Barrel To Bottle Reviews 43

I am running an informal helpline, for victims to help sell your products ( if any ),help you to get money back, and to report crimes to the police. I would welcome any contacts from any former employees of the B2B stable, who feel they are innocent as all names as present are being forwarded to the police and FSA . Most where complicit i sharing the spoils, but probably not ! now is your chance to speak out, i would love to speak to Andrew Benfield.

WARNING

A family member who has been scammed out of a large amount of money £300,000 plus has now been scammed again by a company claiming they had received compensation for the barrel to bottle whiskey scam! First came office looking letters claiming they were owed compensation, then came phone calls with excuses of paying for “licences” to access the compensation funds!

@James Selby, your Nov 25 review followed a similar path as my own. It saddens me that so many more victims have succumbed since reports went into Action Fraud over a year ago. The so called business premises in Chiselhurst also recorded a witness statement a year ago over B2B misleading victims into believing B2B/(ex James and Pearce) had a physical presence. It was a virtual office only - full stop. My investigations led to a web of fraud through various companies. As for the Wine Tunnels of course it’s a partner to the web. The Watkins, and son, names are woven through the web. I spoke to him on the phone by chance once when I called Alcazar Technologies. Henry and others declared that Phil(Watkins junior) “worked” in the back office at B2B. Wine Tunnels, aka Whisky Tunnels, have an interesting partnership in that they charge storage based on the Invoiced VALUES of product that B2B (and James and Pearce) charged(overcharged) clients. Watkins (Senior) being involved at Wine Tunnels. Both B2B and James and Pearce heavily pitched Wine Tunnels onto victims for storage. I remember Henry trying to tell me that the Watkins link was not the same person my research had turned up. It is and it was. So those that have established actual market value of product that they might actually have, will find it is being charged storage at the B2B/James and Pearce grossly inflated invoice value. In reality the true value of product is a fraction of what was charged. Wine Tunnels must know this. It has to be their business model. Wine Tunnels have been the preferred storage link to other dissolved ‘boiler room’ sales teams, guilty of the same grossly overpriced product. I happen to know they charge storage for Macallan whisky bottled and bearing the Matthew Adams name. Bottles were sold by M.A to clients as ‘Macallan’ while in actual fact it’s a Matthew Adams ‘ Macallan’. The true Macallan distillery told me there is no way of knowing if what is in the bottles is really a Macallan or just cold tea, despite a true cask number being given as provenance. If the bottling company is dissolved, disgraced and out of business, resale values will reflect this. The Wine tunnels must know they are grossly overcharging. London City Bond , who actually take care of the physical storage, do so on the basis of case size/volume of stock, not an inflated invoice value. Herein lies the neat synergy in the web of fraud to profit. One charges like the Light Brigade for product, the other stores it at a ‘healthy’ % rate based on the other’s invoiced value. I’ve checked and found actual value vs invoiced value at a ten-fold plus difference. London City Bond, who are genuine, have concerns for their own reputation when told of the linkage of Wine/Whisky tunnels to Barrel to Bottles and the particular persons with significant control. I suspect LCB have taken steps as Wine Tunnels are late in filing at Companies house. Can it be a coincidence with B2B having an Active proposal to be struck off the register, as of today. It must mean it’s time to run to the ‘Imperial’ Chateau in France I suspect.

