Normally websites launch with very little functionality and content and are built up over time. Not here. Here it is launching with a massive amount of functionality and content, including a little article in the blog section from us on how I began my whiskey journey!
So how does it work? Well all you have to do is complete their registration form and pay the standard €3 charge to register. Sellers will pay a 5% commission and a €5 listing fee for their bottle. An option for adding a minimum reserve is also available, but this is an €8 extra. Buyers on the site will then pay a 10% commission on the hammer price. VAT is obviously also charged on the commission, fees and shipping. As a bonus Anthony has announced that the first auction is entirely free. No listing or reserve fee, no commission……sellers keep 100% of the hammer price!
Interesting times for Irish Whiskey. Personally I would trust this platform over the numerous Facebook pages that are out there. Now that being said, I’ve bought many a bottle from those pages but I do so only from people that I know. I am very slow to engage with those I don’t as there is absolutely no protection for the buyer. With Irish Whiskey Auctions you have that protection with bottles being reviewed by some of the most trusted people in Irish Whiskey including Willie Aherne of the Palace bar and Alan Cambell, Chairman of the Licenced Vintners Association.
I wish Anthony and Irish Whiskey Auctions the very best and look forward to having a few bids in the future!
That's Dram Good 