How to build a whisky collection

The Whisky Club's guide to building a whisky collection

Building a whisky collection can start slowly and quickly ramp up. The sheer breadth of whisky flavours; distilleries; cask types and stories available make whisky collecting a joy for anyone who enjoys a dram that comes with a story. Every whisky collection is a personal journey, let us help you along yours.

But what should you collect, how should you shop, and can The Whisky Club help? We answer these questions and more in this: The Whisky Club's guide to building a whisky collection.

If you're looking for inspiration regarding collectible whiskies, we'd start with the following guides:

The Whisky Club's guide to rare bottles

The Whisky Club's guide to limited edition bottles

The Whisky Club's guide to expensive whisky

The Whisky Club's guide to award winning whisky

Start your collection today with access to exclusive single malt whiskies bottled just for Whisky Club Members. Sign up for free today.

Decide what kind of whisky collection you want to build

The first thing that is worth establishing is what type of collection you are looking to build: one for drinking, one for investing or a mixed collection. Some people build a collection they hope will increase in value whilst others collect bottles from a brand that they resonate with closely and then there are those who collect an array of whiskies for drinking with their friends. There is no wrong type of whisky collecting, but procurement for each type will vary. The other variable we consider is how a whisky looks. Some whisky bottles really are beautiful objects, and whether open or sealed they draw the eye to a shelf or backbar.

A drinking whisky collection

This is our favourite type of whisky collecting. Whether you want to deep dive into whisky from a specific distillery or build a broad and eclectic collection that caters to many tastes, there is nothing more satisfying than knowing your whisky is destined to be enjoyed.

An investment whisky collection

While you can never guarantee the value of a bottle of whisky will increase over time, it is fair to say that some brands and bottles have increased exponentially in the past. Getting a whisky upon release and watching it increase in value can be very satisfying, but it is worth pointing out that this type of collecting carries risk and often a lot of work. Flipping bottles can be lucrative, but there is a short period in which you need to get your product listed. Over the last decade you will likely have seen headlines about bottles inflating in value. Since 2024, this trend has softened meaning there are some good deals to be had on the auction sites. Holding bottles for a number of years is often a more secure way to realise an increase in value but there is never any guarantee of increase in value. If you are looking to buy investment grade whisky, be sure to only buy whiskies you can afford to drink, that way should they decrease in value, you'll have a nice bottle to share with fellow enthusiasts. If you are thinking of buying a cask, our advice is to do so with a group of friends dealing directly with a distillery with the intent of bottling and drinking the whisky in future. Steer clear of any cask investment schemes. These are rarely regulated and often end in tears. We cannot offer any investment advice here at the Whisky Club, all we will say is that if it looks too good to be true, then it likely is.

A mixed whisky collection (the most common)

A mix of bottles for drinking and investing is where most collectors land. Even the most avid investors usually like a dram of good whisky, and many will use the profits from their investment bottles to bolster their drinking collections. My own collection is a balance of both full and open bottles and in many circumstances I've bought two of each expression. One to drink with pals and one to hold on to as a collector's item. Some of my whisky would be considered investment grade, but most bottles have increased in value due to the memories attached as opposed to the price tag at auction. In terms of what I buy, I look to have variety in region, style, cask type, price range and age statement. This ensures I always have a few bottles I can afford to open, and one or two that are strictly for display.

How to develop your whisky palate before you buy

If you are looking for a drinking or mixed collection, it is absolutely worth homing in on styles of whiskies that you like. Great collections can take many forms, for us the best collections reflect the personal tastes of the collector. If you are just setting out, we recommend starting with maybe one whisky from each Scotch whisky region plus an Irish and American and an Australian. Then start to develop your collection by picking up more of the ones you like.

Find out about where the flavour in whisky comes from with The Whisky Club Guide to understanding whisky flavour.

Which whisky regions and styles to collect

Some collectors like to amass a collection from their favourite distillery, others look at particular cask types from different distilleries, some people love supporting a specific independent bottler whilst others only collect whiskies they have tasted and loved. There is even a market for collecting every batch or version of a particular whisky. Here's a brief overview of the different flavour profiles for adding to your collection...

Scotch whisky (Lowlands, Highlands, Speyside, Islands, Campbeltown and Islay)

Scotland is far and away the most famous whisky making country in the world. Their single malts cover a huge spectrum of flavours and regions from fruity and floral to peaty and coastal. Deep dive into the whisky making regions of Scotland with The Whisky Club's guide to the whisky making regions of Scotland. 