This was written a few weeks ago
This was written a few weeks ago, but was blocked. So have redacted the offending words/links. So the story starts here: 'London-based Simon Price, 59, said he thought he was importing class B but was convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court of attempted class A smuggling.' and 'Price, who rented flats in Highbury, north London, but spent most of his time at a chateau in south-west France, had been branded a master criminal by Customs officials.' 'Cordon bleu'. He had been convicted of a series of crimes, including theft, fraud and armed robbery following a £1.5m heist at Heathrow Airport in the late 1970s.
By 2000 he appeared to have turned his back on crime and set up a cordon bleu cookery college near his chateau and was said to be dabbling in cognac production, Southwark Crown Court was told. This goes back to an article in 2005 (BBC). Mr Price's real name is Stephen Raymond, an ex-director of Imperial Cognac Limited who resigned in 2023. Well, in fact, the story started many years ago. But let's just look at the present. Does the Chateau and our Cognac exist or a fraud? Le Manoir, Les Cailletieres, 16170 GENAC FRANCE. I have challenged several times for its existence and proof of cognac investment (nothing). What I did find was this: (a search on the address eventually provided me with a 2020 Crown Court Case. CPS versus Simon Price, where they were trying to confiscate the Chateau (Hearing dates: 20 November 2019, 26 November 2019 and 3 December 2019)whereupon Ms Bond, Mr Bond and Ms Laura Bond were at this time refused an appeal on the confiscation order. Note here that they were all Directors of Imperial Cognac and Stephen Raymonds' siblings, previously described by B2B Paul Johnstone as the 'Bond Family Trust' and also his Dr Simon Millar statement, a comment that has now been taken down from my previously raised issues. (I have a copy) but I can assure a Google search on the above information will reveal all. Please research further on the above for illustrious history of Raymond and his family, its a shame that coming from a Master Criminal Status and entertaining in various national news paper reports from Australia to MP's and from prison, he has allowed his family and or acquaintances to defraud in my opinion vulnerable people (see other comments). Be aware Paul Johnstone was still making cash calls to clients for certification of Cognac investments to guarantee profitable sale to unknown buyers. These range from £3500-£8500 depending I guess on the level of debt or greed he has at that time. Henry has left. The MD Alex Selujja possibly but probably does not exist. Latest comment from Nick Bradbury point to a company again in Kent called Amber and Wine, utilising a website coincidently almost exactly the same as B2B, MD a Daniel Doyle. Tread carefully, as they share their databases of investors...that is not the right words....fraud victims. I am sure this review will not be challenged, but for those utilising action fraud, some additional material. Final point, do not accept any calls invites from the dept insolvency operation, that again is a recycle of this fraud. Always read their emails carefully. They obviously bunked off school and English lessons. Overall, they have gone, want to find them, they are in France. As for Wine Tunnels and Stephen Ronald Watkins....a whole new story.

Can't give these callous sharlatans a lower score, from start to finish they have been incompetent, and that's being nice!

Bought a cask with them back in 2024 expecting to leave it with them for maybe 10 years. Only to be told later that year that my cask had sold for a mega amount of money and I had the pay the auction fees, transfer fees insurance etc all adding up to a very large sum! Two months later they admitted fault and told me it wasn't my cask that had sold! Well up to now I'm still waiting (not expecting)

All the promises in the world from these cretins. I set up a fraud claim, but since had a reply saying not enough evidence!

I have paperwork, bank statements and recorded phone calls! Not sure what else you'd need, but I guess they've screwed everyone over!

Can't give less than 1 star!!!
I am in the same boat too.
Companies house now shows this as the Reg Address:
PO Box 4385, 13948373 - Companies House Default Address, Cardiff, CF14 8LH
I can't see how to log a complaint on Companies House, any advice would be welcome please.

I’m afraid I’m in the same boat as others here . Will add to the list of people on here going vial action fraud etc .

I had a phone call 2 weeks ago saying that Barrel to Bottles had gone into voluntary liquidation. I've heard nothing since, Anyone else been told this?

Had to take my mother in law to her bank last week as the fraud department had contacted her regarding payments being taken from her account. Initially Amber and Vine (nearly £20K since July) and then I've started to find paperwork from Bottle to Barrel. Still a lot of paperwork to go through yet but not feeling confident. Bank intimating that if she has willingly entered into a contract that she wont get her money back, which doesn't sound right?

A look on companies house shows they have had a loan from `Bizcap` , who also can`t get B2B on the phone. I asked them if they had any other contact numbers other than the main one. they don`t.

