Buy Whisky

Bidding made simple, and safe.

Join a worldwide network of whisky lovers bidding on some of the most sought-after bottles at auction. You can view every live lot without signing in; you only need an account to bid.

12.5%+VAT Buyer’s commission, added to the hammer price at checkout
£5 One-off registration fee that keeps every bidder genuine
3 days To pay for your winning lots after the auction ends
Worldwide Fast, reliable shipping with DHL and UPS

WHY BUY WITH WVA?

Some of the world’s most sought-after bottles, at the fairest prices.

Sought-after bottles

Access to some of the most sought-after bottles at auction, at the best prices.

Fast-paced 48-hour auctions

A new auction every three weeks, with hundreds of lots in every sale.

See every bid

Watch the bidding live: see when others bid and whether you’re the winning bidder.

A low buyer’s commission

Just 12.5% + VAT on the hammer price, shown on every lot before you bid.

Safe, verified bidding

Every bidder is registered and verified, which keeps our auctions safe for everyone.

Fast worldwide delivery

Reliable shipping with DHL and UPS, with insurance for peace of mind.

Excellent Trustpilot reviews

Rated 4.8 out of 5 by more than 700 WVA buyers and sellers.

How bidding works

  1. Register with WVA. A one-off £5.00 fee confirms every bidder is genuine.

  2. Join a live auction and find your bottle, using filters, search and your watchlist.

  3. Place your bids and watch the magic happen. Set a maximum and we bid for you, only as much as needed to keep you ahead.

  4. Use Quick bid from the auction listing to bid without leaving the page.

  5. Win, and pay within three days. Once payment clears, your bottles are packed and sent on their way.

Auction Charges

Charge Amount
Registration, one-off £5.00
Buyer’s commission 12.5% + VAT
Time to pay 3 days
Late payment, after 3 days 5% + VAT of hammer

Dynamic closing

Our auctions don't have a fixed closing time. Dynamic closing begins on the final evening, with all lots closing automatically and simultaneously at an unscheduled time as bidding activity slows. Late bids keep the entire auction open, ensuring everyone has a fair opportunity to bid without the pressure of last-second sniping.

Bidding safely

As a registered bidder you can bid up to £1,500. Once you reach that threshold we’ll ask for some verification documents. It’s very simple to do, and it safeguards our clients and our bidding process.

Ready to bid?

Create your account

Registering takes a minute and gives you access to every lot in every auction.

  1. Bid on hundreds of bottles every auction

  2. Build a watchlist and get outbid alerts

  3. Track your bids, wins and payments in one place

One-off £5.00 registration fee for bidders.

Prefer to call?

Our team is happy to help with bidding, condition reports and shipping.

Getting your bottles to you

Shipping, insurance and storage, your choice at checkout.
WORLDWIDE

DHL and UPS delivery

Fast, reliable worldwide shipping. Add shipping insurance at checkout for peace of mind: it covers breakage or loss, not leakage.

FREE

Collect from Littlehampton

Pick up from our office, Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm. Please call or email ahead so your bottles are ready.

free

Store between auctions

Keep winning bottles with us between auctions and ship them together, saving on packaging and waiting in for the postman.

Paying for your lots

A 12.5% + VAT buyer’s commission is added at checkout, and you have three days to pay. We’re proud to offer one of the fastest payment turnarounds of any whisky auction, so after three days a late payment charge of 5% + VAT of the hammer price is added.

Once your payment clears, your bottles are packed and sent on their way. Every lot page shows what you’d pay before you bid: win a bottle at £1,000 and you pay £1,000, plus £125 commission, plus £25 VAT on the commission, plus delivery.

A family-run business since 2016.
Making WVA a trusted global marketplace where whisky enthusiasts can buy and sell exceptional bottles quickly and efficiently is something we genuinely care about. We put a lot of effort into every auction, and our priority is making sure you have a great experience from start to finish. Whether you're buying, selling or simply exploring, we're always here to help.

One of the fastest payment turnarounds of any whisky auction Pay within three days, and your bottles are on their way

Frequently asked questions

Anything else? Call 01903 257299 or email [email protected].

Do I need an account to look at lots?

No. You can view every live lot without signing in. You only need to be a registered member of WVA to place a bid.

What does it cost to buy?

A one-off £5.00 registration fee, then a 12.5% + VAT buyer’s commission on the hammer price of anything you win, plus delivery.

Why am I being asked for verification documents?

Registered bidders can bid up to £1,500. Above that we ask for verification documents to safeguard our clients and our bidding process. It’s very simple to do.

How long do I have to pay?

Payment is due within 3 days (72 hours) of the auction closing. Payments received after this deadline will incur an additional 5% late payment fee. We appreciate your prompt payment to avoid any additional charges.
 
 

What is 'Dynamic Auction Closing' and how does it work?

Our auctions don't have a fixed closing time. Instead, an automated system monitors bidding activity and closes the auction at an unpredictable time once activity drops below a certain level.

All lots remain open for bidding until the auction closes, which happens automatically and without warning. This approach helps prevent last-second sniping, creating a fairer and more transparent bidding experience for both buyers and sellers.