THE UK RARE WHISKY MARKET SMASHES THE £25M MARK

The market for rare whisky in the UK, has exceeded £25M in a single year for the first time, according to new figures published by whisky analyst, broker and investment experts Rare Whisky 101.

According to the findings, which are part of Rare Whisky 101’s 2017 annual report, both the volume and value of rare Scotch whisky sold at auction increased by record amounts.

Rare Whisky 101 Founders: Andy Simpson and David Robertson

The value of collectable bottles of single malt Scotch whisky sold at auction in the UK rose by 76.33% to a record £25.06m (£14.21m in 2016). The number of bottles of single malt Scotch whisky sold at auction in the UK increased by 42.47% to 83,713 (58,758 in 2016). The most expensive bottle to sell at auction in the UK was a bottle of 62 Year Old Dalmore, which sold for £95,000.

December alone saw 8,848 bottles of Scotch sold at auction in the UK, a record month and a large part of the 25,123 bottles sold through the final quarter of 2017. Just four years ago in 2013, a total of 20,211 bottles were sold throughout the full year. From a value perspective, December saw £3.148m sold, slightly ahead of 2012’s full year sales value of £2.911m.

Commenting on the news, Andy Simpson, Director and Co-Founder of Rare Whisky 101, said: “We were fully expecting to break £20 million for the first time. However, £25 million shows the level of pure demand in the market at the moment. The volume of bottles on the open market is at record highs, but demand for the right bottles, for now at least, continues to excess these record levels of supply.”

The findings in the Rare Whisky 101 2017 annual report, come at the same time as an announcement from the Scotch Whisky Association, which reports that 2017 was a record-breaking year for Scotch whisky exports.

According to official HMRC data published by the Scotch Whisky Association, last year Scotch grew in both volume and value (by 1.6% and 8.9% respectively) to a total of £4.36bn - the equivalent of 1.23bn bottles exported globally.

Posted by Steve Rush

SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE WHISKY FESTIVAL ORGANISERS TOAST RECORD TICKET SALES

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival organisers, have announced record-breaking ticket sales for this year’s festival, with 116 events selling out within 24 hours of going on sale and ticket sale values increasing by over £30,000.

Ticket sales for the 2018 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival have set new records, with almost 5,000 tickets valued at £154,000 being bought within 24 hours of them being released.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival organisers toast record ticket sales

The demand for festival tickets has been driven from both home and abroad, with whisky lovers in the UK, USA and Germany the top three early-booking nations.  The festival continues to attract global interest, with website browsers from across Europe and North America and also Vietnam, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Kazakhstan, El Salvador and the Falkland Islands.

Eager whisky lovers went into overdrive snapping up 1,058 tickets worth £46,000 in the first 10 minutes of them going live at 12 noon on Tuesday. The buying frenzy continued and within an hour 3,838 tickets had been sold and that figure rose to 4,982 with 24 hours.

Commenting on the news, James Campbell, Festival Chairman, said: “The level of interest has astounded us; we did wonder if we could match the success of last year’s sales, but here we are again having surpassed it. Whisky lovers from all around the world have shown a real thirst for the 2018 offering, and in line with previous years the exclusive distillery tours have sold out first. Real whisky aficionados are always looking for very special experiences that are only available at the time of the Festival, so tours of distilleries not normally open to the public sold out very quickly.”

He went onto say: “Festival fans realise they must get in early to get tickets for the activities they really want, and they’ve wasted no time this year. We’re fortunate to have partners who develop a rich and diverse programme of events that captures the imagination of the whisky-loving public. This is a great start for us and a reminder that our Festival is viewed as a must-attend event by whisky lovers all over the world.”

This year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, runs from between May 3rd and 7th at venues across the Speyside region.

Posted by Steve Rush

GLENDRONACH LAUNCHES THE NINTH BATCH IN ITS GRANDEUR SERIES

The GlenDronach Distillery, has today announced the launch of the 9th release in its limited-edition Grandeur series.

GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 9 (48.7% ABV) is a 24 Year Old single malt, which has been produced using whisky matured in Spanish oak sherry butts, distilled in 1990, 1992 and 1993.

GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 9

Limited to just 1,487 bottles, this latest release from the Aberdeenshire based distillery, is said to deliver notes of stone fruit, baked quince, glazed cherries, sandalwood, roast chestnuts and subtle musk-scented leather on the nose. Followed by notes of sherry-laced fruitcake, baked orange, sultanas and luscious black cherries on the palate.

Commenting on the launch, Rachel Barrie, The GlenDronach Master Blender, said: “In the GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 9, an unparalleled range of the finest aromas and tastes have been composed from masterful Spanish oak sherry cask maturation, patient aging and careful cask selection. Grandeur Batch 9 is a single malt of finesse, powerful complexity and persistence, reaching heights of maturity and depth of character that approach single malt perfection. The GlenDronach Grandeur is the pinnacle of the signature style, representing rich layers of Highland heritage and terroir, intensified through patient aging in the finest Spanish oak sherry casks.”

GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 9, will be available later this month from specialist retailers, RRP £450.00.

Posted by Steve Rush