Whisky Firm Hackstons Led by Ex-Scam Salesman Who Changed His Name
A new whisky investment firm, Hackstons, has made waves in London’s luxury asset market, promising lucrative returns on cask whisky investments. However, questions have surfaced about its co-founder and director, Alphie Valentine, a man with a controversial past tied to a notorious wine scam.
Hackstons: A New Player in Whisky Investment
Hackstons, which launched its flagship store in Knightsbridge in September, brands itself as a high-end brokerage for alternative assets. It specializes in whisky cask investments, where clients buy barrels stored in HMRC-bonded warehouses, hoping they appreciate over time.
With whisky’s growing popularity as an asset class, firms like Hackstons attract wealthy investors seeking high returns. But the industry remains unregulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), making it a high-risk space riddled with scams and unverified claims.
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The Man Behind Hackstons: Alphie Valentine’s Past
Before reinventing himself as a whisky investment entrepreneur, Alphie Valentine, 41, was deeply involved in a Croydon-based investment sales firm that ultimately collapsed in disgrace.
- He made millions as a high-flying salesman at the firm.
- The company was later exposed as a notorious wine scam, leaving investors out of pocket.
- He claims the collapse was "no fault of his own" but it still led to his bankruptcy.
Following the scandal, Valentine changed his name and rebranded himself as a life coach and sales guru, frequently appearing on YouTube podcasts and even BBC radio.
Is Whisky Investment the Next Big Scam?
The whisky cask investment industry is already plagued by fraudulent schemes, with hundreds of firms shut down in the past decade. While Hackstons presents itself as a luxury brokerage, Valentine’s history raises concerns about transparency and investor security.
With no FCA regulation, investors must exercise extreme caution before buying into whisky casks or any other high-risk alternative assets.
Hackstons enters the whisky investment market with bold promises, but its co-founder’s past is a red flag for cautious investors. As whisky cask schemes continue to attract scrutiny, is Hackstons a legitimate venture—or another risky bet in an unregulated industry?
