A couple of big "investment" bottlings

[eelbrook]

I'm looking to sink £1k into one to three real quality 'investment' bottlings.

I've been considering:-

(1) Macallan Rankin 30yo (£1,000);
(2) Kinclaith 1969 35yo Signatory (£650)
(3) Highland Park Dragon 1961 (£350) - see my earlier post on another thread
(4) Ben Wyvis 27yo (£700).

What are people's thoughts please? Am I 'barking up the wrong tree'? Could I do better?

[Genuine Risk]

I dont buy whisky as an investment but couple of thoughts

The Dragon has been out for over a year and hasnt sold out might be overpriced compaired similar bottles of Highland Park.

Think the others already have a big increase on the initial rrp (not 100% sure though). So would be a while before you started to see any further increase in price.

How much are you expecting to make and how long are you going to keep them?

If you put £1000 in an isa and managed to average 3% (i know) over 30 years then you would get about £2427.

With selling commision you would need to get over £2600 in an auction to match the isa.

Know it sounds a bit doom and gloom but you might get lucky.

I have to say i would get great enjoyment of having these bottles which would be worth something in itself.

As stated before my advice is worth exactly what you pay for it and if any of these bottles are worth £30000 in the future dont blame me
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Putting the func in dysfunctional.

[Blackadder]

I know the Highland Park Dragon 1961 was bottled in 1997 and wasnt really generally available to purchase until i believe last year but even still it hasnt sold out yet so you have got to ask yourself is it likely to be a good investment? Having said that i have read a couple of reviews saying it is a very good whisky.

I am sure the Macallan Rankin 30 year old will increase in value in time but by how much is the gamble you take.

My thought on whisky as an investment is only buy what you would be pleased to drink yourself if it doesnt work out then you have a whisky you will enjoy.

[eelbrook]

I'm not interested in 3% per annum from an ISA. Nor am I interested in a seriously long-term investment (ie twenty to thirty years).

Rather, I'm looking at purchases which will give me a high percentage return over say 5 years.

Perhaps, I need to look at cheaper current releases.

[Genuine Risk]

Think that's speculation as aposed to an investment. Whiskystu put a good post on page 7 of the Balvenie Cooper page that is much the same as I see things.
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Putting the func in dysfunctional.

[eelbrook]

Yes, he wrote "never understand the buying and selling of whisky. The absolute profit is generally so low".

I suppose it depends what you regard as low.....

Arran Peacock - £40 to £150+
PC5 - £55 to £350+
Ardbeg Lord of the Isles - £100 to £350+
Glenfiddich Foundation - £50 to £250
Ardbeg Very Young (gen. release) - £30 to £150+
Macallan Royal Wedding - £150 to £500

This list goes on and on and on.

[whiskystu]

from your list the average profit per year is relatively low

Take the peacock. It originally cost say 35 in 2009 (?). Its now 2012, approx 3 yrs since release and if you hit a good day you might just scrap a £150 return after fees. Thats ~£38/yr profit.

Lord of the isles, 2001/2 release. Averaging £300 at SWA, less fees maybe £270. Over 10 years.. less initial outlay.. really is it not worth more than that to drink?

If you want a quick buck, buy a committee release, or a limited special release like the balvenie. Get it on ebay straight away on a short lenght auction. Pocket £100-£200. but dont hang around cos the profit doesnt last, first few maybe then the opportunity fades and the two or three people crazy enough to pay 3, 4, 5 times the rrp get their bottle

[eelbrook]

I guess that we can all be selective in the figures that we use.

However, if you start now with £1,000 and get 4% per annum tax free, you'll have £1,220 in 5 years).

I'm pretty certain that (even after taking off costs), it'd be possible to do a lot, lot, lot better than that with selective whisky purchases.


As to the "Highland Park 1961", that is a very difficult one to call value-wise, as there's been little or no secondary market in it or its "Dragon 1973" sibling. As to why it hasn't sold out, I've no idea. Perhaps, because Hebridean Liqueurs isn't 'on the radar' for most serious whisky collectors.

[DavidUK]

[eelbrook]

Managed to find a couple of sales of "Highland Park Dragon" on the secondary market.

In the 12th Auction of 2011, Whisky Auctions sold the boxed "Highland Park 1961" for 655 Euros (about £570).

In its December 2011 Auction, Mulberry Auctions sold a "Highland Park Dragon 1973" (which is unboxed) for £400.

[Genuine Risk]

[eelbrook]

I've actually never been to a whisky auction (sob).

However, I have bought the odd bottle or two via E-Bay and used E-Bay and SWA to dispose of a few surplus bottles (changes in my collecting emphasis and drinking preferences).

I guess that I've currently about 15 bottles that I consider "investments". I'd likely to push that figure up to about 25.

But the focus will remain on drinking the stuff lol.

[isaac1010]

What are the 15 bottles you are holding?

[Genuine Risk]

Sorry to drag up an old post but read this on the whisky investor.

Still not much interest in the Macallan 30 year old Rankin bottles. £850 at McTears. Original cost was £900 for these so you're into a fair loss when you take off auction fees etc.

As the original post shows was at £1000 not so long ago so drop is actualy worse. Over the long term things might be different of course.
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Putting the func in dysfunctional.

[Tom W]

Don't forget the intrinsic value of a bottle of 30YO Macallan sitting in your house for however long you keep it ; classy!

Although this has associated risk if you get in an open everything in sight mood !
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In the land of the blind, the one eyed man is king