Jetgala - MAR-MAY 2023

85 L I Q U I D G O L D connoisseurs are going for rare historical releases. “They want to try and create the truest and holistic collection that represents their tastes. It’s like a jigsaw, and they try to fill in these missing pieces,” he adds.  STARTINGA HOME COLLECTION For those looking to start a collection, it pays to do your research. Bilbey suggests checking out websites like www. whiskyfun.com which lists every new release in addition to releases from obscure distilleries.  For old bottlings, he recommends Emmanuel Dron’s book, Collecting Scotch Whisky. “If people want to collect unicorn whiskies and historic bottlings, that’s your book.” (The book is out of print at the time of printing this article. Refer to collectingscotchwhisky.com .) If nothing else, he says, Macallan is a safe bet. “Macallan has been the backbone of the secondary market. It is without doubt the number one brand for resale.” Beyond Macallan, his favoured producers are Bowmore, Laphroaig, and Japanese silent or lost distilleries, like Karuizawa.  Besides new releases, silent distillery offerings are in demand. Diageo’s Brora and Port Ellen are highly collectable, and such is the demand that both distilleries are reopening. In Japan, Karuizawa and Hanyu are both ghost distilleries, and of the two, Karuizawa is favoured by collectors.  Kishnani’s tips for the neophytes: Invest in aged Japanese whisky. “I think any Japanese whisky that has age on it is likely to do well over the long term.” Japan has fewer than ten active distilleries compared to Scotland which has over 100, making Japanese whiskies a treasured purchase.  In addition, he says, “In Asia, people are more familiar with Japanese whisky.” There’s comfort in buying known names likeYamazaki and Hibiki.  Seasoned collector JT (he prefers to stay anonymous) reiterates Kishnani’s point but prefers to buy rare Scottish drams. “In terms of pure investment, I would say that Japanese whisky is more well sought after in the market, especially in Asia.” “If you are looking at Japanese blue- chip whiskies, I think their value is already established because of the rarity. But if you were to go for rare Scottish whiskies, a lot of them trade way below the Japanese counterparts, and that’s what I’m buying.” He also highlights travelling to Scotland as an alternative path to research. “I have gained a lot by visiting places like Islay in Scotland versus, say, a vineyard,” he says. Being an Islay whisky lover, JT notes that it pays to visit the region to understand the geography and nuances of the whisky – from the significance of peat to the elusive sea salt notes in his favourite distillery, Lagavulin.  “I certainly think if you’re serious about collecting, it’s helpful.” Port Ellen distillery Far left: Port Ellen distillery Left: Karuizawa Founders’ Cask PHOTO: DIAGEO (FAR LEFT) AND RAREWHISKY HOLDINGS (LEFT) Yamazaki 55Year Old from House of Suntory PHOTO: HOUSE OF SUNTORY Talisker 40Year Old from Diageo PHOTOS: DIAGEO