Published in Whisky Magazine Issue 64 on 01/06/2007.

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You have to be sensible and balance passion with a business mind (Sukhinder Singh)

Ian Wisniewski interviews the man behind The Whisky Exchange

Ian (IW): How do you acquire such an extensive range of stock?

Sukhinder (SS): Every day we get phone calls and emails, and we have a lot of customers who decide to retire, and we ask if they’d consider selling something. It started off with auctions, I’ve been going since 1988.

IW:Would you always buy something rare, even if you don’t have an existing customer for it?

SS:Yes, there’s always somebody looking for something particular. It’s a huge financial outlay, we’re always re-investing.

IW: What about counterfeit whiskies?

SS:Yes, that’s a problem, and we talk to other dealers about what’s going on.

IW: And if it’s counterfeit whisky it could also be harmful or lethal.

SS: Exactly, so we have to be very, very careful where we buy from.

IW: Malt and blended Scotch drinkers are often perceived as separate groups, do you think more people now appreciate both styles?

SS: The new consumer has pretty much gone straight to malts. The old school probably started on blends, that’s pretty much what was available, they may have progressed to malts but they always have a respect for blends, and a lot of them are rediscovering blends. We’re selling more and more blends. Certain markets in the Far East are all about deluxe blends.

IW: Where’s the most dedicated following for peated malts?

SS: Scandinavia, Germany, Belgium, Italy, pretty much all of Europe, even some of the new Eastern European markets.

IW: Do you see continued growth of interest in pe.....

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By Ian Wisniewski

Section : Whisky Interview

Page number : 23