The Lowlands

Known for making light, floral and grassy single malts, the Lowlands is Scotland's overlooked region. For collectors, the focus is often on the new distilleries which offer a rare opportunity to collect every single whisky a distillery ever produces. Look out for first releases from the new guys but also watch for rarities from established distilleries like Glenkinchie.

Collectors' Brand: Daftmill has a cult following with their small batch, seasonal releases. Daftmill is a working farm on Fife that makes whisky in its spare time. In terms of lesser known distilleries, Daftmill is currently top of the pile for many collectors globally.

The Highlands

Scotland's largest region representing everything on the mainland north of the Highland Line. Whiskies from the Highlands tend to have more of a malty backbone and robust flavour profile. Here you can find experimentational and fruity releases from Glenmorangie, vintage honeyed whiskies from Balblair or rich Sherry monsters that taste like dark chocolate from Glendronach.

Collectors' Brand: The Glendronach is following in The Macallan's footsteps when it comes to making rich Sherried whiskies. Their single cask bottlings are coveted and their high age statement releases are nothing short of astounding.

Speyside

This is Scotland's richest vein of whiskies in terms of density. A 30 mile radius with over 60 working distilleries, there is a whisky here for everyone. The two main flavour styles are light and fruity or robust and Sherry driven. Renowned distilleries like Glenfiddich and The Macallan do attract much of the attention, but there is also value and quality here with Glen Moray's bottle your own releases, Benromach's Contrasts and Glenallachie's endless NPD pipeline under Billy Walker.

Collectors' Brand: There is really only one: The Macallan. This is the number one collecting whisky in the world. The top five most expensive auction bottles ever are all from The Macallan each fetching over $1,000,000 per bottle.

Islands

Scotland is surrounded by islands and 12 of them have single malt distilleries. Islay has 10 distilleries alone, so gets special treatment. Of the other 11 islands, the whiskies they make are as unique as the islands they inhabit. Jura has a sweet smoke, Arran is light and buttery but Lagg is heavily peated. Scapa is pineapple juice in a glass, Highland Park is heather-honey smoke. Talisker is peppery, Raasay malty, Tobermory coastal and Harris, Benbecula, Tiree, North Uist are all in a wait and see pattern as they find their feet.

Collectors' Brand: Harris is worth a mention here for their beautiful bottles and decent spirit. A chance to collect everything they have ever done, but we'd focus on Highland Park. Fresh out of their Viking phase, the whisky is as good as ever. But given the rebrand, this is a great chance to collect now extinct expressions from their recent past.

Campbeltown

Campbeltown is a town on a Peninsula in Scotland with three (soon to be four) distilleries. Known for making fruity and coastal malts, it deserves to inhabit its own unique category.

Collectors Brand: It's impossible to look past Springbank. The only distillery to do every part of the process on site for 100% of its production, Springbank's community focus has drawn the attention of whisky drinkers and collectors alike. Their shop sells out daily and its a rare example of a distillery who's core range is just as coveted as its limited editions.

Islay

Islay has 10 working distilleries these days with an 11th on the way. Known for making peated, smoky and intense single malts, Islay is deservedly the peated whisky capital of the world. In terms of collections, there is something here for everyone. Few brands attract as much passion from their fans as Laphroaig and their latest collaboration with Willem Defoe has definitely put them back in the collectible whisky discussion. Lagavulin's Offerman editions did similar. Port Ellen is the scarcest Islay whisky with their pre-shutdown stock gradually disappearing. And we need to highlight Bowmore who's Black Bowmore collection was the original collectible Scotch. Oh, and we can't forget Ardbeg who's limited editions come with story, integrity and flavour.

Collectors' Brand: We've picked Bruichladdich here. This is a brand that can tell a story through liquid, packaging and history all in one. Yellow Submarine, WMD I and Black Art are just three of the many incredible bottling released by this cult Islay distillery. It's also unpeated, so a non-smoky whisky lover will feel at home. And if you expect peat, they have Port Charlotte and Octomore (the peatiest whisky in the world.)

Irish whiskey

Ireland doesn't have the same number of brands or distilleries as Scotland, but the brands it does have are iconic. Whether traditional brands like Jameson, Bushmills and Redbreast; reborn brands like Dunville's or new kids on the block like Ardara, there is no doubt that Irish whiskey has some very collectible whiskies. From a drinkers point of view, Irish whiskey tends to be unpeated, fruity and smooth. It also has one ace up its sleeve: single pot still whiskey - an almost exclusive style utilising unmalted barley in the mashbill.

