Every once in a while, news appears about a rare bottle of whiskey being sold at auction at a price that seems too high to be real. Just recently, in November 2023, a bottle of Macallan Adami 1926 — arguably the most sought-after bottle of liquor in the world — was sold for £2.1 million ($2.6 million). That’s as high as sought-after liquor bottles go and more than double the estimated price for this bottle of whiskey.
Fine spirits, in general, are no strangers to the floors of auction houses. Still, there’s something about whiskey that makes it different. There are extremely rare bottles of whiskey just as there are extremely rare bottles of wine, and both have great aging potential. But a particular heritage and lore around whiskey make it a desirable part of collections and investment portfolios.
Regarding seeing exquisite bottles as collector’s items or valuable investments, Alex Kogan is the perfect person to talk to for pointers. Alex is the proprietor of World Whiskey Society, a non-distiller whiskey producer renowned for its unique expressions of whiskeys worldwide.
“We scour the world of the best and most unique distilleries and then mature the whiskey in casks that give them the flavor of the product that was in there before,” he explains. “It gives the whiskey a new layer of flavor on top of the existing.”
There are also the beautiful bottles they use for their whiskeys, which are works of art. That allows for combinations like the upcoming 10-year-old KY bourbon that comes in a bottle shaped like a Unicorn or the upcoming WWS Classic Collection is 10-year-old straight bourbon finished in tequila barrels.
The whiskeys World Whiskey Society produces are themselves a highly collectible commodity. The company released a limited number of its creations, adding even more exclusivity to the outstanding combination of high-quality whiskey aged in selected casks and barrels and poured in beautiful bottles.
With such expertise and experience, Alex advises doing due diligence for a novice looking to enter the game first. The spirits market is prone to trends, so staying on top is extremely important. An investor needs to follow auctions and industry news and work on establishing a knowledge of historical price ranges. It can be quite a deep hobby to get into – and expensive – but ultimately, collecting whiskey bottles can become lucrative.
The next step would be to start networking. There’s a rich social life built around whiskey, and finding a way to join in is the perfect choice for someone looking for information about brands, series, and upcoming auctions. For those who don’t want to travel, there are numerous forums and clubs one can join online.
Those with a sense of adventure might find tastings and events great opportunities to get to know like-minded individuals and develop one’s palate. Getting to know industry experts and building relationships with them is crucial for a serious collector, and events are the place to do it.
As for the first purchases, starting small is key. Even if the first purchases aren’t small or cheap, it’s best to make the first steps within a strict budget, seeing it as an investment toward learning. It’s also a good idea to have a cross-section of brands. Still, nothing stops collectors from falling in love with a certain distillery or producer and focusing on its offering.
For example, the World Whiskey Society has its curated collection, the Reserve Collection, and it’s the company’s place to showcase only the best of its offer. Those include the upcoming 32-year-old Strathmill Single Malt, a 32-year-old Aultmore Single Malt, and a 33-year-old Macallan Single Malt. Deciding to add them to a collection even early in its formation can be a safe choice, thanks to WWS’ reputation and the quality and scarcity of the product.
Of course, like any other type of investment, whiskey has some specifics novel investors should know about. For one, whiskey needs proper storage conditions to maintain its quality. Light, temperature, and humidity can all alter the state of the spirit, so reasonable care should be taken to prevent any damage.
Trends come and go and affect the value of the investment on the market. The bigger problem might be that whiskey, and spirits in general, are less liquid than other types of investments. It could be significantly more straightforward to unload some stocks or different kinds of assets than a beautiful bottle of a Japanese Single Malt.
But as a long-term investment, investing in spirits- whiskey specifically- can be an excellent option for people who enjoy the finer things in life and can tolerate the risks involved. And with World Whiskey Society’s upcoming releases, there’s no doubt that’s the first place to start looking for a collectible bottle of high-end whiskey.
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