Black Bowmore

Whisky investment isn't for the faint-hearted. The true worth of a bottle of any age or type is naturally demand-led, but any classification is largely guesswork. There's no official exchange and there's no universal price listing. Having said that, the more limited-edition stuff you buy, the more likely you are to hit the jackpot.

With only 827 bottles released, the 42-year-old Black Bowmore is the oldest whisky ever released by the distillery and with a retail price of £2,000, the company expects a clamour of interest from collectors and connoisseurs alike. Black Bowmore was originally released as a series: 2,000 bottles were brought to market in 1993 at 29 years old, followed by a further 2,000 bottles in 1994 at 30 years old and 1,812 bottles a year later. The latest originates from the same 1964 distillation, maturing in vaults below sea level on the remote Scottish island of Islay in Oloroso sherry casks. The original three releases now sell at auction for up to 16 times their original retail price. A further two editions are set to be released in the next few years.