7 Keys to Collecting Whisky

Think of collecting whisky as a journey. When preparing for a trip, you want to make sure to pack everything you need. Forgetting something could turn out to be just a minor annoyance. It may also have big consequences along the way. Here are the 7 keys to starting a whisky collection.

1. Set a budget

Collecting whisky can quickly get very expensive. Decide on a budget that fits your financial situation rather than obsess over bottles out of reach. Keeping to your collecting budget prevents overspending and gives a frame to your collection, which is a nice bonus.

2. Pick a theme

You don’t need to know at the outset what your complete collection will look like—collecting whisky is all about the journey. But, because you can go down different roads, each with its sights and attractions, following a thematic roadmap is a great way to help navigate. Without a theme, your collection might feel a bit hodge-podge, lacking any throughline.

Three whiskies of the Rare Malts Selection as an example for a whisky collection theme. — A collection theme can be based on countries, regions, distilleries, flavour profiles or bottlings series like the Rare Malts Selection.

No one but you should select your theme. It could be based on origin: from a single country, such as Japan or Ireland, or a region, like Islay or Campbeltown. Collecting whisky from a specific vintage (for example, your birth year) is popular too.

No matter your chosen theme, your optimal collector’s journey will start with love. A passion for a distillery discovered early in your whisky adventure has since embedded itself in your DNA and become a focus of your collection.

3. Collect what you like

If any advice from this article sticks, it should be this: concentrate on the whisky you like. This holds true for whisky collectors who plan to enjoy drams from their collection and for whisky investors. Trust your palate. See where that leads you. Better yet, buy the whisky you could see yourself drinking and enjoying with friends. If a bottle’s market value diminishes over time, ensure it’s a whisky you’ll still love.

4. Expand your knowledge

If you are still at the start of your whisky journey, how do you know what to collect and, more importantly, what you like? The answer is simple. Do research. Read whisky books. Bookmark whisky websites. Or venture onto YouTube, where a lot of whisky content is uploaded daily. Just be sure to always cross-reference and validate the information. As the saying goes, ‘one source is no source’.

Whisky tastings are a great way to explore the different flavour profiles of whiskies.

Practical research is where the real fun begins. Attend whisky tastings and festivals. Swap samples with other enthusiasts. Order whisky-tasting packs online. Visit nearby specialist retailers. Frequent your local whisky bar. Research might be the best part of whisky collecting.

5. Seek out rare whisky

Collectors love single casks, limited editions, and numbered bottlings. These are infinitely more collectable than whiskies that are part of a distillery’s core range. Small-batch whiskies are finite and cannot be replicated, making them exceptionally desirable to collectors. But do not simply trust a whisky’s label without doing research. Many whiskies are marketed as a limited, extremely rare, or special edition. Still, some of these turn out to be mass-produced and not very exclusive at all.

Single-cask releases like the Glenfarclas Family Casks series cannot be mass-produced.

There is no substitute for pedigree, either. A ‘limited’ outturn of 15,000 bottles is relatively large when it concerns smaller producers like Tullibardine, Glencadam or Royal Brackla. The same number of bottles will sell much more quickly when released by a more collectable brand like The Macallan or a cult distillery like Springbank.

6. Invest in whisky storage

If you’re spending time and money buying whisky, sort out proper storage for your whisky collection. While whisky is much more shelf stable than wine because of its higher alcohol levels, it can also deteriorate over time. To prevent this, always store bottles upright to prevent the cork from degrading. Also, keep your whisky collection in a cool, dry place with a constant temperature. Lastly, avoid direct sunlight. It will damage not just the packaging but the liquid too.

7. Enjoy the journey

Collecting whisky is about the journey, not the destination. Always remember to enjoy your travels throughout the world of whisky collecting. So, while collecting whisky can be enormously satisfying, remember that this historical spirit is made to be enjoyed: be sure to pour yourself a dram occasionally. Happy collecting!