Enola Meade, a 27-year-old swimming teacher from Warrington, has invested £96,000 in whisky casks, despite not liking the drink, saying the unusual move has helped secure her a comfortable future.
From Savings to Whisky Casks
While many of her peers focused on saving for a house, Meade took a different approach. She started saving as a child, setting aside birthday and pocket money, while her parents added £25 a month into a savings bond. Once she began working as a school swimming teacher, she committed to saving an extra £1,000 of her salary every month. By age 21, she had built up £20,000.
Frustrated with traditional banking options, she said: "I started looking into savings accounts with high interest rates and ISAs, but banks are always lowering the amount of interest they pay. I wanted my money to work as hard as I do." She considered silver and gold but found them unreliable. A work colleague of her father suggested whisky.
Investing in Casks
Initially, Meade bought one £12,000 cask and two £4,000 casks with her £20,000. She now owns 18 casks, purchased through Hackstons, a whisky cask investment firm. She admits she does not like whisky: "I once tasted a small dram in winter. For me, it's not about the taste. It's just about watching the value go up."
Living rent-free with her parents, she has no plans to leave her teaching job. "I absolutely love my job and wouldn't change it for the world," she says. Her investments give her career freedom: "I don't need a big money job because of my whisky investment. I know I will have a comfortable future."
Projected Returns
Meade aims for annual returns of 8 to 12 per cent. At a conservative 8 per cent, she projects her £96,000 could grow to over £207,000 in a decade and over £447,000 in 20 years. She may eventually buy a home but is happy living with her parents: "It's been amazing to have them on this journey with me."
She advises others: "These are long-term investments and something I'll be doing all my life. I would encourage more people to look at whisky as an investment. You don't have to like the taste."
