Managing Your Vault

Your bottle collection is the heart of MyWhiskyVault. This guide shows you everything you can do to track, organize, and manage your whisky bottles.

Understanding the Vault

Your Vault is your personal whisky collection - your digital whisky cabinet.

What the Vault Shows You:

• All bottles you've added to your collection

• Grid view (visual cards) or List view (table format)

• Summary statistics (total bottles, value, status counts)

• Quick actions for each bottle

Access Your Vault:

• Click "My Vault" in the main menu

• This is your landing page after login

Adding Bottles with Barcode Scanning

Barcode scanning is the fastest way to add bottles. MyWhiskyVault automatically looks up product information for you.

What You'll Need

• A bottle with a UPC barcode (usually on the back or bottom)

• Camera access (mobile) OR a clear photo of the barcode

1

Start Scanning

From My Vault, click "Add a Bottle (barcode)".

2

Choose Your Scanning Method

Option A: Manual/Scanner Barcode Entry (Recommended)

• Click "Enter Barcode Manually or with a Scanner"

• If you have a barcode scanner connected, scan the barcode on the bottle

• If not, type the barcode numbers (usually 12 digits) and click "Look Up Barcode"

Option B: Camera Scanning (mobile only)

• Click "Scan Barcode with Camera"

• Allow camera access when prompted

• Point camera at the barcode

• Hold steady until recognized (green flash)

• Barcode is automatically read

Option C: Upload Photo

• Click "Upload Photo"

• Select a clear barcode photo from your device

• Ensure good lighting and focus

• Image is processed automatically

💡 Tip: Natural daylight works better than flash for barcode photos!

3

Review Product Information

MyWhiskyVault searches for your bottle and displays:

• Distiller name

• Expression (whisky name)

• Age statement

• ABV (alcohol percentage)

• Bottle size

Verify the information is correct. If something looks wrong, you can edit before saving.

4

Complete Bottle Details

Add information specific to YOUR bottle.

Required:

• Bottle Size: Select from dropdown (50ml, 750ml, 1L, etc.)

• Storage Location: Where you keep it (examples: "Kitchen Cabinet, Top Shelf", "Living Room Bar", "Basement, Box 3")

Optional Purchase Details:

• Where Purchased: Store or retailer name

• Purchase Price: What you paid

• Purchase Date: When you bought it

Optional Appraisal:

• Current Value: What it's worth now (for insurance)

• Appraisal Date: When you last checked value

Bottle Status:

• Unopened (still sealed)

• Open (opened and available)

• Empty (finished)

• Sold (no longer in collection)

Photo (Optional but recommended):

• Upload a photo of your actual bottle

• Helps you identify it quickly

• If no photo of the bottle is provided, the photo from the expression or distiller will be used

5

Save Your Bottle

• Click "Add to Vault"

• Your bottle appears in your collection!

• You're taken back to My Vault

⚠️ Note: If the barcode isn't found, you'll need to select/create the distiller and expression manually.

Adding Bottles Manually

For bottles without barcodes or when barcode scanning fails.

1

Select or Create Distiller

Find Existing Distiller:

• Click "Add a Bottle (manual)"

• Start typing the distiller name (e.g., "Glenfiddich")

• Search is "fuzzy" - finds close matches

• Click the distiller card to select

• If your distiller is not found, create a new one (below)

Create New Distiller:

• Click "Create New Distiller"

• Fill in information:

  • Name (required): Full distillery name

  • Country: Select from dropdown

  • Region: Whisky region (Speyside, Islay, Kentucky, etc.)

  • Location: City or address

  • Description: Background information

  • Website: Official distillery URL

• Click "Save"

• Your new distiller is selected

💡 Tip: Creating distillers helps build the community database!

2

Select or Create Expression

Find Existing Expression:

• After selecting distiller, see all their expressions

• Search by product name

• Review details (age, ABV, type) to find the right one

• Click the expression card to select

Create New Expression:

• Click "Create New Expression"

• Fill in the General tab:

  • Name (required): Expression name (e.g., "12 Year Old")

  • Whisky Type: Single Malt, Blended, Bourbon, Rye, etc.

  • Age: Age statement in years. If no age statement is present on the bottle, enter "NAS" for No Age Statement.

  • ABV: Alcohol percentage (e.g., "40%", "43%")

• Optional "Whisky Nerd" tab:

  • Distilled Year: Year distilled

  • Bottled Year: Year bottled

  • Barrel Types: Maturation and finishing barrels

  • Description: Tasting notes or product description

• Click "Save"

• Your new expression is selected

3

Enter Bottle Details

Same as barcode scanning - add:

• Bottle size

• Storage location

• Purchase information (optional)

• Appraisal (optional)

• Status

• Photo (optional)

4

Save

Click "Add to Vault" and you're done!

