Whisky Investments
Writer:
Ron Morrison
The Start of Whisky Investment
The Interest in whisky investment has grown exponentially in the last 5-10 years and while there may be some whiskies that have peaked (some
Japanese for example) there remains plenty of opportunity for great returns while having fun along the way.
Whiskies from some Japanese distilleries have seen staggering returns, where a bottle of
Karuizawa bought for a few hundred dollars just a couple of years ago will return thousands today.
Limited Editions
The opportunities lie in the limited Editions from top distilleries along with offerings still available from silent stills (closed distilleries). These include the famous but perhaps not the best bargain
Port Ellen.
Brora is another incredibly collectible silent still, but opportunities are abounding in less known whiskies such as
St Magdalene, Hillside,
Imperial,
Littlemill and the sleepy but mighty
Glen Mhor where the potential looms large.
Limited releases from the proven top ROI participants include
Ardbeg,
Springbank,
Highland Park,
Macallan, and
Glendronach along with many others... but standard releases also can bring great returns overtime think Macallan 18 and Springbank 21.
Rare Whiskey from the 60s and 70s
Perhaps the most exciting investments come from gems that can still be found at great prices, whiskies from the 60s and 70s! These whiskies from a Golden age can be outstanding even the blends are noticeably superior (often more Malt) to their contemporary counterparts. The reason is varied, it was a time of less hurried production and there was direct firing of the stills. The types of barley like golden promise and other excellent long forgotten varieties where prevalent. Superior Sherry casks also contributed and onsite floor malting all added to a bygone area. So, go hunt for 60s and 70s like
Bunnahabhain,
Glendronach and
Macallan don't forget blends like
Haig buy some to invest and some to drink.
Note; buy from a trusted merchant as there are fakes out there.
Slainte
R M