Sales of old and rare bottles of whisky hit record high due to China's middle class
Sales of old and rare whisky are at a ﻿record high this year, with data from Rare Whisky 101, showing 1H2015 sales up a third YoY, due to its increased popularity with China's middle class, as well as an increase in demand from collectors in the UK.  This growth in demand has led to the launch of an online whisky index, where consumers around the world can buy a 'wee dram' or small unit in a bottle, starting at just a few pounds, thereby helping to fund the cost of the distillers whilst they mature the bottles.  

Forget stocks and shares, the latest asset that has caught the eye of wealthy investors is whisky.

Auction house Bonhams is holding a whisky sale in Scotland to tap into demand and a bottle of 50 year Glenfiddich will go under the hammer on Wednesday for an expected £15,000.

Sales of old and rare whisky are at a record high this year. Sales in the first half of 2015 grew by more than a third compared to the previous year with more than 20,500 bottles of single malt sold on the open market, according to consultancy Rare Whisky 101.

Auction house Bonhams is holding a whisky sale in Scotland to tap into demand and a bottle of 50 year Glenfiddich will go under the hammer on Wednesday for an expected £15,000

The popularity of expensive whisky has been driven by China as their growing middle classes develop a taste for luxury goods. However there has also been increasing demand from collectors in Britain.

Bonhams' whisky sale this week in Edinburgh includes a number of rare bottles including the 50-year old Glenfiddich as well as a 42-year old Bowmore Premier which could reach £6000.

The Glenfiddich bottle comes from a batch of nine casks laid down in the 1930s - one for each of William Grant's nine children.

William Grant founded his distilling company in the 1880s and his children helped him build the Glenfiddich Distillery. The casks have produced 500 bottles.

Bonhams' whisky specialist Martin Green said: 'This is one of the most desirable Glenfiddichs - or indeed of any Scotch whisky - and is keenly sought after by collectors for its exceptional quality and rarity.'

The popularity of expensive whisky has been driven by China as their growing middle classes develop a taste for luxury goods

The Glenfiddich bottle comes from a batch of nine casks laid down in the 1930s - one for each of William Grant's nine children

Scottish whisky is a popular sector but demand has also been growing for Japanese whisky. Bonhams sold a 1969 bottle of Karuizawa for more than £77,700 in Hong Kong in the summer.

The growing demand from investors for whisky has led to the launch of an online whisky exchange where people can buy a 'wee dram' or units in a barrel starting at just a few pounds.

WhiskyInvestDirect was launched last month and allows investors to buy units in a barrel while it is still maturing. The business suggests investors could see a 7pc annual return on their investments.

The scheme also helps fund the cost to the distillers while they mature the whisky.