The popularity of whiskey as an investment option has grown dramatically in recent years.

So, how can you tell if a bottle is a collectable whiskey and worth investing in? There are several factors that can determine the value – and more importantly, the future value of whiskey – which we have listed below.

The Brand Name:

There are some brands that are more collectable than others, this can depend on personal preferences as well as market trends. Some of the most popular well-known brands at the moment include the likes of Bushmills, Dalmore, Macallan, Midleton and Teeling to name but a few.

The Age/Vintage Statement:

The age of the liquid in the bottle is represented by the age on the label that states how long the whiskey spent maturing in a cask. As well as this, they may also specify a vintage, which is the year that the whiskey was distilled alongside or instead of the age statement. Generally speaking an old whisky from a popular distillery would be an excellent addition to your collection.

The ABV:

Cask Strength spirits tend to be extremely popular and more desirable than those with a lower ABV. Cask strength refers to the alcohol by volume (ABV) and means that it has been bottled at the strength at which it came out of the cask – with nothing else added.

Distillery vs Independent Bottling:

Generally speaking, official bottlings (those released by the distillery itself rather than independent bottlers who purchase casks from distilleries and bottle them under their own branding) hold more value than independent bottlings.

Limited Editions & Limited Releases: 

Limited edition releases are an excellent place to start. Single cask releases and small batch releases tend to do very well at auctions as these are naturally rare, and therefore can be harder to come by after the initial release.