Whisky demand

Amsterdam, Oct. 16 (Reuters): While investors flee traditional markets such as stocks and commodities on growing recession fears, trade in rare bottles of whisky is flourishing.

Roughly 11 months after the launch of a Dutch online trade platform for exclusive single malt whiskies, mostly from Scotland, the World Whisky Index has seen an average return of 26.2 per cent, compared to a more than 40 per cent decline in the MSCI World stock index. “There’s big demand for rare whiskies and people are willing to offer a lot of money for certain bottles”, said a spokesman for The Whisky Talker, a Dutch firm that initiated the index website.