Searching online auctions for some exquisite bottles of whisky is not just fun, it can be a good investment too. That is, if you know what you are doing! Here a 5 things you need to know about investing in whisky.
The Market
Whisky has become a respected luxury drink; not just in the Western world, but also in the Far East. The demand for fine, special edition whisky has increased in both worlds - which is why whisky can be such a good investment today. Part of the demand comes from Asia, where special editions of whisky are seen as a status symbol. Part comes from European enthusiasts, collecting whiskies for their history and character, or for the fun of collecting rare and fine products, and for the joy of drinking it. The increasing wealth in Western countries and Asia is one of the reasons interest in whisky has grown over the last few years and is expected to keep growing. Another reason is simply that many more people start seeing whisky as a good investment, increasing the demand instantly!
The Research
It is best to first educate yourself about whisky and the whisky market before starting a collection. Find out which brands or editions are in high demand. And figure out which are your favourites; because investing is much more fun and far easier if you actually enjoy collecting. The more you specialise, the more you learn about that specific subject; it will help you decide where to invest in.
Smart Investments
Whether you are an enthusiastic collector, an investor or both; always keep an eye out for special and limited editions. Whisky distilleries started releasing limited and special editions from the early 90s onwards and today these limited releases are even more rare. Hence, valuable. One very extreme example is the Macallan ‘M’ whisky. Only four bottles were made, and just two were ever made available; one of these sold for €323,000 at auction. On a Catawiki auction in 2015 a 1964 Black Bowmore whisky in an original 1994 wooden presentation case, which was a limited edition, sold for €5,100.
Be Patient
In order to make profit from your buy, it is often best to wait some time before you put your whisky up for auction again. Not just one or two years; try ten or twenty. Limited and special editions become even more rare if you wait a while, and a whisky ‘from the old days’ is often more valuable merely because it is vintage and a historical treasure. If you are really patient, you might be rewarded big time; this pure malt scotch whisky from 1926 sold for €8,500 in 2016 on a Catawiki auction. Not just because it was vintage, of course; it was allowed to mature for 50 years and bottled at cask strength and presented in a wooden box with leather straps.
Storage
Whisky is easier to store than wine; it can be kept in most environments. But if you are a collector and wish to store bottles of whisky for a long time, you should give it some more thought. Whisky must be stored upright since the cork does not close as tightly as a wine cork. Keep it away from sunlight and make sure the storage temperature is lower than room temperature; that way less whisky will evaporate through the cork. Humidity in cellars can damage the label, and screw-caps should be retightened every now and then.
Collecting whisky is fun, exciting and - if done well - profitable. Interested yet? Check out our Exclusive Whisky auction and start building your own, specialised collection! Let us know if you wish to sell a bottle of whisky – we are happy to help. Becoming a seller is easy and free for anyone interested in selling at auction, regardless of whether or not you're a professional retailer. Our team of whisky experts can't wait to see what exclusive bottles of whisky you have to offer!
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