Collectors' Brand: Bushmills has become a focus for collectors, specifically for The Causeway Collection. This range was initially produced exclusively for The Whisky Club and has developed into a mainstay within the Bushmill's portfolio globally. The XX Causeway Collection bottles have fetched 3x their RRP at global whiskey auctions proving their collectability.

Japanese whisky

Japanese whisky has been produced since the early 1900s. For much of its life it was focussed inwards selling the vast majority of its volume in Japan itself. However the last 20 years or so has seen a huge appreciation for Japanese whisky develop locally. The sudden global boom has driven awareness, knowledge and prices skyward. It has also fuelled an industry expansion with many new distilleries coming online. Collectible Japanese whisky is everywhere: Hanyu and Karuizawa are now extinct distilleries putting them top of the tree with regards to collectability. The big players are also very good at releasing market exclusives and distillery only bottlings.

Collectors' Brand: Chichibu is impressive on many levels. They were the first real craft distillery in Japan and their owner comes from a long lineage of distilling and whisky making. We love them because each release has a batch number, and each batch is crafted for quality, not necessarily consistency making collecting Chichibu a bit like playing Pokemon - you simply have to try and taste them all.

American bourbon and rye

Another of the big whisky producing nations, the USA is home to some incredibly iconic and collectible brands. Whether new distilleries like Stranahans with their Snowflake release or old reliables like Buffalo Trace with their incredible cask exploration series there is definitely scope for crafting unique and unusual whiskey collections in America.

Collectors' Brand: there really is only one brand here: Jack Daniel's. As iconic as Jameson in Ireland or Johnnie Walker in Scotland, Jack Daniel's is the undoubted king of collectible Tennessee Whiskies. Every non-spirits brand wants to work with them (Frank Sinatra, McLaren and Marshall amps to name but three) and every other spirits brand would pay alot of money for their influence. If you're after a drinking collection, then simply buying Jack Daniel's single barrels will deliver variety and quality. If you want a collection to look at, then their Old No. 7 is quality Tennessee Whiskey and it comes in a plethora of limited edition packs.

Australian and world whisky

Australian whisky is now well over 30 years old and gaining reputation globally. It is one of the very few countries where you can still meet the people who started the industry and hear their story first hand. A huge privilege and the equivalent of talking to George Smith of Glenlivet or Johnnie Walker himself. In terms of collecting, many people collect first editions from the new distilleries whilst others collect from a single source.

Collectors' Brand: This one deserves two mentions. Lark because of the incredible plethora of affordable old school bottles available as well as the fantastic branding the company have become known for. If you do get your hands on an original LD bottle, it is well worth trying alongside the new releases. The branding might have changed, but the quality has been a consistent feature. The other brand we'll call out is of course Sullivans Cove. Winner of the World's Best Whisky in 2014, HH0525 is the most collectible Sullivans out there. But HH0351, HH0520, TD0217, TD0272, HH0108, HH0609, HH0229, TD0351, TD0033, TD0112 and their 21 year old have all taken out global awards.

Rare and collectable whisky bottles worth seeking out

There are many exclusive and rare whisky bottles out there across every category. But only a few transcend into the world of legendary whiskies. Here are our top 3 picks in this category:

Black Bowmore

For many in Scotland, this was the first ever collectible Scotch that went crazy. The original 29 year old retailed for $160-220 back in 1993. These original bottles have realised $30,000 at auction. The latest edition, a rebottled 31 year old retailed for $100,000 in 2020. If you want the oldest in terms of spirit age, the 50 year old will set you back a cool $150,000 in 2026.

The Macallan Red Collection 60 years old

The Macallan is the ultimate in collectable Scotch whisky. With works of art like Time:Space, Reach and the Sir Peter Blake bottles out in the wild, it is fair to say that top tier whisky from The Macallan doesn't disappoint in aesthetics, pricetag or indeed taste. And it is flavour that has made us pick The Macallan Red Collection whisky here. Bottled in a simple Fine and Rare style bottle with a big '60' on it, this release is all about the liquid inside. In terms of flavour it shows The Macallan's super-power of ageing with elegance and in your author's humble opinion (I tried it when I worked there), it performed much better on the palate than older and more expensive expressions. One for the drinkers.