I am out of pocket , and they have vanished.

I have now filled in a fraud claim as mentioned by another victim

RED ALERT ! 
I can confirm from my own experience that all of the NEGATIVE reviews reported on this site are very TRUE.
This is their Modus Operandi.


STAY AWAY from B2B - scammers !

STAY AWAY from Amber and Vine - scammers !


They are in it together, and will be taken down.

Join me anyone with similar experiences.
Mick Serpell

Bought 6 bottles of cognac from their previous incarnation as James Pearce Associatesto, be sold later for a profit. At least 3 missed sales ans still not sold. Had the cognac valued for Auction Instead of £600.00 per botlle thre estimate £100 to £200 per bottle.

After three failures to sell my Cognac on the predicted dates, I visited the premises in Chislehurst. The building was a business centre comprising rented offices. The receptionist informed me that Barrel to Bottles never used their office, nor had they collected their mail. She said many people in my situation had called.
I have had most of my money refunded via Lloyds Bank.

Update to my review mid February. I mentioned I had reported to Action Fraud and raised a chargeback with my bank. I did get a call from victim support, via Action Fraud who said at that point they were investigating. After weeks of not answering phone or responding to left messages Henry called me on 19/3/25. This was only a short time after I had raised the chargeback request with my bank. He assured me all was well, apologetic about my experience and said they would refund the money for the 2 casks I hadn't got documentation for if I wished, I said yes. No refund forthcoming but my bank has now refunded me £8.5K. Will stick with my remaining cask and see how it goes.

They do not pick up the phone very readily. Anyone else managed to contact them in the last week?

Par for the course, the replies to my previous two submissions contain lies and obfuscation . The lies: i was never offered the opportunity to transfer casks to 1939-45 Grand Champagne this company records all calls so will know there was no such conversation. Obfuscation : There was an invitation to open day tasting at the chateau , but just 8 days previous , ALEX SELUJJA sent a letter touting for more money to make it 10 barrels for the next auction on 26th September, so they would all have gone, except i suppose that ALEX knew all along that they would not. Whoops ! The certificates are on a very high quality paper but do not comply with B2B own contract. Imperial Cognac/ Famille Lanville and there partners ( in crime ? ) are not an external storage company ( clause 9 ) The company reached out to me in January 2 conversations with HENRY and a bizarre offer = to pay £10,000 per month and place products worth the full debt ( approx £267,000 ) in a bonded warehouse for me to sell if they stop paying or go bust, begs an obvious question ! i said put it all in writing, nothing, speaks volumes. These Grand De Champagne casks seem to have had vaulted B2B into the criminal zone. Presumably not worth much and difficult to sell (they dont seem to be able to sell them now ) , motormouth sales person ROSS KRUGER was allowed to indulge his fantasy world to shift them, his sales letter of 14th June states the 2 sizes of casks, the returns at upcoming auctions ( no caveats so guaranteed ) and all the exits above come with a signed buy back guarantee by James & Pearce. These were blatant premeditated false statements procuring money under false pretences , buyers would enter the contracts believing that returns were assumed and that there was a safety net if anything went wrong , without both they are just conned, KRUGER finally admitted on August 22nd that this never existed, blaming it on an office error , Oh dear ! He claimed this all to be the opportunity of a lifetime for him yes ; I contend that this is a criminal offence , it is so galling that the July 19th internet outage disguised that this was all a con, Instead we had another nine weeks until the next auction with many failed dates and then a new money grabbing wheeze , on the 15th August the repugnant KEN HANSEN Arrived changing the goal posts and insisting on 10 casks for the next auction i had 7. On the19th August i had a long discussion with Kent Trading Standards, They said the contracts could be deemed invalid and cancelled due to the failures to provide the buy back guarantee and multi clause breaches of the contract = 9/10/11/17. " says we guarantee to buy back your goods for at least the current trading price. Oh yeah ! 17 refers to money laundering, I wonder if B2B bank virgin money knows that they dont adhere to their own contract on this matter, one for the F.C.A. The fantasy auction was finally set for 6th September , The day after with no results and no information i demanded a refund , they agreed to buy back but not for money- they wanted to swap everything for 40 bottles of Ange Noir Cognac to be auctioned in the next month or so MARK BROWN claimed each bottle was worth £6,500 and he wanted to store them in my house ! I refused that but said put it all in writing, however PAUL JOHNSON actually tried to have them delivered the following day, a friend repulsed them. This was a clear attempt to defraud me by trying to get me to sign away the barrels and agree to ownership of the bottles, we have all the documents and photos ! Who would think something like this, Not MARK BROWN although he went along with it and PAUL JOHNSON would need a map to tie his shoelaces , who s signature is on the invoice / letter , ALEX SELUJJA. Since then and before Christmas ive had 4 phone calls from the company and they have not repaid a penny, my favourite was on Friday the 13th ( yes really ) PAUL JOHNSON said we could make loads of money bottling the barrels - if i paid him £3,300 per barrel : i think he needed money for Christmas ! Who would employ the likes of KRUGER, HANSEN and JOHNSON to deal with clients ? they take the p out of professionalism . Now ex employee MARK BROWN says the company is in a precarious financial position , in debt to lenders Finbiz, it cant pay its debts as such, i assume it is trading whilst insolvent, i will now call upon all relevant organisations for interventions , investigations and enforcements and i have entered a dialog with The Sunday Times regarding a possible expose. If you are a victim why not join with me. In summary a bunch off oddball parasites scavenging on decent people life savings.

