Top tipple: rare Whisky outperforms Wine and Gold as 2015 investment

Leading index for Scotch Whisky rose 14% last year, while Wine fell 0.4%, Gold was down 10% and FTSE 100 index lost 4.9%
Rare Whisky has outperformed other investments such as Wine and Gold, enjoying a record year in 2015.

The Japanese Whisky market boomed last year, with the Rare Whisky Karuzaiwa Index rising by nearly 75% in nine months. Bottles that sold for £350 12 months previously fetched more than £3,000 when they were resold. However, the boom tailed off at the end of 2015, when the index fell by 6% as prices for Japanese Whisky pulled back, reflecting the overheated nature of the market, the consultancy said.

The Macallan Estate in Speyside, which has been making single malt Scotch Whisky since 1824, remains the most traded distillery, despite losing market share. It accounted for nearly 10% of the market for bottles sold and 23% of the total value, down from 31% in 2013. In second place, Ardbeg in the Inner Hebrides, which has been producing Whisky since 1798, has an 8% share of volume and value. Bowmore, another distillery on the Isle of Islay, founded in 1779, came third.

As new releases of aged Whisky become increasingly rare, the importance of age and value has grown, the consultancy said. The older the age and the earlier the vintage, the better – even relatively poor quality old-aged Scotch is becoming more valuable. The 10 most desirable distilleries now include 7 that are no longer operational.

Storage and Insurance

Through the Spirit Traders logistics department, the following is ensured:

1. All Whisky is stored in owners’ names and can only be removed with their consent
2. An annual audit of clients’ holdings is undertaken by the relevant countries Customs and Excise.
3. Climate-controlled and vertical storing conditions, which are ideal for Whisky storage.
4. Holdings are held in bond under state-of-the-art security.
5. Clients’ accounts are maintained individually.
6. All casks held under Bond are Governed by HMRC.