Sullivan's Cove HH0525

This is the most legendary Australian whisky to ever exist. The single cask that brought home the title of World's Best Whisky in 2014. A perfect example of French Oak maturation that showed the world Australian whisky meant business. It's a bit of a Woodstock whisky - everyone who was in Tasmania in 2014 claims to have tried it. A bottle will set you back north of $25,000 if you can find one.

Distillery exclusives and special releases

One of the best places to get collectable bottles of whisky is at the source. Distilleries are great at rewarding people that make the pilgrimage. Places like Glen Moray, Glendronach and Diageo's distilleries offer a chance for visitors to bottle their own straight from a cask. An instant whisky with a personal story and a fitting addition to any collection. In addition, festivals offer other unique chances to pick up whiskies bottled for special occassions. Islay festival bottlings are known for increasing in value overnight, Speyside festival bottlings often showcase the rarer distilleries from the region and then there are the Kentucky Derby bottles from Makers Mark and the Dark Mofo bottles from Tasmania's single malt distilleries.

Single cask and single barrel bottlings

Scarcity is not the only thing that signals value in whisky, but it is one consideration. A single cask or single barrel bottling is an expression of the effect of a single cask. Yielding between 1 and 500 bottles, single casks are often the smallest batches of whisky available. Each cask creates a whisky with a fingerprint that can never be exactly replicated. Collecting single casks from the same distillery is a wonderful way to showcase the magic of whisky maturation. Each one a unique expression with the same underlying DNA.

Limited editions and discontinued bottlings

Limited Editions are those whiskies that deviate from the core range. Often these are used to tell a brand story and give license to whiskymakers to experiment a bit. The Macallan's Harmony range is a great example where the Whiskymaking team look to reflect the sustainable materials used to create the packaging in a whisky's character. Whether cocoa, oak, tea, coffee or grass, each one allowed the Whiskymaker to show some flare and skill with no pressure to recreate another batch down the line. This gave them access to the entire warehouse in search of specific flavour profiles. These might have drawn ire from traditional Macallan fans, but there is no doubting the Whiskymaking craft that was on show. And the best things about Limited editions for collectors, is they eventually get discontinued. This makes every remaining dram more valuable whether in a sealed bottle or in a glass.

Check out The Whisky Club's guide to limited edition whisky for some of our favourites.

Rare bottles from silent distilleries (Port Ellen, Brora and others)

One of the most satisfying things for any whisky enthusiast to do is try a whisky that can never exist again. Something from a closed or even demolished distillery. Famous examples include Brora, Port Ellen, St Magdalene, Rosebank, Littlemill, Karuizawa and Hanyu. Whiskies from these disitlleries continue to get older with no younger expressions following. Of course, some of these distilleries have been resurrected, but with changes in distilling tech, knowledge and climate, it is impossible to tell if they will hit the same mark that their previous incarnations did.

Common mistakes to avoid when starting a whisky collection

Here are my top three mistakes to avoid when starting a collection:

1. Don't collect whisky you don't like. Follow your palate. Find a style you like and start to dig deeper from there. This will ensure you build a collection you could eventually enjoy to drink should you see fit or should the value of the collection drop.
2. Don't get swept up by the hype. Trying to buy an Islay Festival bottle the day after the distillery's festival day will almost certainly ensure you pay over the odds. Wait a little while and these bottles will likely show up at a fairer price. Sometimes only days or weeks later after the initial rush to secure a bottle.
3. Beware of investment schemes. If you are being promised a return on an investment as opposed to a physical bottle or cask, then seek legal and industry advice before committing to anything.

How to store whisky bottles properly

Storing your collection is very important. We'd suggest storing bottles upright and out of direct sunlight as UV light can change the flavour profile of a whisky over time. Another enemy of a whisky is oxygen. If you have bottles less than half full, we'd suggest potentially downsizing them into smaller bottles to minimise oxidation or prioritising them in your drinking collection. We also suggest turning the bottles every 6-12 months to avoid the cork drying out. If you have glass doors in your cabinet, look for UV protection for the glass. Also be aware of temperature fluctuations. Whisky is a bit more robust than wine, but it's worth taking the same level of care for any collection. We'd suggest stable room temperatures around 15-20C.

Check out The Whisky Club's guide to whisky storage for more information.

