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What Is A Regauge?

A regauge is the method of calculating the current contents of a barrel of scotch once it is over five years old to determine a barrel's health and value.
  • Hannah Thompson is a specialist whiskey educator and writer, passionate about bringing stories and understanding to more people.
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A regauge is the method of calculating the current contents of a barrel of scotch once it is over five years old. It determines two things:

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    1. How many litres of whiskey are in the cask
    2. The alcoholic strength (ABV) of the whiskey

     

    These two figures can then be used to show the “litres of alcohol” in the cask.

    Why Get a Regauge?

    During your barrel ownership a regauge is used to monitor the natural drop in liquid and alcohol volume from evaporation and absorption by the wood; this is often referred to as the ‘angels share’ and averages between 1 and 4% per year in Scotland. This is an average for Scotland and real rates can be higher and lower. In hotter climates the average rate of loss can reach as high as 12% per year.

    For scotch barrels we advise regauging every three to five years for casks under 20 years old. This allows you to ensure your cask is maturing within expected ranges and decide when to sell.

    Casks are valued on a price per liter of alcohol, so you will need a regauge to get an accurate valuation and final price when you are looking to sell.

    Types of Regauge

    There are two types of regauge: a full regauge and a dip regauge.

    A dip regauge is the most common type of regauge and is used for monitoring barrels as they mature. A full regauge would usually only be done on bottling and involves emptying the full cask to give exact fill measurements.

    Ready to learn more? For detailed insights and expert tips to help you navigate your whiskey investment journey download the comprehensive Whisky Barrel Buying Guide written by the team at Mark Littler Ltd.

    Our colleagues over at Mark Littler Ltd have curated their most helpful articles all in one place so you can learn more about buying and owning a barrel of scotch. If you’d like to find out more about moving forward with a barrel purchase please email [email protected].

    Returns on whiskey barrels are not guaranteed and the value of casks can go down as well as up.

    A Note On Cask Ownership From Mark Littler, The Whiskey Wash Editor-In-Chief

    Scotch whisky casks are a long-term commitment — think 10 to 30 years, not a medium-term investment with an easy exit. The only reliable path to value is buying young spirit and giving it time. There are no magic years, no guaranteed returns, and no shortcuts.
    Casks sold through Mark Littler Ltd or other partners involve full legal title transfer via a warehouse-acknowledged Delivery Order. These are physical assets, not managed funds, so they fall outside FCA or SEC regulation — and outside any government compensation scheme.

    Buy a cask because you love whisky and believe in what it can become. Not because someone promised you a return.

    Read our full editorial guidelines on cask investment here.

    Hannah Thompson

    Hannah Thompson is a whiskey educator who helps consumers understand everything they need to know to make an informed decision about whiskey investment. She has been working in the secondary whiskey market since 2019 and joined The Whiskey Wash team when Mark Littler took over as Editor in Chief. Working with Mark Littler Hannah has amassed a broad range of whiskey knowledge and specializes in helping consumers make education driven cask investments. Hannah has authored two published works of fiction and her background in research and creative writing lets her create interesting and informative articles to give people a solid understanding of the world of whiskey.

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