Investing in whisky BE SELECTIVE


Don’t just run out and buy a case of supermarket whisky and as- sume that it will make you mil- lions. The key to clever whisky in- vesting is understanding supply and demand. For your whisky to make money it needs to have a desirable quality. For example, it could be one of the fi rst bottlings from a new distillery, or from a dis- tillery which has ceased pro- duction – Rosebank, Brora and Port Ellen are examples of whisky which have in- creased in value since clos- ing. Limited editions and


festival bottlings are also a good choice as they are pro- duced in limited quantities. Older whiskies will also tend to fetch a higher price.


GET THE TIMING RIGHT


Knowing when to buy and when to sell is crucial. You don’t want to buy a whisky when it has al- ready reached a top price. Macallan and Glenfi d- dich regularly have bottlings which sell at extrava- gant prices and are less likely to generate a further signifi cant growth. Whiskies I would be watching right now and that you can still get for a good price would be Balvenie, Ardbeg and Deanston. Likewise knowing when to sell is also important; looking at current trends will give you an idea of whether the whisky is likely to continue to grow or if you should sell when demand is high. Confi dence will come over time and sometimes you may just have to take a risk.


SHOP AROUND Don’t always look in the most obvious places for whisky, sometimes the most treasured fi nd can be in the most unusual places. The whisky trad- ing ground is massive, with the big auction houses like McTear’s and Bonhams having regular whisky sales – it is always interesting to attend and see what is on offer. There are also many online whisky auction sites springing up: check out www.scotch- whiskyauctions.com and www.whisky-online.com for current whisky auctions. You should also con- tact distilleries directly because many sell certain


unique bottles through the distillery shop only. In- vestigate local whisky shops as well; it’s not uncom- mon for the rogue bottle to turn up. Another great place to look is some tourist shops in the north of Scotland, often the shop keepers have acquired bottles locally and may not know their worth.


EXPLORE THE INDEPENDENTS It is important to note that many independent bottling companies have some of the most deli- cious and rare collections of whisky on the mar- ket. They also tend to be better value for money so there is more room for growth. Companies like Gordon & MacPhail and Cadenheads have been bottling whisky independently for years and their collection is certainly worth a look.


HAVE PATIENCE To really maximise your investment you have to be patient, it may take many years before your bot- tle has reached fi nancial maturity and can boost your bank balance. A passion for whisky always helps and it can be great fun collecting along the way. One last piece of advice would be make sure you have some good company around to help you drink your whisky should the worst happen and the market crashes.


THE WORLD’S MOST EXPENSIVE WHISKIES


• The world’s most valuable decanter of whisky ever sold at auction, a 64 year-old Macallan in a crystal Lalique decanter was sold at Sotheby’s in New York for over £90,500 in November 2011.


• A bottle of Dalmore 62 whisky sold last year at Singapore airport for £125,000, the highest price ever paid for a standard bot- tle of Scotch.


• Costing over £3,800,000, the Isabella’s Islay whisky comes in a crystal decanter covered with two bars of white gold, 8,500 diamonds and almost 300 rubies.


• As we go to press a rare 54 year-old bottle of Bowmore goes under the hammer at Bonhams auctioneers. The single malt is expected to fetch between £100,000 and £150,000.


Scottish Field Whisky Challenge 33 sf12 Whisky Supp_investing in wh33 33 25/10/2012 16:05:50


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