Where to buy collectable whisky in Australia and New Zealand

Collectable whisky can pop up in many places. Here are our favourites:

Independent bottle shops

Independent bottle shops in small towns may have a few bottles of old expressions at original price. Independent bottle shops in larger cities are great places to get hold of the most recent limited releases or collectable drams.

Cellar doors and distillery visitor centres

Cellar Doors are often a great place to get collectable grade whiskies as distillery exclusives and bottle your own casks are only available to those who make the pilgrimage. Similarly whisky festivals like Feis Ile, The Speyside Festival and Dark Mofo are fantastic places for getting rare drams.

Auction houses

Auctions are a good place to find old skool bottlings and limited releases, but beware of authenticity and auction house fees. Non-members who missed previous whiskies of the month from The Whisky Club have stumped up bottles at double, treble and even 10x the original RRP.

The Whisky Club

The Whisky Club is the best place to build a collection of rare whiskies that are not available anywhere else in the world. The majority of our Whiskies of the Month are unrepeatable expressions crafted by distilleries and Whiskymakers just for our Members. Where else can you build a unique collection of limited release whiskies for $120-160 per bottle? In addition, we often source add-ins unavailable anywhere else in the country. 

Tracking your whisky collection: tasting notes and provenance

So, you've collected a few bottles, what now? Well, in between sharing a dram and stories with your mates, we suggest keeping a log. Firstly for insurance reasons, we'd suggest noting the bottling and price you paid. Secondly, we know bottles have a habit of getting lost at the back of a cupboard. Having an index or a list will help locate what you have on the go. How you organise your collection is up to you, but some people use regionality, others list distilleries alphabetically and I know a few eccentric collectors who organise everything by colour of label and even ABV.

FAQs

How many bottles do you need before it counts as a whisky collection?

We'd say that a single bottle with an amazing personal story counts as a collection. The one you got on your trip to The Macallan when you proposed to your partner is just as compelling as the collection of every batch of Aberlour Abunadh. It's not about the quantity, it's about the journey and the story.

Should you open rare whisky bottles or keep them sealed?

We love an open bottle of rare whisky. The most valuable bottle of whisky is the one shared with good friends. I recently took a bottle of Tun 1401 to a gathering of uni pals. I'd held onto it for 15 years after buying at the distillery waiting for the perfect opportunity to share it. I watched it balloon in value from $300 to $4000, but the flavour surpassed any monetary value. It was magnificent.

Is whisky a good investment?

Whisky, like any investment can go up or down in value. We can't give financial advice. We would say only buy whisky you can afford to drink, beware of cask investment schemes and remember that a whisky's destiny is to be consumed and enjoyed.

Do age statements really matter when collecting whisky?

Age statements tell you how long a whisky has been in a cask. Nothing more. They don't reveal the flavour picked up, the flavour developed or the flavour lost over time. Older whisky is often more complex, but not always better. That's a matter of personal taste. But, we would caveat that few distilleries will release an older whisky they don't back from a flavour perspective. Ultimately, every release puts the Whiskymakers and distillery's reputation on the line.

Interestingly, if you are looking for whisky from closed distilleries, younger expressions will be rarer than older expressions. Rosebank closed in 1993, this means there has been no new bottlings of 12 year old Rosebank since 2005, but there continues to be bottlings of 33 year old plus.

How much should you budget to start a whisky collection?

It depends on your collection, but for single malts we'd suggest a budget of $100-200 per bottle as a start. As you learn your palate and start to identify what you want to collect, you can adjust your budget accordingly.

How long does whisky last once a bottle is opened?

Whisky doesn't go off due to the high alcohol content, but UV light and oxygen is bad for it. An opened bottle will change and degrade over a year or two. We suggest storing them away from sunlight and try to minimise the oxygen in the bottle by moving it into smaller vessels as the volume decreases. An open bottle will last a good year or two open.

Does whisky need to be stored upright like wine is stored on its side?

Whisky should be stored upright. If left on its side, there is a chance the high alcohol will degrade the cork. Turn bottles every 6-12 months to ensure the cork doesn't dry out.

Where is the best place for a beginner to start collecting whisky?

We think there is no better place to start your collection than here at The Whisky Club. Our free Membership will give you access to exclusive single malt whiskies that are not available to any non-Member anywhere else. Priced between $120 and $160, these come from the most celebrated brands in the whisky world. On top of this, The Club is a great place to discover your next favourite brand with new distilleries being featured periodically.

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