Viewing Your Collection

Card View

Best for:

• Visual browsing

• Identifying bottles by photo

• Casual collection review

Features:

• Bottle photos displayed prominently

• Key details visible: distiller, expression, age, status

• Quick action buttons (View, Edit, Delete, Add Tasting)

Switch to Card View:

• Click the "Card View" button on the top of the Vault page

Table View

Best for:

• Detailed information at a glance

• Comparing multiple bottles

• Sorting and analyzing

Features:

• Tabular layout with all details

• Sortable columns (click headers)

• More bottles visible on screen

• Compact information display

Switch to Table View:

• Click the "Table View" button on the top of the Vault page

Filtering and Sorting

Find bottles quickly with powerful filters and sorting.

Filter:

• Type any text to search across:

  • Distiller names

  • Expression names

• Fuzzy search finds close matches

Sorting: Click column headers to sort by:

• Distiller, Bottler or Expression Name: A-Z or Z-A alphabetically

• Purchase Date: Newest or oldest first

• Age: Oldest or youngest whisky

• ABV: Lowest to highest or highest to lowest

• Status: Grouped by status

Editing Bottles

Update bottle information anytime.

1

Find the Bottle

• Navigate to My Vault

• Locate the bottle

• When in Table mode, click on either the Distiller Name or the Bottler Name

• When in Card mode, click anywhere on the card

2

Open Edit Mode

• Click "Edit" button (pencil icon) on bottle card

• OR click bottle → Details → "Edit"

3

Update Information

• Change any field

• Update status (Unopened → Open)

• Update appraisal value

• Change storage location

• Replace photo

4

Save Changes

• Click "Save"

• Updates appear immediately

Updating Bottle Status

Track your bottle's lifecycle:

Status Options:

• Unopened → Open (when you first crack the seal)

• Open → Empty (when bottle is finished)

• Any Status → Sold (if you sell or gift a bottle; removes from active counts but keeps history)

How to Update:

1. Edit the bottle

2. Change "Status" dropdown

3. Save

💡 Tip: Update status as you go for accurate statistics!

Deleting Bottles

Remove bottles permanently from your collection.

⚠️ WARNING: Deleting a bottle also deletes all associated tasting notes. This cannot be undone!

1

Find the Bottle

Locate it in your Vault.

2

Click Delete

• Click delete button (trash icon)

• OR open details → "Delete"

3

Confirm Deletion

• Review warning about losing tastings

• Click "Confirm" if you're sure

Alternative:

• If you want to keep history, mark as "Sold" instead of deleting.

Collection Statistics

At the top of your Vault, see summary statistics:

• Total Bottles: Count by status (Unopened, Open, Empty, Sold)

• Collection Value: Sum of appraisal values (if provided) OR sum of purchase prices (useful for insurance)

• Status Breakdown: Visual breakdown of bottle statuses

• Average Age: Average age statement across all bottles (only includes bottles with age statements)

Tips for Success

📸 Always Upload Photos

• Makes browsing more enjoyable

• Helps identify bottles quickly

• Great for sharing collections with friends

Tip: Take photos in good lighting with the label clearly visible.

📍 Use Consistent Storage Names

Good examples:

• "Cabinet 1, Shelf A"

• "Living Room Bar, Top Shelf"

• "Basement Storage, Box 3, Row 2"

Why it matters:

• Find physical bottles easily

• Organize large collections

• Plan display arrangements

💵 Track Purchase Prices

Benefits:

• Understand collection investment

• Budget tracking

• Accurate appraisal reports

• Insurance documentation

Tip: Even estimates are better than nothing!

🔄 Update Appraisals Regularly

When to update:

• Annually for routine check

• When rare bottles appreciate

• Before insurance renewals

• After market changes

How to find values:

• Online auction sites

• Whisky valuation websites

• Local whisky shops

• Collector communities

📝 Add Tasting Notes Early

Why record tastings:

• Remember favorites before bottles are empty

• Track how whisky evolves after opening

• Guide future purchases

• Share experiences with friends

🏷️ Use Descriptive Names

For custom or private bottlings:

• Include all relevant details in expression name

• Note special editions or variants

• Add barrel numbers if applicable

🔍 Regular Collection Reviews

Monthly tasks:

• Update statuses (opened bottles)

• Check appraisals for valuable bottles

• Add photos for new bottles

• Review storage organization

Annual tasks:

• Generate inventory report

• Update all appraisals

• Archive or sell bottles you won't drink

• Plan collection goals

Related Guides

• Recording Tasting Notes - Document your whisky experiences

• Distillers & Expressions - Understand the whisky hierarchy

• Generating Reports - Create collection summaries

• Tips & Tricks - Advanced collection management

Last Updated: 2025-11-16