Inside the World of Rare Whisky Collectors

On 18 November 2023, The Macallan 1926 60-Year Old from Cask 263 broke records by selling for 1.1 million pounds at auction. Today, the value of this rare whisky is nearer to two million pounds, and one of the most coveted bottles in the world that Charles Beamish, CEO and founder of whisky advisory Beamish International, secured for one of his clients.

In an interview with Comoclub, Charles offered an insider's look at the elite world of whisky collecting. The allure lies in its scarcity. The value of a bottle or a cask can skyrocket based on its age, the distillery's reputation, and the size of the batch produced. Keen collectors have been known to spend years chasing down specific bottlings from producers they love.

'Our clients are obsessive,' Charles confirms. 'They want the allocations, and they're hoarders. Sometimes they won't even tell their friends because they want it all for themselves,' he smiles.

Beamish clientele are willing to spend 100,000 pounds and above on whisky. They're not interested in being aggressively sold to; they're interested in pursuing their passion. 'They want to learn more about how whisky is made. They’re willing to travel across the world, spend time with us, and meet the master distillers,' he explains. 'And they want to learn from the best.'

Charles brings extensive experience from both the drinks and financial services industries to his role. During his time managing private clients at Whyte & Mackay with The Dalmore, he pioneered a highly successful direct-to-consumer model that guarantees authenticity, offers competitive pricing, and connects clients with producers to secure rare stock. One of Charles' first major sales using this model was The Paterson Collection, a one-of-a-kind set of twelve single malts created by his mentor, Dalmore master blender Richard Paterson, which sold for nearly one million pounds.

At Beamish International, Charles employs this same model but with his own personal touch. 'I know exactly what the experience should be and make sure our relationships are managed in line with my own expectations. It's all very well selling the stuff, but unless you can go the extra mile to retain the relationship, there's no point in operating.'

In 2018, as Charles was setting up Beamish International, he received a call from Richard Gledson, from the late Queen Elizabeth's Balmoral estate, offering him the opportunity to find a buyer for the Bowmore Queen's Cask — a Holy Grail for whisky collectors — from the Queen's own collection. It cost thirty thousand pounds, with the proceeds going to charity. Charles immediately knew who to contact: a client in Bangkok had been searching for this bottle for 25 years. His client jumped at the opportunity, ready to transfer the funds. Along with this prized bottle, his client also received a note from the Queen, on headed paper, thanking the collector for his generosity, signed 'ER.'

Offering unforgettable moments like these are what sets Beamish apart — their laser focus on building relationships has kept clients loyal and given them exclusive access to the rarest releases from many of the leading single malt scotch whisky brands.

Serious collectors often wait their entire lives for the opportunity to purchase casks on their wish lists, due to extremely limited allocations. One such brand, for instance, offers just a single 50-year-old cask annually for sale exclusively to private clients. This ultra rare cask — likely to command a price of several million pounds — is made available by Beamish International to their top clients, who are also invited to enjoy an immersive experience and meet the people behind the iconic distillery.

The high-stakes world of whisky collecting is not without risks. There are many opportunists in the secondary market seeking quick profits — often offering counterfeit bottles that deceive even the most eagle-eyed aficionados, which poses significant challenges. 'Many bottles in the secondary market have been found to be fake or have questionable authenticity,’ Charles reveals. 'They might be diluted, refilled with cheap whisky, or have had labels peeled off and reapplied to different bottles. You really have to be careful about who you deal with.'

For collectors who partner with knowledgeable advisors like Beamish International, the future remains bright. 'Whisky collecting is a passionate investment,' Charles says. 'My clients want to amass a collection they're proud of and to look back with fondness at the experiences they've had in collecting. It's not just about the investment. It's about the experience.'

If you are a whisky enthusiast or budding collector, tell us about some of your favourite drams and get in touch to receive information about future whisky tastings and experiences.