Whiskey collecting

The rise of whiskey collecting and tasting into the mainstream is at an all-time high. Distilled spirits are finding their way not only into the homes of American consumers in record numbers but also into private clubs that purchase and sell entire barrels of whiskey for charity or special tastings at mid-to-high-end restaurants. The reestablishment and resurgence of the speakeasy have created an unprecedented boom in the marketplace. Bourbon, rye, scotch -- both blends and single malts, as well as Irish whiskey, rum, and tequila have become subjects for social media accounts and groups, as well as buying and selling. The current interest in whiskey has surpassed what it reached at its height in the 1960s before the industry saw a huge downturn. Are we sitting on a “whiskey bubble“? Only time will tell, but for now, growth continues to happen at a record pace.

One of the biggest surges in the whiskey-collecting world has been among females. Traditionally looked at as a “man's drink“ women are now becoming major players in the industry, taking prominent positions as master blenders, master distillers, masters of maturation, and even distillery owners. Bringing a fresh approach to the industry, the female power players have lured an entirely new consumer audience, and we are seeing more and more women becoming involved in whiskey groups, tastings, reviews, and collecting in general.

The massive increases in “secondary“ prices -- in other words, collectors selling particularly hard-to-find and rare bottles to each other -- have hit all-time highs. Bottles with MSRPs of under $200 can move for literally thousands of dollars in this marketplace. Prices have begun to rival that of rare and vintage wines for some of the most sought-after bottles. This market has also caught the eye of retailers who are not hesitant to mark up their products in the retail setting, causing an even more dramatic supply-and-demand change.