I invested in 3 barrels of cognac with B2B Nov 24 - Jan 25. I got documentation fro the first but not the other 2. When contacted they said it was returned to sender, most unlikely as we haven't moved for decades and post here is reliable. One employee Ross was trying to get me into an auction but I had to buy another barrel to qualify, I said no. They have not replied to emails for the last 2 weeks and the various phone numbers I have for them are just leaving messages or unanswered. I have raised a dispute for the payments with my bank, now I suppose Action Fraud unless they get back to me quickly.

Looks like they have packed up shop! Says it all really. I hope everyone gets their money back where they need to.

I cannot believe that they have tried to do it again. I was contacted by another agent a few days ago trying to upsell a cask of Cognac. Just decided enough is enough. In the two separate periods of harassment, I have had a Henry, a Steve a Robert, a Matthew, an Alex, who is on Company house and also the reference to a PA ( who will not be named).
I asked for proof of the evaluation and they couldn't provide it. They then tried to sell me some cases. I asked the same question. Change the subject tactic. Constant push push push. no evidence that any of this is real or worth it. I've never heard of Famille Lanville and whether it is worth even £50 a bottle. Not something like £350! No photo of the bottle either. No proof this award is even real. What I do know is that this little scam must end. If you have been caught out, I suggest Action Fraud, trading Standards and Financial Conduct to be the quickest route. They have £8mil in assets on company house apparently so why don't they payback to the other poor people here and prove they are genuine!

DO NOT BUY FROM THESE CRIMINALS!!
I purchase £3600 worth of cognac from them in September 2023, with a promise the would sell my wine…. That never happened, so early November I asked them to sell the stock. They said it would cost me £1800 for insurance to move the stock which I would get back. They took this of my card and I waited. A couple of weeks later I checked my internet banking and they had taken £1800 and then another £1800 and then £2800 was taken before I asked them what’s going on. I was told it was a clerical error and would be put back. I alerted my bank and blocked anymore coming out. After more phone calls I still had no money and I reported fraud to my bank, which is now investigating. That’s £10,000 people. I’m sick with a heart condition and prostate cancer and Barrel to bottles have cleaned me out. I’ve had to give up work and have nothing. I would love to hear their reply to me and when I can expect my money back, if, as they say, they are legitimate. Don’t invest in them, you will lose it.