Fortune Reports American Whiskey Is on Fire
Liquor revenues are growing like crazy, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. The six year growth in super-premium whiskey revenue grew by almost 150%.
And the popularity of whiskey consumption has made rare collectible whiskey prices really take off. Some Scotch and Japanese whiskeys are fetching $50,000 or more.
The thought is that the size of the market growing rapidly should lead to more demand for the very high end tip of the market.
The article points out that American whiskeys are still relatively cheap, with even the most expensive, collectible American bottles only fetching $2000 per bottle. Additionally, because American whiskey makers under-price their best bottles and don’t make big enough batches to meet demand, investors have been able to flip the most desirable bottles at a profit.
High end liquor makers (or others in the know) often sell out a batch after tweeting a new batch coming up for sale, or by selling to repeat buyers who are fortunate enough to be on the list. The best bottles can be flipped to the general market at a profit.
Hey New England, if ur looking for the next batch of Pappy Van Winkle, keep ur eyes open. Vermont shipped monday, NH on 3/1. MA still TBD.
— Drink Insider (@DrinkInsider) February 22, 2012
