Pappy Van Winkle is perhaps the most American brand of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Americans use the ‘e’ in whiskey instead of the “whisky” that is meant to pertain to Scotch. A British auction by Whisky.Auction is offering whiskey and scotch that is the right age for investing with brands that may require paying an additional set of duties for transport to the United States. That is if the winning bidder is even in the U.S.

The auction ends October 12, 2021. Collectors Dashboard looked into the investable brands you need to know. This is an auction and here are the current bids on these rare bottles:

• Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Family Reserve. Bottled in 2018 and currently at 2,300.00 British Pounds after 6 bids.
• Pappy Van Winkle’s 23 Year Old Family Reserve. Bottled in 2019 and currently at 2,400.00 British Pounds after 6 bids.
• Pappy Van Winkle’s 20 Year Old Family Reserve. Bottled 2017 and currently at 1,650.00 British Pounds after 4 bids.

Collectors Dashboard evaluates collectibles as an alternative asset class. This means collectibles are attracting the same capital that could have been invested into stocks or bonds. And when whisky, or whiskey, bottles get upwards of $10,000 or more these definitely qualify as alternative assets. Some collectors want to own purely for the joy – and perhaps even for consumption. Other buyers may be investors, and they are only buying in hope of making a profit in the future.

While bourbon may be preferred by some American whiskey drinkers, there are many Americans who prefer the single malt whisky of Scotland. Whether the winning bidders are European, American or even elsewhere, Macallan has the top billings in this British auction – and the top bottle was also in a “reserve not met” (yet) status.

The London Edition of a 2008 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the highest price:

• Macallan 2008 Distil Your World London Edition Bottled 2020 – Single Cask. Current bid is 6,600 British Pounds after 7 bids.
• Macallan Royal Marriage 1948 & 1961 created to commemorate the marriage of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. The current bid for the bottle is 3,000 British Pounds after 3 bids.
• Macallan also has a 1951 edition that was bottled in 2001, with a current bid of 2,100 British pounds after 9 bids.

As this auction is taking place in London, which would likely influence the price of a London Edition of a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, it seems obvious that the Macallan would be in the lead. Even if this auction were moved to the United States it might have the same order based on the quality of whisky and whiskey up for bid.

The potential for best realized price of a Macallan Royal Marriage from 1981 is also likely to have its best price potential from British citizens. Or at least that would be the answer merely using common sense and deduction.

There are of course not the only whisky (and whiskey) bottles up for auction, and some are also in the “reserve not met” status at the present time.

According to mashed.com the real reason for the high price of Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old Family Reserve is the limited production and availability of the product among other things. The family only releases 7,000 to 8,000 cases of Family Reserve each year, approximately 84,000 bottles. The website mashed makes the comparison that Jim Beam releases 84 million per year. Can you taste the difference? They quote Anthoney Bourdain’s reaction in an episode of The Layover where he proclaims, “if God made bourbon, this is what he’d make.”

And if regular whisky auctions aren’t enough, there is always a new way to think about it. Macallan has a competing auction valued at $2 million or more with a twist for a non-fungible token (NFT(.