A fine investment?

[FullCircle]

Ten years ago, I made a 5 week tour of Scotland to include all the distilleries, and headed back South with a complete boot full of whisky.
I collected them for drinking, and indeed have drunk most of them, or passed them on as a token of thanks or gratitude.

Last year, we approached Burns night, and I asked the assemblage whether to open and drink a bottle of 1977 Double Matured Laphroaig or not.
Too good for the likes of us, was the reply.
So, we checked on whisky exchange and it seemed to value at between £300 to £500 a bottle, which rather shook me.
I know that I paid about £80.
So I put it on ebay and it fetched £310 to a bloke in Germany. Cripes.

So, I have got round to thinking.
As my pension has gone complete TU for the third time in 15 years, and those rapacious Berks in the City have done for me again, it seems as though collectable whisky of a certain rarity may well be the way to go.
Its not as volatile as French fine wine, and has no real special storage problems.

I have checked one of my rare malts of long gone distilleries which seems to offer only about 10% over the 10 years (better than my pension fund BTW), but the Laphroaig and a 21 yr old Glenmorangie seem to offer a 10 year return of 350%.

So, I am planning to return to Scotland this year and visit my old dealer, Loch Fyne Whiskies for what may prove to be a bit of fun investing.
At least I get a buzz out of it, like stuffing fivers in a mattress, but with potentially a better return.

Anyone else doing this?

[sahona]

an ex-colleague of mine has a loft full, destined to be enjoyed or cashed in, as necessary.
Just make sure your fire insurance is good!!!

[Rowana]

Anyone else doing this?

I would suspect that quite a few people are, but I would suspect that the posters hereabouts are far too fond of sampling the product!

If you're touring Scotland and you end up here -
http://www.glengarioch.co.uk/highland-malt-whisky.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Come and look me up. I live just down the road.

You might even be able to purchase one of these for your collection -
http://www.glengarioch.co.uk/Archive.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[FullCircle]

Anyone else doing this?

I would suspect that quite a few people are, but I would suspect that the posters hereabouts are far too fond of sampling the product!

If you're touring Scotland and you end up here -
http://www.glengarioch.co.uk/highland-malt-whisky.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Come and look me up. I live just down the road.

You might even be able to purchase one of these for your collection -
http://www.glengarioch.co.uk/Archive.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yep, been there, done that. But they are not listing the 46 yr old in their shop. I suspect that the 46yr old is just a 'look how flash I am' bottle at some huge price to start with, so not really a bargain. But a single cask bottling which is say 15-21yr or special occasion would be good. Maybe Glen Garioch is not on the radar of the big collectors.
Bruichladdich I should have done, as that closed then opened again, so some were being flogged off cheap to get the new company going back in 98, but I wasnt long term collecting then.

[Silkie]

Anyone else doing this?

It would never work for me, for obvious reasons.

[Telo]

Anyone else doing this?

It would never work for me, for obvious reasons.

Same here. Liquid assets? Huh!

[DaveS]

I'm not really into the collecting game, but if I was I think I'd want to buy two bottles of each: one to keep and one for drinking. Apart from anything else, you'd then have a very good idea of which were tastiest as opposed to dearest when the ultimate decision to sell or keep the other one came along.