Can't decide on what to buy

[whisky_tigger]

Hi everyone!

I have a 42 bott. collection of single malts and my goal has always been to buy whiskys that best suit my taste (e.g. Islay malts, Glenlivet, Nikka, HP and so on).

However I really feel that I want to collect a few interesting malts from closed distilleries. I've selected three malts to choose from, but can't really decide.
Also I don't know the stock quantity for these malts.

Which of these can be considered the most coveted in the near future?

Coleburn Single Cask Bottling 25y 1980/2005 OMC (Douglas Laing)
Glen Mhor Cask Strength Collection Wine Cask 28y 1982 Signatory
Pittyvaich 18y OMC 1990 (Douglas Laing)

Kind Regards

[whiskyhibby]

I would have a look at Whiskyfun, see if they have a taste rating for each bottle and buy the one that has the highest score, failing that the Coleburn is probablly the rarest

[Jonny McCormick]

Which of these can be considered the most coveted in the near future?

Coleburn Single Cask Bottling 25y 1980/2005 OMC (Douglas Laing)
Glen Mhor Cask Strength Collection Wine Cask 28y 1982 Signatory
Pittyvaich 18y OMC 1990 (Douglas Laing)

Firstly, I would stick to your principles and buy what suits your tastes. However, if you're buying to collect and possibly sell in the future then it may help you to look at the current positions of these distilleries in the Whisky Magazine Index. As a trading index, these positions represent a combination of the frequency with which they appear at rare whisky auctions and the value that they achieve. Official distillery releases are usually priced higher than independent bottlings and the same is true at auction, but with some closed distilleries, independent releases can be our only opportunity to try it.

Looking at the data at the start of June 2012, Coleburn was very scarce at auction, lying 97th in the rankings and had an average price at auction of £78. Glen Mhor is ranked 76th and coincidentally, its average auction value is also £78. Down at 105th, Pittyvaich is lowest in the rankings of these three distilleries, achieving an average hammer price of £56. Remember, the value of your bottle to a future collector is not just about the distillery name. The quality of the liquid inside the bottle and the presentation of the bottle are also important. Predicting future trends in the popularity of closed distilleries is a tricky business, so trust your instincts, do your research and I'm sure you'll make a well-informed purchase.